Daydreaming…

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be completely and utterly alone in this world?  I can remember days when my two kids were little that I often daydreamed about running away to the farthest corner of the world with no phone, no computer, no television, nothing.  Just for a little while.  I even got in the car once and almost made it out of town.  Then it occurred to me that my car was sitting on empty, I had no money with me, the kids liked ME a lot better than their dad, and I actually really do love the little devils and just might miss them.  Add to that, the fact that I loathe being alone, I mean absolutely despise not being around other people, and my little daydream just loses all its luster really fast.

Now, fast forward about a decade.  Lose the husband, one kid moves out, new relationship blossoms and morphs into something REAL, another kid moves in, and viola!  Instant happiness and bliss.

That old daydream was many moons ago, and I have no desire to run away from home anymore.  Not even on the really bad days when I feel like running from the house screaming, while simultaneously pulling my hair out.  (Any stay at home parent knows exactly what I’m talking about!)  No, I find the chaos involved with having kids and a family is what keeps me going now.  That, and a never-ending supply of chocolate.  I don’t cringe at the sound of the little darlings annoying one another just for the fun of it.  Nor do I fret over all the little messes and constant loads of dishes and laundry that just seem to appear out of nowhere whenever they’re around.  I love every minute of my life nowadays.  Even the bad ones.  Because unlike the past, even my bad days aren’t so bad anymore.

I guess that’s the thing about family that makes it so great.  You have good days and you have bad days, but as long as you love each other and try to be respectful of each other, it all just works out in the end.  I personally believe that I have the best family in the world.  (Yeah, yeah, yeah.  I know.  I may be just a little bit biased on that one.)  But they truly are great.  And at the end of the day, when the kids are home from school, and He’s home from work, and we’re all here together, all is right with the world.

*Note to self:  Re-read this post towards the end of summer when the kids have been out of school for almost two months and they’ve been driving you nuts because they’re bored, and there’s nothing to do up here, and it’s hot outside, and the bugs are keeping them inside with you, and they miss their friends, and they’re constantly hungry and/or thirsty, and there’s nothing on tv, and they’re bored, and you’re at your wit’s end, and they’re bored.  Oh, wait.  Did I mention they’re bored?  Perhaps then I’ll start daydreaming again.  🙂