Up and down we go, where it stops, nobody knows

[SirPrizeMe]

Thanks Bomb! And you, too. I know you'll be ok, too.

Yesterday I saw my kids for the first time in 10 days. They seemed a little cool toward me, but mostly they were all acting as if nothing had happened, as if there was no 10 day interlude. (I have never gone this long without speaking to my kids). The youngest was a little distant from me, she only said "No" in the car, in response to every question I asked her. This has been her way for a month or so now. After a while we made the "No" a game. I asked her "what's your favorite color?" and the answer was "No." We all laughed as it got more and more ridiculous.

My friend, just before I left to go get the kids, told me -"look, don't try to catch up all in one day." What he meant was, my W is not being an adult here. The kids' manners are not what they were before. They don't comb their hair, they're grumpy and moody about the arrangement, and so on. He was encouraging me to see it from THEIR side. It's hard on them. So go easy. Be extra patient with them. He was so right.

Anyway we had a nice time. We went to a coffee shop for some hot cocoa, and to just talk. I haven't seen them or talked to them in so long. My youngest (D6), the distant one, told me she didn't want hot cocoa. Well I got one for her anyway. And of course she enjoyed it. By accident she spilled her cocoa on S11. Whoops! I didn't get cross or upset at all. We moved to another table, I got her another cocoa, and then guess what! Yes, she spilled it again. She was excited, nervous maybe. Poor girl. Again I didn't get cross. We just cleaned up and that was it. She felt embarassed. I kissed her forehead.

Later we went to a bookstore and did something I haven't done in more than a month. I invited my daughter, the six year old, to read with me. I had the new Fancy Nancy book, which she adores. She responded that she would read it to me. Oh, how happy that made me! I'm crying right now, remembering it. We sat together, my daughter and me, and she read a book to me. Ah, it was heaven. I used to do this every night with them. It has been soooo long for me.

Everyone got a book. It was sunny outside, so we went to play. We played frisbee and follow-the-leader, and generally just giggled and ran around. We went out for pizza. We held hands, we hugged. We play acted. We rolled down a grassy hill. We walked backwards. We looked for four-leaf clovers. We played some more. We got chilly and went to my friend's house. Then it was time to take them back.

It was great. All too short!