I’ve had some down time at work lately. When I come to the end of the facebooks and the blogs, I’ve been looking back through my archives. Perhaps this is a tad narcissistic, but I suppose blogging could be in itself considered narcissistic, but that’s a topic for another day.
ANYway, what I keep seeing evidence of, over and over, is OHMYGOD the TIME I used to have! The time for projects and crafts and leisurely breakfasts out with the Stranger. The time for sending cards and exploring rummage sales followed by long lunches and beers in the middle of the day.
Please don’t interpret this as a complaint about my current situation. I wouldn’t trade this life for anything. That gorgeous boy brings me more joy than I ever could have thought possible, more joy than an afternoon in a book store ever could. I was just reminded by my own words how much life has changed.
Moms gotta take it where they can get it. So, last friday, the one before Labor Day weekend, my boss overheard me kvetching about the hours of traffic I was about to sit in and told me to go home early. (I love my boss!) As I rolled in to Tacoma, about 2 hours ahead of schedule, I listened to a voicemail SB had left me a few minutes before. “I’m just sitting out on the patio with my mom and my aunt, waiting for you. Clark is playing in the yard…” he said, or something to that effect.
Hmm. That didn’t sound like fun to me. I mean, I love them both, but I just didn’t feel like it. It was a beautiful day, and there I was, off the radar for 2 whole hours. Part of me felt like I should go home anyway, and get a few extra hours with my boy. But it WAS the friday before a 3 day weekend where I would get plenty of quality time. I also thought, maybe I should go home and relieve SB from child duty, but then I remembered that Clark had been with my mom all day, so he had just picked him up.
Seemingly on its own, my car headed for the waterfront. I got myself a table on a deck, a beer, and plate of carbs. I called a couple of people to see if they could join me last minute, but no one was available. So, me, my beer, and my Kindle enjoyed a totally unexpected and completely delicious hour or so of alone time.
This period of baby/toddlerhood is not forever. Soon enough, my boy won’t need me, and I’ll have all the time in the world for my own stuff. But man, that sure was a lovely afternoon.
I know I am not yet a Mom but I can say that what I’ve seen happen to a lot of friends turned Mom is that they forget to take that hour or two just for them. Indulge in an ocean view, a book, a beer without having to be a Mom or Significant Other. Just you. I think that makes women more available if they DO take that time for themselves. So I am applauding you!
Good for you! The therapist I’ve been seeing just gave me a homework assignment today: schedule one hour a week of ME time, working up to two hours twice a week, of which I’ve had NONE for a very long time, so you’re little escape sounds like heaven!
Amen sister
and good for you! I got off work early the other day and K thought I was going to study. Well, I did do some reading. Of a romance novel. At Hello, Cupcake. Where I had two of them, thank you very much.
wish i could have been in the other chair
Sounds wonderful, and well deserved.
Good for you Jenny! You need this time, so that you’re all refreshed to fully enjoy time with family.
Amen sister.
The water: amazing. The beer: amazing. The tubers: amazing. The solitude: AH-MAZE-ING. The teen novel could have been the one thing missing from this slice of paradise….
btw..not to be a debbie downer, but all my girlfriends here with older kids say that it doesn’t matter what age they are, they need your time just as much, just in different ways. I think the lesson here for mothers EVERYWHERE is that we need to find/make that time for ourselves once even (gasp)twice a week (as Heather’s therapists suggests)if we can.
Oh to have an one of you fine ladies in the opposite chair.