This past weekend, our older daughter was away at a volleyball tournament. (She doesn’t play, but is the manager for the JV and Varsity girls’ teams.) Things are a lot different around the house when one of the girls isn’t at home…
When the house is quiet, I can actually hear myself think and can write a complete sentence…but instead of working on a blog post, I sit and wonder what you’re doing.
When the house is quiet, I can straighten up your room and it stays that way all day…but then it looks way too neat and un-lived-in and I don’t know that I like it that way.
When the house is quiet, I can listen to whatever podcast or music I want to without earbuds…but I don’t get to hear you playing away on the piano.
When the house is quiet, I can sit down and eat my lunch in peace…but I can’t laugh with you over a story from your school day.
When the house is quiet, I can bake cookies and eat them warm out of the oven…but then I end up eating too many because you’re not here to share them with me.
When the house is quiet, I can take time to exercise…but I can’t get an unexpected hug from you when you pass through the kitchen.
When the house is quiet, I can actually lay down and take an afternoon nap…but I don’t rest for long, because I need to make sure I haven’t missed your text or call.
When the house is quiet, I can choose what to watch on television…but I can’t hear you laughing along with me at Barney Fife’s antics.
When the house is quiet, I can go to bed on time…but I can’t turn my phone off in case you need me in the middle of the night.
When the house is quiet, I have lots of time to think about how happy I’ll be to have you home again.
So mamas of littles, those brief moments of peace you have from time to time – savor them! Embrace them because they rest your soul for when all the noise and chaos descend on the house again.
But remember that those moments of peace get more and more frequent the older your kids get. And while both a noisy house and a quiet one are good and right in their season, I think it’s the noisy moments we’ll remember most.
I think you're right that I'm going to remember the noisy times more than the quiet ones, at least, the quiet ones when I'm the only one home. Which doesn't happen often. 🙂
I've been wondering how you're doing this year with both girls in school. Isn't this the first year since you homeschooled? I'm sure the house does feel awfully quiet.
Actually both girls were back in school last year, so it's not quite the transition back to "quiet" that it was then. As I mentioned before, I feel like we just went headlong back into the school year with after school activities and such so that it feels like they've been back in school for weeks instead of just days! I'm really looking forward to the long Labor Day weekend – and we're supposed to have beautiful weather, too!
I have several friends who homeschool, so I'm always remembering what those days were like. Homeschooling's not totally out of the picture for our future, but the girls seem to be thriving in the school where they are for now, so we'll enjoy this current season.
Hope all's going well with your school year!
This is the first year where Annelise has been gone at activities for hours without me, Will doesn't get home until 5:15ish from football practice everyday, and I'm actually home alone more often than ever. This hit home 100%!