Live the life you've always dreamed of. Literally.

The kids are both in school. Let me repeat that.

The kids are BOTH in school. 

I have been looking forward to this moment with the longing and anticipation of a child anxiously awaiting his crazy, zany, obnoxiously loud Chuck E. Cheese birthday party, but the EXACT OPPOSITE of that.

Mind you, one school is free and lasts for nearly eight glorious hours, bus ride time included (because we’re blessed to be one of the first stops on, last stops off), and the other costs about four million dollars and lasts just long enough for me to pretend I’m going to accomplish things but mess around on Facebook instead and then realize I have to go back and pick the kid up, but next week, things will be even better. Next week I get one kid on the bus, drive the other to preschool, and then have FIVE glorious, kid-free hours. 

My choosing of a preschool was given exactly zero thought. The school that my older son attended closed not just for the pandemic but for good. I did love that school, and when I chose it initially, I did so after careful consideration, a tour, a meeting with the director, and a whole bunch of other “first kid” nonsense.

The past eighteen months have been long, if long means AN ETERNITY. So last winter, when my next-door neighbor, also in search of a new preschool for her younger child, told me that she was sending her daughter to this new-to-us school, I said, I’m sure it’s great, sign us up. I called the school and said, 

“Hi, our neighbor just enrolled her daughter. Can we sign up, too?” 

The director said, “Of course! Would you like a tour first?”

“Sure, why not?” (I didn’t need a tour first.)

She suggested, “Why don’t I turn on my camera and I can give you a little virtual tour right now?”

“Perfect! Looks great. Take my money.”

And I signed him up for Tuesday/Thursday. Also Monday/Wednesday/Friday, because did I mention it’s been a long eighteen months?

Months and months passed by, and as the summer drew to an end, I thought that maybe I should add on afternoons. 

Did I mention it’s been a long eighteen months?

I called and asked,

“Hi! Is it possible to add on afternoons?”

“Sure; we still have space! Would you like to know the pricing details?”

“Sure, why not?” (I didn’t need to know the pricing details.)

So I added on afternoons.

Though public schools started a few weeks ago, preschool only just started on Monday.

I had been making a mental list of all the glorious things that I would accomplish as soon as I got the house to myself. Here is a rough idea of some of these items:

• Clean the house
• Clean the car
• Clean the microwave
• Go for a run
• Write in my blog
• Paint the living room
• Start a business
• End world hunger
• Cure cancer

A mom can do anything when she’s got a minute to herself.

So the kids are both in school.

What did I actually do? The first thing I did when I had the power and the potential and the possibility to take over the world because I’m a Mom and I had my house and my thoughts and my BEING to myself?

I took a nap.

It was a really, really good nap.

I regret nothing. I’ll end world hunger tomorrow. Momma’s tired, and Momma has EARNED this nap.

Go easy on yourself. Did I mention it’s been a long eighteen months?