There are times when my mom teases me about the friends I’ve made in the blogging world. She calls them my “imaginary friends”, and asks if I’ve hung out with anybody “real” lately.
I’m definitely a fan of real people as friends 😉 But as a stay at home mom, sometimes play dates are few and far between. It’s hard to give up an orderly morning of chores and phone calls, and I mean that in all seriousness. A sort of panic arises when I’m unable to complete my “morning routine” of straightening and cleaning. It’s all about staying afloat, above the clutter and the chaos, and even missing a day of it can result in a stressful, overwhelming mess later on. Then again, going without “human interaction” (haha, terms like these show what an introvert I am!) results in a different type of stressful mess!
But just because they’re “blog friendships” and new, doesn’t mean that they’re any less real. They’re just very different. I’ve met quite a few people here in bloggy land during these 4 months of blogging, and they are wonderful (to name just a few: Ginny, Lena, Hannah and Carly!).
Unfortunately, we all live in different states/countries!
But if we, along with all my other friends, were to have a coffee date today, this is what I’d say:
I’d tell you that I had a couple pretty stressful days this week. All of our kids got sick over last weekend, so we’ve been slowly, day by day, recovering our sanity around here. In the process, some of the many balls in the air dropped, causing “confusion and delay”, as Sir Topham Hat would say.
I’d tell you I’m definitely intimidated by my new camera. It’s like parenting a newborn again for the first time. So much uncertainty! What if I drop it??
I’d tell you that I’ve been feeling so physically ill and gross. There are days when I can hardly peel myself out of bed, I feel so sick. My stomach hurts on a daily/hourly basis, just as it has for weeks and weeks. I feel nauseous most of the time due to all the horrible cramping that happens just digesting. I’ve learned to just grin and bear it, going about my day, but I’m getting pretty tired of it all, and, to be quite honest, it has me pretty worried. I have a doctor’s appointment scheduled for next week. Hopefully I can start pinning down the cause for all this. I’ve already omitted all gluten, most grains, anything soy, and chocolate from my diet, and it’s not helping any more.
I’d tell you that sometimes I can’t stop playing Bejeweled. How do they make these simple iPhone games so addicting?
I’d tell you that I am almost out of cleaning products, I’ve been cleaning the house so much in between every barfing kid. I’m exhausted from trying to keep them quarantined in their own spaces with their own toys! 4 sick kids is too much, I tell you. Vomit is the best form of birth control.
I’d tell you that I haven’t been on a real good shopping trip in a long time. One complete with hours of mindless wandering through Target, staring at all the pretty things.
I’d tell you that I’m hoping to sit down with a good book in the next week or so, but I just haven’t narrowed it down yet. Suggestions?
I’d tell you that Jesse and I just finished the last season of Dexter, and we were really disappointed. Those last few episodes felt so out of character, so hectic and so…un-Dexter like. Ick. I wish we could’ve ended at Season 5. And who could forget season 4! Rita! Rita!
I’d tell you about the 2 hours of math homework I did with our 10 year old foster boy last night. Usually, I HATE math! But it was actually kind of fun, knowing I was helping and making a difference. One could always use a brush up on their long division.
I’d tell you that I am so proud of a few of my piano students! I love it when kids conquer something really hard, like a long David Lanz piece. I feel so blessed when half of my job is listening to beautiful pieces like these.
I’d tell you that I miss Texas a lot. I miss even the things that other people find annoying, like the flat prairie or the humidity. I even miss the cicadas (and if you knew how I felt about bugs…).
I’d tell you that I struggle with baby fever, but know that it’s not the right time for us to have another baby. I’m also terrified about being pregnant again. I’m a terribly mean pregnant person. If I could wake up one day and birth a baby, shoot, I’d be all for it tomorrow, but the 9 months leading up to it?
I’d tell you that I’m sad our yard is so dead right now. Winter is truly depressing if you’re a gardener, especially a new one. I’m just hoping that all my little plants make it, you know? I should get down next to the ground and chant, “LIVE! LIVE! FOR ME!”
I’d tell you that I’m pretty convinced Gregory and AJ are a dream come true. They are so sweet and good natured, 90% of the time, and I feel so blessed. They are also super mellow, as far as kids go. I’d confess that sometimes I can’t stop staring at them when they smile– it’s just so beautiful to watch their joy. I tell them every day how happy they make me, because it’s the only way I can put my feelings into words without crying a little bit.
Until next time then. Come back soon! 🙂