It's been a different sort of week around here. Patrick, Marky and Maddie are all away from home this week. It's been hours of too much quiet, not enough laundry, too much milk in the fridge, frequent fast food stops, an empty dishwasher, and long days that we have spent doing extra-special things to keep our minds off of how much we miss the rest of the family. Things like sleep-overs in Mommy's bed, taking a long walk, school-clothes shopping at the mall, strawberry soda pop, a trip to the library, and some other things that we don't ordinarily do. Like baking. I'm not a baker. Just don't have the patience or skill, so therefore my kids don't get that "homey" experience very often. Honestly, I don't know if what we did was really baking since the major ingredients came out of a plastic bag that I opened with the scissors, but our project required the use of my oven, and the button I push said "bake" so for me, it qualifies!!! Meredith loved putting on her big sister's apron and helping me. Michael couldn't be bothered with the prep but was thrilled to join us for the finished product. Yesterday I called some friends and bribed them with sangria to come over last night and fill my lonely heart and our quiet house. We laughed and talked, and for a few hours I forgot how much I was missing the other half of my family. Meredith and Michael are really starting to feel it too. Yesterday they made pictures for their big sisters - so sweet. We are counting down on our calendar the homecoming of Daddy on Saturday and the girls on Monday morning. Between now and then, we have some more time with friends, a crafty night out for me, and at least one more night snuggled up in our big bed together. I love being with my little ones when it's just us, I just haven't figured what to do with the extra time that I have on my hands. It's so different from the busier, nosier life that is what's normal for us. It's still so good and fun, just has some empty spots. There's just something missing when we know there are more members of our team that should be with us and aren't. We are constantly talking about them, wondering what they are up to this day or that. So, until everyone comes home, we will just keep enjoying our littler life. Our eating in the living room with paper plates, late-night partying, late in the morning sleeping, pizza-ordering, Mama Mia watching, garden harvesting, nap taking, dress-up loving LIFE. I know that we will make it through the next few days, but boy are we going to be squeezing some necks and kissing some lips when everyone is back together! Home - it's where we are all meant to be.
