I always say I haven't traveled much, but I was re-thinking that today.
I realized that I have had the benefit and adventure of traveling to the furthest abyss and outreaches of space. I have traveled where many go, but few realize they do. I have entered into another dimension and left my family for a time where they thought I would never return. They have been so concerned for my safety and return that they have hunted me down and screamed my name in a panic.
I really had been thinking lately that this time in my life had passed. I thought my traveling days to the far reaches were behind me. I was wrong as I discovered today.
You may be thinking I'm talking about stealing time to read a book. Nope. Those times are fun, but my family can usually pull be back. You may think I take time for a nap, or to talk with a friend. Nope, that's not it either.
I'm not even sure every parent goes through this.
I'm talking about taking a moment to use the bathroom.
As I type this I don't hear a thing from my kids. It's the first official day of summer break and they are having fun doing whatever they want because I haven't made plans for anything until tomorrow. I was able to water the lawn, do dishes, start laundry and take care of some other issues with few interruptions and no real emergencies.
I was in the bathroom for only a few seconds when my 11 year old starts running through the house screaming my name. He sounds as if someone is hurt or there is some other emergency only I can take care of. I obviously can't leave. I scream back hoping through his screaming peals he'll hear me through the closed door. No way. I hear the back door slam as he runs in and out screaming "Mom"!!
(That's the other thing. I'd love the name mom if it came with an endearing tone, but most of the time it sounds like an alarm going off. Really?! I love being a mom, but the tone the name is used to call me in, we are still working on. )
He finally realizes he hadn't checked the upstairs bathroom. He'd checked everywhere else. He comes down the hall and screams my name to the door. I respond and must have used an exasperated tone because he asks if he can ride bikes with a friend (which had already been previously arranged and didn't seem like it required the screaming he had been doing) and then apologizes for making me mad. I tell him yes and then try to yell back that I'm not mad, but as I start I hear him run out the back door and the screen slamming shut.
I only had my 2 youngest ask for lunch after that.
I find it extremely funny that the times I'm needed most are when I'm doing something I simply can't leave. Why are we frazzled as parents? It's like they have a sixth sense about the goings on in my life and know when I can't put down what I'm doing.
I've called the bathroom the abyss for years. It's only struck me now that I should put it out there because apparently no matter how old they get it doesn't end. No one else may find this funny, but I laugh about it several times a day.
If I'm ever feeling lonely I only need to use the bathroom.
