Arrived.

Woo-wee, what a summer.  None stop action from beginning to end--just like it always is--John'ts birthday trip to the pacific northwest, Colorado, Girls Camp, Calgary, Thomas Family Reunion, Idaho and a whole lot in-between!

But now, the third day of school is in progress and I find myself home alone with not only a few minutes, but a few hours to spare.

I'm not sure what to think.  I am not sure I can trust this feeling of calm, of peacefulness, of actually picking up something and it staying picked up for more than three minutes.

I have, it seems arrived.

Where?

To the time where I have some discretionary time.

It's not that I haven't had it before.  In fact, I've always had it until these last three years where the kids schedules have started overlapping and intwining until I had no time at al EVER.  And I got used to that.  It was the norm.  I remembered vaguely having time to read and write and sit and cook and BE, but that seemed like a far off dream.

Well, I guess I'm back asleep and dreaming, because it's real and right here in front of me.

The first two days of school were crazy, running around getting the things they forgot, managing different schedules, returning items, and so on, but this morning . . . ahh this morning as Henry walked off with two beautiful girls from the neighborhood (at 7am), the two littles (Finn and Pips) headed up the hill holding hands (yes, I do love that), and Celia and Phoebe sailed down the hill on their bikes and it was only 7:45am, I felt a sense of relief and joy that I can only compare to birth.

I know, gross, but it's true.  The relief you feel, especially when you're having the baby natural (even if you didn't want to), and that baby finally slips out and you're done and all the pain is over and you feel . . . oh, man, you feel WONDERFUL . . . well, that's how I felt this morning.

I think, perhaps, I may have given birth to myself again.

Sixteen years of having a baby underfoot (and honestly, I have loved at least 3/4th of those minutes) is over.

Sob?

Nope.

Lonely?

Heck no!

Lost and aimless?

Ha ha ha--my world has opened up!  Possibilities are limitless!

So, perhaps, I may be a wee drunk on the sweet nectar of free unadulterated time.  Pay no attention to my music blaring way too loud and my pj clad self sitting in the sun with not even a book in my hand just sitting . . . sitting and thinking . . . at 11am with out a thing to do (yes, the dishes will be piled a mile high . . . but hey, I've got time before they come home!).

Oh, yeah.  It's that good.

We started out the summer with a series of concerts with the Henry (and Phoebe)

pacific northwest with john--best 40th birthday idea ever!

Colorado (someday Celia is going to kill me for putting this in--but it's too great not to)

Colorado with the family!

Captain of his own ship

Best (worst) mini-golf team EVER!

Yep we're all crazy

Dude, we're riding horses

rodeoing

Girls camp

Thomas Family Reunion

Primary Activity gone very very wrong (right?)

Celia's torture device to stop her sucking her thumb (it worked!) plus braces

Hiking to Emerald Lake with Hen, Phoebe, and Lynsie

Summer!! Pool days with friends!

A sunset in Colorado that sums up the beauty of this whole summer--dreamy and surreal.  Perfect