When Larry came home at Christmastime we were busy and rushing and it was snowy and cold and the holidays kept us too busy. But, this time, it was WAY better!!! Here are some thoughts, in no particular order...
1. Watching the kids run up to him at the airport at midnight...totally excited that their dad was home! Equally fun was watching the dog go bat-shit crazy when Larry walked through the door! I thought she was going to wag her tail off she was wagging it so hard that her whole body shook.
2. Within hours of being home so many things got done: light-bulbs in the kitchen, our stair lights, the laundry room light. He mowed, trimmed, treated the grass for weeds, killed the weeds in the vegetable garden, and fed the lawn. He got this computer up and running (but it was still locking up on him so we ended up taking it in for repair...). He took the Suburban for a smog, went to the bank, went to the store, and about a hundred other little tiny things that he just used to do.
3. He took the kids to school, helped with homework, and got up early on his last day and made them waffles for breakfast.
4. Being here for Jennifer's first communion! Such a great day...and then being able to socialize with friends and family at our house afterwords.
5. HAVING FUN on Sunday. Since he left, I'm ashamed to admit that I didn't really have a lot of fun with the kids. There was always something that needed to be done...cleaning, cooking, laundry, homework, projects, etc. and it left me with little time and little energy to do FUN things. When Larry was here we made sure we left Sunday free from any sort of chore. We had a nice big breakfast...played a little Wii...went out Geocaching until we were caught in a total downpour...we played hours of Apples to Apples...BBQ ribs for dinner. Such a nice, relaxing, FUN day.
6. Larry being here for our anniversary!!! We were able to easily go out for a nice Thai dinner, then to a movie...we had a great time.
7. The whole time he was here I didn't think of chocolate once.
8. Having someone to talk to at night after the kids go to bed. Being able to lie in bed on Sunday morning and just chat. Not feeling lonely.
9. Getting more excited about 1) my visit east in two weeks sans children (OMG! Hardly wait!); 2) connecting back up in less than two months. I'm ready to be together as a family again. Tired of being apart and separated and broken.
10. Realizing that I want to spend time with him above all else. That I looked forward to talking to him....being around him...slowing down and not rushing from one errand to the next. Being a couple. Talking about Pennsylvania and what we can expect from the next chapter in our life.
And then Tuesday hit and I was sad and sulky and down. I hated the thought that he had to go back and we would once again be apart and I would be here, alone, dealing with the kids, alone. I see the end and the light, and I'm ready to reach for it. No four walls matter THAT much.