It's Saturday, 10:15pm, but it feels like much later. One week ago, we were just rejoining a wedding reception in full swing after safely escorting Punkin back up to our room to visit with Dit. It seems like a long time ago. It's been a busy week.

That Sunday we napped most of the afternoon away when we returned home. It was heavenly. I love my naps. I don't take them often enough. My boss would probably frown on that.

We had brought a lot of stuff with us for the wedding weekend, and deposited it all in the living room upon our return. It took me a couple of days (not that I hurried or anything) to get that cleared out. It worked out perfectly. Just about the time my living room was back to normal, we had our downstairs carpeting replaced. Thanks to the 'christening' our former cats did to it. No amount of cleaning helped.

Once we made the decision to have the carpeting replaced, and ordered it and made the appointment to have it installed, we, of course, had to move all the furniture from downstairs (and from that closet I've been meaning to clean.) Uh-oh. Problem. Where to put it all? I'm happy to say that we found space in the garage, the living room, the utility room and the downstairs bathroom. The carpet guys moved the TV for free. They also pulled up the old carpeting, but informed me that they wouldn't take it away. A fact that the carpet salesman neglected to tell us. Minor detail.

Anywho, the carpet was installed and it looks beautiful. It smells new, and my hepa filter super duper sucker vacuum is full of new carpet fluff. We finally have all the furniture and what not back in it's respective place down there, too. I even cleaned out the closet, although there was little I could actually get rid of. Mostly it was a reorganization of what was in there. We have FAR too many magazines by the way. Far. Too. Many.

Right now Hubby is out with some friends at a baseball game. Punkin is tucked away in bed sleeping peacefully, or just about to be. I sit in the kitchen illuminated only by the over-the-sink light and the glowing monitor. The computer hums. The refrigerator hums. It's a good feeling. It was a good day.

The Three Ring Circus was independently tired, but everyone played nicely together. Punkin and I had a ball with a blanket. That was all. Just one of those 'cotton throw' blankets with the Chicago Bull emblazoned on it. A gift from my Mother to Hubby for some holiday or birthday.

Punkin was playing with her 'tea set' and suddenly decided we should have a picnic! So, I hopped up and retrieved the blanket from it's new spot in the closet. I spread it out and she proceeded to bring the whole 32 piece tea set down and spread it around on the blanket, talking about buggies not getting into our food and how many candies I can have. (Jus ONE, Mommy. No more.)

A few minutes later, we had made a fort out of the same blanket by draping from the back of the couch to a nearby chair. Punkin wanted me to join her in the fort and soon she was giggling to beat the band. I couldn't help but laugh along with her. Then the fort was moved and modified by using a smaller chair and the arm of the couch. I couldn't fit under there so easily anymore, but she just giggled and laughed herself silly.

Soon, we spotted Hubby who had begun to doze in another chair and we covered him with the blanket. We draped it over him and then both he and Punkin. She was actually squealing with laughter. He laughed right along with her, too.

We all played and laughed and ate lunch before Hubby and Punkin made a trip to the store together and gave me a few minutes of alone time. Shortly after that Hubby's friends arrived and Punkin went down for an overdue nap. I should have napped, but I got to reading and time got away from me.

When Punkin awoke, we hopped in the car for a trip to Grandma Jeanne's to bring her a vacuum cleaner (one of the things I WAS able to get rid of from the closet) and to have dinner with her and Dit. Dit and Punkin played while I gave Mom a computer lesson. When I looked at the clock, it was suddenly 8:30pm. When I looked at Punkin, there were circles under her eyes. She was beyond tired, but still plugging along with that "I'm not tired" determination that toddlers have. We left Grandma's shortly after that and headed home. I put her right into her bed and resisted the impulse to climb in and cuddle with her until we both fell asleep.

Sometimes the depth of my love for her surprises me, and I just want to hold her close, breathe in the smell of Johnson's No More Tears shampoo, clean pajamas and her skin. She put her arm around my neck when I hugged her and wouldn't let go. "Mommy." She said in a voice that told me she wanted me to stay close. (She didn't make it easy on me.) I must have told her a dozen times that I loved her, each time wishing there were another way to say it. A way that might more accurately describe my feelings for her. In an instant I remembered when she was so tiny and small and smelled so new and curled up on my chest and shoulder, snuffling softly in slumber. I put my nose to her head and just inhaled the sweetness of her. In the same instant, I realize she's growing up so fast and I'm suddenly filled with a fierce need to just hold her close to me forever. Never let go. [sigh]

That brings us to now. It's after 11:00pm and I'm beat. It's been days now since my usual monthly funk has lifted. I've been happy, content and pleased with my life. I haven't felt this emotional goodness in months. I feel like I've done good today. People have loved me and I've loved them back. I haven't once today wished that I were somewhere else. I've even been able to straighten up the house a little.

Yes, today was a good day. I'm so very thankful.

current entry
previous
next