What to do during summer when your two kids go on vacation with their mom and you are left home alone? I was faced with that question yesterday as my kids left at 8 am and would not return for 121 hours. The door shuts after hugging them goodbye and I stood in the hallway for about a minute trying to figure out my next move. It is a strange feeling to be alone for that amount of time as it rarely happens and when it does it feels so weird. I was ready for a break though as I had 3 whole days with no work and no kids. I decided to clean the house because who doesn't like a clean house? Not to mention that I could clean without having a path of new destruction to clean once I completed the original cycle of starting upstairs and ending in the basement. Once everything was done it was time to make a dent in the dreaded homework list for the final week of my Marketing class which has been more than a pain in the ass. Soon I had most of that done too. I decided that sunlight would be a good idea so I ran to the store. It is hard when you are so use to having two little shadows with you, so at ever turn in the store I'm looking behind me out of habit as to locate the two young ones who aren't there. It is a good habit but it always makes you feel like you are forgetting something. I have to admit though, it is nice to be in the car without having to listen to a Disney movie playing or Katy Perry bursting out the car speakers. Don't get me wrong, I will be goofy and sing along to "baby you're a firework" just to see Madison smile or reach back and give Kobe a high five but lately I've figured out that I need to have my time too in order to keep my sanity.
Realizing this came at a perfect time. Sometimes we get so caught up in doing for our kids that we forget about our own happiness and how important it is and how it truly matters. I'm a big believer in finding balance, as that has been a problem in the past for me. It has really helped me a great deal to learn how to be alone and that you can't depend on other people for your happiness. You need to make your own happiness and when you take on that type of thought process amazing things begin to happen. Life is constantly about push versus pull. Once we learn to let go of that and allow ourselves to be free and open life becomes easier, you are happier, and life doesn't stress you out as much.
So after pondering what to do next, I decided to lift weights. I made a deal with myself that once I had lifted I would ditch the structure and just be free for the rest of the day. I was able to work out for an hour and a half and the best part was that I wasn't trying to fit the workout into a window of time. Once I was done and showered I decided to watch a couple movies. In between movies I figured I should eat something but instead of the usual dinner choice of cereal when the kids are gone, I fired up the grill and made a burger. Not a big deal really but normally I wouldn't go through all the trouble for just me. I did it anyway because hey, I'm worth cooking for too even if I'm alone. So after the 2nd movie I was ready for sleep, I had a big day ahead.
Waking up on a weekend that I don't work and don't have kids was strange. I slept till 9, ran to the store, came home and got ready to go on a date. This was just no ordinary date, this was a hiking date which I must say that she sure came up with a great idea! It was a really good time, and the time passed by too fast. She is a wonderful girl, interesting, funny, smart, beautiful, the real deal. I'm really hoping that things go great. So, before I jinx it, I will move on. I dropped her at home and came home, again to my empty house with the exception of little Alley Cat. I must have been more tired than I thought from the hike because I found myself waking up over halfway through Step Brothers. I actually took a nap? Wow, that is so rare too! I'm living it up today! All in all it was a perfect day.
So that is how I've spent my first couple of days where I'm child free. Tomorrow will consist of going to the gym, hitting the track for a run and homework. The highlight of tomorrow though I'm sure will be hearing the kids on the phone, and hearing that they are having fun but that they miss me. That will get me through until Wednesday morning when the house no longer will be empty for a day as they go back to their mom's Thursday morning and will be gone for another 4 days and I'll do the whole empty house thing over again.
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