An Extraordinarily Ordinary Day in the Life of Me

We had the grandboys overnite last nite so my ordinarily relatively long day became an extraordinarily long day. But not in a bad way, no. It's just that 9-month-old Cooper decided last nite was not going to be one that he slept thru. Dylan conked out around 7 pm and I tried putting Cooper down as well but as soon as I began bending down to lay him in his makeshift crib I could feel his little body tighten up. His eyes popped open. Wide open. And his expression told me, "Grandma, you may think I'm going to go to sleep...but I know better!" So...back to the rocking chair. Another 45 minutes, thinking he's got to be sound enough asleep to stay asleep. Nope. So I decided trying to take him to bed and settling him in between Dylan and me (Papa set up a cot in his den in the basement, smart man.) That worked pretty well until Dylan rolled over and flung out his arm and smacked Cooper in the head. At least I managed to get a squalling and startled Cooper out to the living room with the bedroom door closed behind us without Dylan waking up. That was around 10. To make a long story short, this went on at 2-hour intervals all nite. I managed to cat nap somewhere between 2-4....then Cooper woke up bright-eyed and ready to start his day! When his eyes pop open and he flashes his big, gummy ear-to-ear grin at you first thing, how on earth can you be upset? Besides, he's teething. That explains it all, doesn't it?

Dear Hubby's on call this weekend so that means we didn't venture very far from home. I noticed when I went outside to take Chloe dog for a potty walk after the boys left that a tire on my truck is low again. I took it in to Les Schwab a couple weeks ago when I noticed it was low then. They did the water test and fiddled around and pronounced it fine, saying it was low from just sitting in front of the house parked most of the time. But it was lower today than it was then. Dear Hubby says it might be a faulty valve. I looked at it. I turned on my heel and came into the house. I did not feel like dealing with it today. Instead, Dear Hubby and I went to a neighborhood restaurant and had breakfast, then he took me to WalMart and Fred Meyer so I could do my shopping. Afterwards, when we came home and I walked in to the house, I looked at the mess it was in and said, "I do not feel like dealing with this today. This is my only day off and I don't feel like spending it doing housework." Dear Hubby said, "Fine. Then don't." But I looked at the toys scattered everywhere, the dishes from dinner the nite before still sitting on the kitchen counter. The piles of laundry that I just knew were reproducing all on their own in the basement. Duty called. But as I went down the stairs with yet another armload of laundry...baby blankets that had gotten upchucked on, a few other spare items...I said, "You know, today I am totally overwhelmed." I think Dear Hubby almost fainted at that admission. You see, I have spent my life being Super Woman. Never asking for help. Insisting on doing everything myself. But one thing this last year has taught me -- I only have so much inside of me. I can not and am not willing to go beyond my limits any more. I am finally healthy and I am going to stay healthy. And if that means admitting weakness and saying "HELP!" I'm finally willing to do it. And Dear Hubby's response? He got out the vacuum and vacuumed. He picked up the toys. I did the dishes and laundry. And we both had time afterwards to sit down and watch some programs together we'd taped on the DVR. I have finally given up my Mother of All Martyrs scepter to anyone crazy enough to pick it up. Believe me, it isn't anything to covet. And when I say a 'martyr' I don't mean one of those moaning, groaning, oh-poor-me-I'm-so-taken-for-granted martyrs. I'm talking the silent type, the type that just does it because it needs to be done and has always found it easier to just do it herself than 'share' responsibility. What an idiot I am at times. Some lessons in life are learned so late in life. But not often too late. I think...hope...I still have a few years left to enjoy my new-found relief in saying, "OK! Enough already! I give up! You win!" Super Woman has finally been revealed as a fraud. It's only taken 55 years.

Late this afternoon Dear Hubby asked if I'd like to take a drive to the Goodwill in Sandy. So that's what we did. I'd taped a 'new' "Curious George" episode this week called "Spy Monkey" where George learns about periscopes and Dylan found that pretty fascinating. What did I spot in the toy aisle? A periscope! So that went into Grandma's "to buy" pile. And so did a battery-operated toy drill. As I was wandering down the aisle that has pictures and art and stationery items in it, I came across this poem. I didn't want to buy it...I have no room left on my 'inspirational' wall in my kitchen for something as big as this was. But I remembered the name and looked it up on the internet. Sometimes the internet is the most wonderful tool, isn't it? This is my new inspiration for the new year:

"Slow Dance"

by

David L. Weatherford

Have you ever watched kids on a merry-go-round

Or listened to the rain slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down

Don't dance so fast

Time is short

The music won't last

Do you run through each day on the fly

When you ask "How are you?" do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast

Time is short

The music won't last

Ever told your child,We'll do it tomorrow

And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,Let a good friendship die

'Cause you never had time to call and say "Hi"?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast

Time is short

The music won't last

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift....Thrown away...

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.