Peace

Right now I am sitting in Panera, sans children, eating hot food, and typing away on my computer.  In peace.  And I have to say, I almost don't remember how to do this.  It's coming back though.  And I'm liking it.

But the funny thing is that there is a mom across from me, struggling alone with her 3 children to get them fed, dressed to go back outside, food cleaned up, and wrangled, and all I can think of is how much I miss my girlies.  I've only been away for two hours. 

It feels good though, to miss them.  Because I've mostly just felt kind of exasperated and tired of them.  Which is not a good way for a mama to feel.  And I think that Emmy, especially, is a little sick of me too. 

Jordan has been gone 12 days now, and we're making it.  People keep asking me how we are doing, and I keep telling people we are doing fine.  Good even.  And I think it is true.  We've been so busy we've hardly had time to think about it.  Emberly keeps telling me that Daddy is at the "Air National Guard flying airplanes."  :)  It makes me smile.  I know she misses him, because she keeps trying to wrestle with me like she wrestles with him.  And I am just not into it.  We desperately need to get outside to run off some of that energy... it just needs to happen. 

But really, we're doing well.  I don't know how single moms do this all the time though.  It gives me great appreciation for them.  I am exhausted and just plain weary in a whole new way. 

Piper is getting top teeth, so she hasn't been sleeping the greatest, and Emmy has been having bad dreams and growing pains.  Between the two of them, there aren't many hours during the night that someone doesn't need something.  We've watched more Curious George than ever before in our lives, but we've also been better at getting out of the house and doing fun things.  I've tried to relax my standards on "projects" in our house and allowed Em to paint almost every day, along with other ultra messy projects (baking soda + vinegar + medicine dropper is a current fav). 

If you've made it this far in reading this blog about mostly nothing and are a praying person, my big prayer request right now is that I would be able to wean Piper by the time Jordan graduates so that I can fly down for graduation without Piper.  Since she got sick back at Christmastime she stopped taking a bottle.  She still cannot figure out a sippy cup, either.  So if weaning her is not possible, then I just pray that Piper is a willing adventurer with me.  It's a long flight.

Hmmm... I think that is all for now.  It's almost time for me to pack up from my cozy spot at Panera, scurry around and get a few groceries, and get home to tuck my dumplings into bed.  And I have to say, I'm pretty excited to see them... :)