The Bends

I have hit the parental jackpot. I have all 4 children in school 3 days a week. The older ones go to school every day, but Jacqui has now joined the ranks of preschool. Alhamdu-allah! Sorry, I don't have a picture yet. Friday was her first day and she loved it! Though I would like to add that getting 4 children dressed, fed, lunch packed and out the door is not as easy as it looks. Especially when the two middle ones (7 & 5 yo) already act like teenagers when the morning comes. Both of them wrapped up in their blanket cocoons, wincing when I flip on the light. I have to physically pull the covers off and even still they are left shivering in the fetal position. Or like Mairyn this morning; flopped on her stomach, head under pillow, arms pinned under her torso, left knee pulled up to the ribs, the other leg splayed out and that little, pinchable bum sticking up in the air.

Getting out the door this morning was akin to herding chickens. Because from what I've heard, you can't herd chickens. One headed to the car, another still buttering toast, yet another deciding they needed a second potty break and Jacqueline standing beside me, clutching her lunchbox, asking me if it's time to go to her school. We made it through the slickery roads and once they unloaded, I pulled away from the school, and felt *weird*. Not like I missed them, but that the van was empty. I was having some separation anxiety from my littlest, I mean, she's only 3. Then I reminded myself of the next 6 hours of uninterrupted time I had, and I relaxed a bit. But the thing that doesn't add up, the factor that seems to bend the space time continuum, is that I have less time. How is this possible?

I Hit the gym and had a nice, hot shower by myself. Yes, I didn't have to reach out and help put a doll dress on or get a tissue or let the child get in, too.

**sidenote** And you know what met me when I pulled into my driveway? My next door neighbor, shoveling my snow. He looked up a bit sheepishly and said that he had hoped to get to this yesterday and was apologizing! For what? I thanked him profusely and then he said, "Well, just so you know, there are about 4 of us in the neighborhood that keep an eye on your driveway. So we'll get to it, we don't want to see you out here!" Aw gee, let me go grab a tissue! **end side note**

So I guess it's not a factor of not knowing what to do with myself, it's finding time to cram it all in. I think of something I need to do, then internally argue with myself how I couldn't do it today, and then, the light bulb flicks on and I go, "Oh yeah, I don't have any kids with me!" I may need to bend that continuum further to accommodate all of the ideas I have! Let me say it again, Alhamdulillah!!! Even if it may feel like swimming upstream, I have 19 1/2 hours a week of time to myself. Well, until this Friday when school lets out for the holidays. For 2 weeks. Poo. I'd almost forgotten, getting ahead of myself I guess. Then I will declare it again, as of January 4th, I will have 19 1/2 hours a week of time to myself. To quote Skippyjon Jones (yes, go to the link, it's a wonderful children's book series.): Yip Yipee Yippito!!