Favorite part of my day

Favorite part of my day, you ask? (Oh, you didn't ask?  I'm taking one of Ali Edwards' classes right now...she actually asked.)  Most women would probably say first thing in the morning before the kids wake up.  Or the quiet time after the kids go to bed.  I'm not sure either one of those are it for me. 

The question is really making me face the fact that there is probably no part of my day without some kind of stress in it.  First thing in the morning it's immediately off to work, where if I don't log on to find out I'm already behind, then I will be soon.  And I'm trying to work while the kids are in the house, since I usually log on about 2 hours before they leave for day care.  And then there's the stress of actually getting the kids up and out the door. 

Then back to work.  The house is quiet.  This could be a contender for favorite part of the day, but I'm working, so that automatically means the moment is not eligible. 

Work ends at 3pm and I go pick up the kids.  I do like this part.  The sun is still up, the kids are happy to see me, and I'm not obligated to answer any emails if I don't want to.  This time of day I'm not exactly doing things I want to do, but it's pretty good nonetheless. 

If Mike doesn't start dinner, I start it around 5pm.  Since my eating habits are pretty lousy on workdays (i.e. skip meals, eat at my desk), by 5pm I am starving.  I like to make dinner.  I like it better if I planned something in advance.  But it's been a long time since I've done that.  Even so, we've got a stocked pantry and freezer and it's usually not that hard to come up with a dinner plan on short notice. 

The eating of the dinner is usually not very pleasant.  The kids interrupt every 5 seconds (literally), fight with each other, climb on me, yell and scream, and generally make my dinner as unpleasant as they can while Zack assists them with their goal by getting in my seat when I get up every 5 seconds, and then tries to take food off my plate. 

Following dinner the kids watch TV and have their baths.  This is not my favorite part of the day.  I think it more has to do with the time of day and the fact that it gets dark at 5pm and I do not like the dark.  I find it very ugly.  And we don't have curtains, so I can't shut the dark out.  So the house is getting darker and colder by the minute, and it affects my mood. 

And THAT is why even after the kids go to bed and I can legitimately do what I like to do, it's not my favorite part of the day.  It's too dark and cold and I don't want to even move.  I take a hot shower (I do like this part of the day) and then I watch a show or read or do a craft if it means it is a craft that doesn't require any moving or brainpower.

But now I've skipped a part...where we actually tuck the kids in.  Mike usually helps Mae to bed and I help Libby to bed.  Sometimes I'm mentally so tired that the bedtime goes quickly.   But other times, I know I have actually said to Libby "this is my favorite part of the day" and I'd forgotten it until just now...where we are quiet, whispering, lullaby music is playing, and we read a book and talk about the day and put our arms around each other.  And there it is, my favorite part of the day.

Mae doesn't snuggle with me quite as much as Libby does.  So when she does, that is my favorite too, and we don't stop for anything.  She did it the other day and I asked Mike to take a picture (I think I posted to My365), and again yesterday or the day before when she wasn't feeling well and she actually climbed in my lap and put her head on my chest just like a little baby.  That was definitely my favorite part of that day.

I like the middle of the night.  That's been true most of my life.  The dark doesn't bother me because I have my eyes closed.  I like being awake and being in bed and my bed is warm and I know I don't have to get up.  I just lay there and feel my soft sheets and take stock of my life, count my blessings instead of sheep, and enjoy the silence.