Well, we finished bringing in our final boxes, which I guess means our move is over — or will be, when I finally unpack them. We’ve been cleaning out our storage unit so we can, you know, stop paying for it. And that completes our cycle of insanity this year.
So many things have gone wrong this year that sometimes it’s hard to focus on what has gone right. Really, though, a lot of things have gone right, right in the middle of it all.
Marti is back in school full time. It’s hard for all of us to adjust; we’re so used to him being home a lot, and now he’s gone for labs and classes and he leaves for work at 6:30 a.m. to make up for the time. That’s hard. But it’s also great, and even though I totally suck as a housewife I’m glad I can be here for him, that we can finish this. When he’s done with college, he’ll have that degree and nothing can take that away from him. (Okay, nuclear war, or a major government takeover, possibly, but otherwise…) We only have three more semesters and it will be over. I’ve never been good at delayed gratification but I’m trying.
I’m home in all my grand inefficiency as a housewife. Yes, housewife. Practically every day I run into a colleague or someone I know (I frequent the library) and they all are very polite, but they all ask very pointedly about school. Like, when are you going? And when will you come back to work? All the while I’m fairly bursting because today! Today I did not have to do my hair! And Maya looked cute, snuggling next to me, as we slept in. Oh, and school? Yes, yes, I’ll be going back to school. But did you notice how cute Maya is?
Because I’m home I get to volunteer at Ben’s school a couple days a week, and I get to personally hate his kindergarten teacher. Yes, she’s one of those teachers who say “we,” as in, “we didn’t follow the rules, did we? This must be so terribly embarrassing for us.” And I forcibly prevent myself from throwing a shoe at her head by pounding my head on the table, ever so quietly. But what if I was working? I wouldn’t get to know how truly irritating she is, nor would I have such profound sympathy for Ben. So there, there’s a good thing, right there.
We’re simplifying our lives. That’s another good thing. We’re downsizing. And it’s hard, a little like pulling a band-aid off a wound, but our lives and schedules had gotten so complicated. Now I spend more time on my front porch with a cup of coffee, watching Maya “help” weed the front yard by pulling all the flowers up. But even though we’ve had a rocky time the past months, right now I feel I am truly focusing on what’s important. I’m getting the opportunity to see my kids grow up, be irritated by them, yell at them, love on them, watch them cover themselves with creamed carrots, and take more pictures than is strictly necessary — and I like it.
So it’s been a rough summer. A rough year. But I think we made the right choices.
After all, they grow up so fast. The time never comes back.
Leave a Reply