It had been a long week. Too many appointments. Not enough down time. HT had to work the weekend, and yesterday I woke, not quite wanting to climb back into my life.
“When is your next day off?” I mumbled to him.
“Tomorrow,” he said.
I closed my eyes and nodded. Good.
“It just happens to coincide with your next day off,” he added.
With that, I hoisted myself into our day.
It was a big one for Riley. She’d been invited to a party and was going unaccompanied by me. I had to skip chorus to be available at a moment’s notice. I love chorus and quietly resented missing it. But she is not invited to many parties, and this one was with a mom I trust implicitly. It was a good one for her to forge on her own. Still, if she had a hard time I did not want the mom to have to deal with it, and take away from her enjoyment of her daughter’s party. I was on call, just down the street.
Seth and I stayed home, had rare and precious one-on-one time. We made snacks. We watched a movie, all snuggled up together with Yippee the Chihuahua and Sam the cat on his chest, together in perfect harmony. (Yippee usually chases Sam). We also got Seth started on his second oil painting. This time he’s painting the same thing he painted last time. Another portrait of Yippee. From a different angle. A profile. What can I say? He’s passionate about his puppy.
Riley did beautifully at the party, BTW. She had fun. Not enough can be made of that.
So today is my “day off,” though I do have to coach Girls on the Run later. I went for a long walk this morning over crunchy snow. It felt good to have the sun shine on my face. Forget sunscreen. I just want to feel it beaming into my skin at this point in winter. Suck up that vitamin D.
Despite the lovely time with Seth, by last night I was feeling caged in. I get that way often enough. Not so much since Todd changed his schedule and is no longer working a 7 day in a row shift. But there it was. This feeling of a total “disappearance” of me.
I firmly believe I’d be a better mother if I could get out of here and work part-time. We have not yet been able to figure out how that would be possible with Todd’s all-over-the-place work schedule, and our kids who can’t be left with just anyone.
I know it’s all relative. Some women wish they could stay home with their kids. Do I have a right to my feelings, anyhow?
The other day a FB friend complained about her kids being home from school, (snow day or such)and how it interfered with her work at home schedule, and it hit a nerve. I wanted to yell through cyber-space BUT YOUR KIDS CAN GO TO SCHOOL, CAN’T THEY? THEY’RE HEALTHY,RIGHT? YOU DO HAVE AN AMAZING CAREER, DON’T YOU?”
Again, it’s all relative, she has a right to her feelings too. Of course she does.
The grass is always greener. No path is perfect.
Very few men have to juggle work around their kids. I feel victimy about it sometimes, but I know men have their own vulnerabilities and pain. Todd would actually love to be a stay at home dad. Working in a hospital pharmacy is not his dream, no matter how good at it he is.
Today on my walk, I visualized the life I want. If I could choose it out of a catalog, what my schedule would look like, what the kids would be doing, etc. How much time I would need to really feel a balance between being me and making sure their all encompassing needs are met.
We’re really not so far off.
It’s possible.
Seeing it is important.
Appreciating all we do have, is the key to unlock the door.
And so…off I go to do my daily rampage of appreciation.
Ciao. May you have a beautiful day.
Michelle — Your honesty and self-awareness are always inspiring. It is a rare and brave person who can look both inward and outward with such insight. I need to try harder. Thanks for sharing.
You too huh?
I love it when we can acknowledge our desires without blaming ourselves for having them. It took me a long time to stop beating myself up for wanting something I didn’t have just because what I DID have was something someone else might kill for.
Bravo, you and HT! Bravo, Riley, for having a great time at the party. Bravo, Seth. Can’t wait to see the new painting.
Love.
“It just happens to coincide with your next day off,” he added. Love HT for this.
“And so…off I go to do my daily rampage of appreciation.” Love you for this.
Isn’t it great that we each get to have our feelings? Seriously. Comparing does not work!
Glad you get a day off now and then.
“Very few men have to juggle work around their kids. I feel victimy about it sometimes, but I know men have their own vulnerabilities and pain. “—
It must be in the planets right now, because I have also felt a teeny bit ‘victimy’ lately about this. Just a little bit of “what am I doing with my life and who the hell even notices and when I’m dead who will remember that I did so much laundry even though I had a higher education.” Just, you know. A teeny bit.
But yes. My life looks a lot like I would “want it” to look, when I step back and pause. Damn lucky for it, too.
🙂
I love so much about this post. Your perspective, Todd’s response about your days off coinciding, the pic of Seth (!), but Riley doing well at the party? NEHBM.
Love.
Thanks, it’s usefully for me.