Wait… What? Writing Through Their Summer Vacation

I am sitting on my deck.  It is early morning.  The sun is shining and it is quiet.  I am beginning work on my next post when…

My littlest, who is at the table working on a stamping project, begins digging through her art box and in the process knocks over my full! mug of coffee.  As I scramble to wipe it up she begins telling me about her dream last night.  Something about her family surprising her with a birthday cake.

My oldest asks me where his bathing suit is (I am still wiping up what’s left of my morning coffee).  My middle son, who climbed out of bed before the five o’clock news this morning is now snoring on the couch in the living room.  And I am begging both of my other children to please, PLEASE! be quiet and not wake him.

My husband left for work less than an hour ago and has just texted me to remind me to remember our son has a baseball game this afternoon and now my smallest is singing to me as I wipe away.  She pauses in mid-song with “Mama…can I tell you something?”  By now my computer screen has gone blank, into sleep mode.  Into “I can’t wait for you all day.” mode.

I bring the blank post page back just in time for my oldest to return to the deck blurting out my name.  It doesn’t matter that I’m not even looking at him when he says, “Mom, wanna know a fact?”  No response from me so of course he continues. “Do you know yawning is contagious?”  I am still staring at the screen and am not responsive.  I might as well be locked in a coma, with my eyes open.  “Well,” he says, “Do you know that?”

Oh he is just talking, talking, talking!  And she is still singing!  And the other one has just stopped snoring.

And I can’t remember what it was I was about to tell you.