Peace

I have been granted by my generous family a full day in the house child-free, during which time I am attempting to catch up on bar bri.  (Three days behind.  Already.  Cursed move.)  I’ve listened to two lectures and taken lots of notes so far.  It’s important that I use this time, but since the last five minutes of lecture just went in one ear and out the other, I’m taking a brief and refreshing break.  I did a few dishes, did a few stretches, and now I write to you, dear readers.

It is raining.  The backyard of my in-laws’ lovely (and now quiet!) home is vibrantly green, green in a way that my city-dwelling self has seldom seen these past three years.  I’ve opened the back door a crack, and listen to the pitter pat of rain on leaves, feast my eyes on the perfection of the back garden.

We’ve been here several days, and I think we’re all adjusting well.  The children are an unruly and straight up NOISY presence in this quiet home, but they are a joyful pair, and their usual good humor mitigates some of the headsplitting cacophony that accompanies them everywhere they go.  We’re slowly syncing their naps, and so we have a quiet couple of hours most afternoons.  Meanwhile, when awake they are enjoying their grandparents very much, who I dare say are enjoying the boys right back.  We’ve had mornings in the paddling pool on the porch, we’ve had walks, we’ve had picnics, and we even had some time over at their cousin’s nearby home – which sports a pretty rad backyard playground and kids’ pool.

Anyway, it’s been lovely.  The kids were having a hard time sleeping – we are all very unsettled and jarred by this jerky life transition.  I have felt very permeable – easily violated by the presence of others, not up to small talk, dreading human interaction because polite conversation requires an allocation of resources that I do not have.  My reserves had been depleted, and I spent much of the last week on the verge of tears that took a great deal of energy to keep at bay.  But I think the calming effect of this town is working its magic – both boys spent the entire night last night in their own beds (screaming, on occasion, but they stayed put, which is a first since getting here), and the quiet afternoon and sound of dripping rain is really helping me unclench.  I know I will feel better once my bar bri is back on track and I’ve fully caught up to where I should be (and even, dare I say, pulled a bit ahead).

But I have spent enough time on my break, and had best wade back into the fray.  I hope your Memorial Day weekends were wonderful, and that you look forward to a verdant June as much as I do.