The Perfect Picture

Some people say that the week between Christmas and New Year's Day is a tough week. Just after the busyness of all the Christmas preparations, the kids aren't in school, a lot of people (in the banking industry anyway) are off from work, folks are sleeping in, shopping, watching football. All that time together can be tough on the nerves and the house starts to feel smaller than usual.

For me, the tougher week is this week: The week after the new year begins but before homeschooling and college start up again. I'm on call for chauffer duty from 9 am until 9 pm or so. Meals to cook. Laundry to do. But the main work of my life feels like it's on hold - even though sometimes I'm not entirely clear on what the main work of my life actually is anymore... I'm reading a fair amount. Writing some. Sleeping later than usual. Exercising enough to stay warm but not enough to prepare for any races or competitions - not that I ever enter races or compete in any athletic endeavors. Ever.


Today, I dropped my daughter off at her college campus around 11:30 am to meet up with a friend. From there, Daniel and I went to our favorite Wednesday noon church service but had to leave in a hurry when it was over so I could drop him off at his tennis coach's house. The coach and three players were going to set their goals for the year. Not just for the year, but for college and beyond. Draw up maps and plans and schedules for how to get from junior tennis in Charlotte to the US Open and beyond. Great stuff.

The plan was for them to work at the coach's house for an hour, then they would go to the courts, practice for two hours, and I would pick Daniel up at 4 - his usual pick-up time on Wednesdays. So I left him at Ben's, drove home, had a snack, drank a cup of tea, watched part of a movie, Crazy Heart, and then drove to the tennis courts to get my boy. No sign of Ben or the boys. Uh-oh. Called Daniel - "Oh, we're still at Ben's. He's gonna bring me home later." "Why didn't anyone call me and let me know?" "Oh, sorry."

Then Kristiana texted me and told me she and her friends were gonna have Nerf Wars at their church. Fun will be had by all. But she didn't have her Nerf Gun with her, so I drove to a local gas station and waited for her friend to show up so I could give him the gun to take to her. Fortunately, he will give her a ride home later.

Deep sighs. That was my life today. Drive here. Drive there. Sit. Wait.
Drive back home. Watch a movie in three pieces. Talk. Listen. Drive some more.

It might sound like I'm complaining.
And I guess I am complaining a little.
But this IS my life.
Wanna see the perfect picture of how I feel about my life today?
Are you ready?

Happy. Shaky. Confused. Present. A little bit out of control. But okay with that.
Looking straight at whatever is coming my way. Ready to face it all... I think.

This is how I looked just after midnight a few nights ago - Happy new year to one and all.
Gotta love a good glass of ice wine to toast in the new year.

(Don't you love all my party bling??? My husband is the KING of Party City shopping! Need a party planned, shopped for, decorated, and carried off without a hitch or a glitch? He's your man.)