Can Mommy Sleep With You?

So, I have this thing against spiders. Really, not all spiders...just the big ones. The ones who would have guts if you stepped on them. I just have a hard time getting the nerve the kill any creepy-crawly that will snap, crackle and pop on my shoe, or I guess actually under my shoe. Even with a fly swatter, I just can't do it. I will sit and stare at the spider with the swatter in ready position for ever trying to get up the nerve to actually do it. And yes, I do realize this issue is insane. I do know that I am much bigger and presumably smarter than the spider, but that doesn't matter. And it isn't true that the spider is more afraid of me than I am of it. Not possible. I'm getting a little panicky just typing about big spiders...

So, here at our house, the main spider we deal with is a wolf spider. And they can get pretty big. And, if it happens to be a mom, she carries all her millions of minion babies on her abdomen, so when you smash it, they run around all over the place. Usually I make Toby kill them, and I watch in terrified fear, and Sadie screams while Toby misses on purpose and lets the stinker run around for a few minutes.

The real problem is when Toby isn't here. Like last night. I saw one in my bedroom! I stared at it for a minute and looked around the room for options, knowing full well that even if I did have my shoes, I still would probably not be able to actually squash it. The kids were in bed, so I couldn't even make Aaron do it. Then, to my horror, the monstrous thing ran under my bed! UNDER MY BED! I still get queasy just thinking about it. Holy frijoles! How can I sleep, in the dark, with my eyes closed and everything, knowing that there is a ginormous spider plotting who knows what under my bed.

So, I went and crawled into Aaron's bed with him. (I couldn't sleep with Sadie because her cousin was staying with us and was sleeping her.) So, for all those nights of my kids sneaking into my bed, last night Aaron got to return the favor :)

Love Never Fails

Lately I have been thinking a lot about something someone told me when Toby and I got married over 14 years ago. I was told about this couple who had been married for 50+ years, and they had never spent a single night apart from each other in all those years. At the end of the story, I was left with the impression that  that was true love, and what makes a marriage great.

Shortly after our nuptials, Toby had to go out of town for training with his work, and I was left home alone. I remember feeling some dread that we wouldn't be like the couple in the story I had heard about.

Since then, there have been many many more nights spent apart, whether it has been because of either Toby's or my work, or because of family things or other outings where one of us couldn't tag along. For a long time, I had that regret of not being able to tell our kids about how perfect our marriage had been and that we never spent a single night apart.

But now as I think about it, I don't have guilt or regret. Instead, I think it has made our marriage stronger. We have both had to manage on our own. Sometimes we're alone with kids, and feel a bit like a single parent for a few days(thankfully only a few days...loads of respect for all those single parents out there)and sometimes we are all alone...no kids, with a nice quiet house that often very quickly becomes way too quiet. And we have that time apart to decompress if we have been getting on each other's nerves, and that time apart to be able to realize how much better life is with the other than without. It makes us appreciate each other. I can't speak for any other marriages. I don't know if this would be good for all marriages, but it has been good for ours...

Or at least *I* think it has been. You may need to check with Toby to see if he feels the same :)

Waning Days of Summer

So we are down to less than 2 weeks until the kids go back to school, and every year at this time, I begin to look forward to school starting back, but at the same time, wish summer would last forever. It is odd to have these conflicting feelings where I long for the routine that the school year will bring, but also dread the full schedules we will have. I look forward to the kids learning new and exciting things in school, but dread the homework that the kids will have to drudge through. I look forward to the kids having a set bedtime and wake-up time, but know that I will absolutely miss the freedom of summer. I am ready for my kids to not be bored, or spend all their time and energy focused on annoying each other (or maybe their real goal is to annoy me), but will miss the spontaneous tickle fights, game nights, and trips to the pool, Discovery Center, or friends' houses. I am looking forward to fall getting here so I can make soup and chili and watch football, but will most definitely miss every day feeling like the weekend and not even know what day today is.

I know I should just focus on the here-and-now and enjoy each moment to its fullest. I know I shouldn't wish for some time to get here sooner, because before long, these moments with my kids will fly by and be gone forever. So that is what I am going to try to do. Make these last days of summer fun and lazy and try to keep my kids from driving each other, and me crazy :) Wish me luck!

Conversation with Sadie

Last night, Sadie came up to me and said, "Smile mom." So I did. She looked at me and said, "See mom. You do have dentures."

To put this comment in perspective, let me rewind a few days. I took the kids, plus one of my nieces to the Discovery Center. One of the things the kids enjoyed doing was seeing how "orignal" they are. A computer asked questions like male or female, hair color, skin color, eye color, widow's peak, ring finger or index finger longer, etc. Well, one of the questions aked whether or not you have DIMPLES. Sadie wasn't sure what dimples were, so I explained to her, and even showed her Aaron's dimple. And when I filled out my questionaire, I put that I don't have dimples. Apparently Sadie thinks I do :)

Kid Magnet

Apparently I am a kid magnet. And by that, I don't mean that all kids out there are just naturally attracted to me or drawn to me. In fact, most kids don't seek me out. However, my own kids are like little suction cups to me sometimes. And I love it!

Here's an example. Two nights ago, the kids were in the living room watching some show on Disney Channel, so I came into my bedroom and was watching the Olympics. Before too long, Aaron came into my room, crawled into my bed with me, and snuggled up next to me and watched TV with me. Less than 10 minutes later, Sadie did the same thing, but snuggled up on the other side. So, I was like a mom sandwich. I love it, but being a mom sandwich can also get pretty hot and, well, sandwiched. So, I told them to scoot over and I was actually able to move a little. But not for long. Because over the next few minutes, they were suctioned back up against me again.

Another example...we went to the mall yesterday morning and as we were walking from store to store, I became a mom sandwich again. Both kids would walk so close to me that I was afraid I would trip over them. So, I would remind them to scoot over, and they would. For about 20 yards, and then they would start suctioning back in again. Lots of fun and giggling, and I enjoyed every bit of it. And I know that I don't have long before I will be the exact opposite. Instead of attracting my kids, I will begin repelling them. They will be too cool for me,  and want their space. Instead of wanting to "suction cup" to me (as Sadie calls it), they will begin to push away and want their freedom and independence. And that is yet another reason I need to blog more often. So that when that does happen, I can come back to this blog & remember my little suction cups :)