Peace and Quiet

Here it is, a little past 11:30 on a Saturday night and I'm sitting here, at the computer (which many would say is my "normal" place to sit) and it's quiet here.

Well, not totally quiet. My house is rarely ever TOTALLY quiet because the TV generally is on day in and day out. It's like my own private clock in some ways because just as a clock lets us know the exact time (or is supposed to do that) my TV is what I normally use to tell time. I go by what program is playing at most any given time.

But the house has been quieter than normal this evening because the two younger family members are both away -spending the night down outside of Howard with my older daughter -"Aunt Carrie" to the kids -and her family.

And frankly, I don't like it this way here!

I know when the kids are here there are many, many nights when I am praying -really hard too -for the 7:30 to 8 p.m. time to arrive when I can tell Maya and Kurt it's time for them to get their jammies on and get ready for bed. Or tell them to get their jammies and it's time to get a much needed bath and then, dressed and ready for bed.

A lot depends on how rambunctious they've been on any day. How many arguments Maya has started with Kurtis -or with me or her Mom. How much crying, whining or yelling has been happening too.

And usually they are in bed by 8:30 to 9 p.m. and it is quiet here then till morning -unless Kurtis has a restless night and is fussing, giving orders to Mandy that he needs "Chocolate milk" ya know and she has to come down and fix him some of that to get him to go back to sleep.

It's a nice peaceful quiet once they are in bed though and that's how I should look at the peace and quiet here tonight too but when they aren't here, it always seems to be a different quiet and it's one I just don't like!

Funny isn't it how much you do miss something that can often be really, really obnoxious, irritating, frustrating and a whole bunch of other adjectives that my mind is just drawing a blank on right at the moment or I'd be listing them here.

Guess it is much truer than we realize about how much we miss things -or people -when they are gone!

At least the good thing tonight is that they are due to be back home tomorrow night and things can then revert back to their normal kind of peace and quiet.

And I won't be here all alone then too!