Me time

Do you enjoy that time of the night when everyone is in bed & you're up alone?  I love it!  Don't get me wrong, I also love going to bed w/my husband so we can cuddle up together & drift off to sleep {or otherwise}, but some nights, I just need to be alone.  After the past couple of days, it's just that kind of night.  We got home from Shiner about 9:30pm Sunday, gave Trace a bath & put him to bed; then we went to bed.  Then Monday, my MIL called & said her & her husband were coming into town on Tuesday.  Now, he had already talked to her Sunday on our drive back home so we anticipated they were coming b/c she mentioned it...the Monday phone call was just confirmation.  So, since we already thought she was coming here, as soon as Alvin got home, I made him keep Trace in his bedroom to play b/c I needed to sweep, mop & vacuum the LR, kitchen & DR.  While he was in there, I made him get all the 3-6mth baby clothes out of the drawers & closet so we could properly put away all the 12mth stuff instead of cramming it into the drawers.  Then I also cleaned the bathroom.  Sometime in between the kitchen cleaning & bathroom cleaning, I also cooked dinner.  Finally, bathed the boy & put him to bed.  Tuesday {before MIL arrived} was spent cleaning up my room w/some more vacuuming of the hall & bedrooms & sorting laundry.  Oh, & I had to shower, go to Wal-Mart, go to Trace's school to register & pay for the next term, & chase him around the house while I was trying to finish things up & then dress for dinner.  It's a good thingI wasn't "expected" to cook that night...wasn't going to happen.  We went to dinner & got home to bathe Trace & put him to bed...then we all went to bed although I did stay up about 20 minutes after everyone was down.  Today, me & the Monkey got up about 9:30, I fed him breakfast & got him dressed & to school.  MIL & her husband didn't get up until about the time I was ready to leave, about 10:40.  When I got back, they left to go back home shortly after that...were gone by 11.  Ahhh...peace & quiet!  I put my pj's back on & played on the computer a while.  Then I ate & took a nap.  I got up about 3 & the race was on again.  Shower, put our sheets in the wash, back to Wal-Mart to return some items & buy something to eat for the nights dinner, then pick up Trace from school.  Get home...start dinner & put away clean dishes.  Alvin took Trace to the park to play so I could focus on getting dinner cooked.  I'm always paranoid of him being around the stove when I cook.  Probably due to seeing too many accidental burnings on kids at work. I switched out laundry from the washer to the dryer & put another load in the washer.  Dinner was ready @ 7, the boys got home just in time so we ate.  Trace's bath was next, then cleaning up the kitchen, & loading the dishwasher.  I put the boy to bed & Alvin went early too.  So, I'm enjoying my peace & quiet again.  The difference between earlier today & now is that earlier, I was glad to be the only one here.  Right now, my heart is warmed by the fact that my husband & son are peacefully sleeping.  They are content & happy & taken care of & I did it!  It's because of all the things above that I've been doing the past couple of days.  There's a satisfaction settled in me over all that I've done.  Do I deserve a pat on the back or something?  No, b/c these are the things a woman does as a mommy & a wife.  But, I think I do deserve to reflect on & be proud of it.  It is my peace & quiet...my me time. 

Feeling at home

So, a little backstory.  In Feb. 2009, my husband's mom got married & moved to Austin.  She kept her house near us b/c she just wasn't ready to sell it & when her & her husband come to visit family, they have somewhere to stay.  We were living in a 2br, 780 sq. ft. mobile home (which we owned, but rented the land)  & totally needed more space.  Then Trace was born & we were even more desperate for space & I constantly complained about the lack of space, etc.  Big solution to several issues...in Oct. 2009, we moved into my MIL house & moved our mobile home to our property out of town.  Her house is now not sitting empty, we have more space, we only pay utilities, we're saving for our own home, we will be way more comfortable in the mobile home than in our 28ft RV when we go to the country.  The negatives...it's her house.  All our furnishings/household items stayed in the mobile home.  We brought our clothes, personal belongings & Trace's crib to his mom's house.  I just don't feel at home there...NOTHING is mine.  I'm comfortable there & live life as normal.  But it's just not "home."  Anyhow...as I type this, I am sitting in MY home on MY property in the country AND I LOVE IT!  This is my first time back since the mobile home has been set up on the property.  We got here late Friday night, about 11:45 & the minute I walked in the door, I felt like I was at home.  I was telling Trace how this was his first home & he lived here when he was a little bitty baby.  I told my husband I missed our little home.  He asked why?  I said because it's OURS! 

First Post

My name is Michael (pronounced Michelle).  I'm a pediatric RN in TX.  I have a 15month old son, Trace.  My husband, Alvin, & I have been married a little over 2yrs but together 8yrs.  So, here I am @ work on a break from my RN duties starting this blog.  I've never done this before...I'm learning as I go.  Why now?  I just want to do something different for me.  I've tried journaling in the past, but never stick to it but I think this will be a fun & creative outlet.  More to come...gotta get back to work.  Thanks for reading!