The Things I Miss At 3 PM

I am sitting here, as I type, across from my teenager daughter. She is beautiful. She is young. She is so full of life. I am in the moment right now and I feel truly blessed.

Today, the window between us is open.

I am off from work today (you in the back shush). I got everyone off on their day this morning and went back to bed. Oh YES, you did read that right, I went back to bed. I slept until 10 AM, when my dreams got all weird and became a mix of warped reality. I got up, groggy and got the grocery shopping done, then I went to every one's favorite store - Target (pronounced Tar-shey). Came home, made too many trips upstairs, went and back out picked up the truck to load the truck bed and do a dump run. Hey, no one can every accuse me of not being productive on my own time. What can I say.

I got home from all that and started cleaning the kitchen. My girl? Home at 2 pm. Came right in. Animated, chatty and oh so charming. I have heard good natured teasing to her brother and how we should learn how to make truffles. We've talked about their upcoming trip (more on that in a future post), how her room needs to be cleaned, how her i-pod is randomly pausing and how to fix it. and all about her various friends.

It's endless the chatter and the laughter. She declared that today would be an anti-hermit day and she brought her computer out to the kitchen (its still here even now).

My son came home and keeps coming in and giving commentary on whatever we are discussing. My phone rang at one point (around 3:15ish) and it turned out to be one of my son's friends. Someone I had never heard of or met. Plans were made and before I knew it I was on the phone with this boy's mom exchanging directions to our houses.

We went together to pick up my youngest from daycare. Who was thrilled to see her sister and clung to her all the way home (she even had to buckle her car seat because the toddler wasn't having any part of my doing so).

Since then, I've been listening to various songs, some are my favorites, some are hers. There was much discussion on different artists and I have been allowed to tell a few stories of my teenager years, with little to no eye rolling.

She has gone to her school bag and brought out a sheet of French words. She is going through them too quickly for me to even grasp let alone type here.

Banyet - Pancake
Gaufres - Waffles

I am sure I am not doing the spelling any sort of justice here. But I sure am enjoying these moments. And wishing that I was home in the afternoon, more often.