Miracles

Well, maybe miracle is a little strong, but I got 5 hours alone at home today, which is pretty much miraculous around here. I get to be alone driving to and from work and that's about it so this was a rare pleasure. I spent the time working on Chanukah gifts for the kids and was reminded , yet again, why I prefer knitting to sewing. It wasn't a particularly bad day with my sewing machine but nonetheless I ran out of thread, ripped out seams, and had the entire bobbin mechanism in pieces at one point. Give me sticks and string any day. The Princess now has a lovely nightgown in flowered flannel complete with bows and ruffles. MonkeyBoy and The Dark Lord may read this so no telling yet what's up my sleeve for those two.

Those two, I have to admit, are driving me bonkers. The Spouse just pointed out that we (the parents) are now experiencing our own "natural consequences"--by homeschooling these kids, by not forcing them to go to school or study anything they aren't interested in, what do you know, they really can't bothered to do much of anything if they aren't moved to do so. The Dark Lord so wanted to learn to play guitar and a number of generous people helped that wish come true. He's now studying with a first-class musician and finding that maybe he doesn't really want to work so hard after all. Aargh!

MonkeyBoy is refusing to do much of anything and, when asked, simply wants to know what his brother's been asked to do. Never any help without a fight these days. I was sure we'd have these wonderful, thoughtful, compassionate and conscientious kids by now but I'm still looking for them and trying to have faith that they're just a little late in arriving.

Shortly before leaving to take the kids out for the day, The Spouse came downstairs to find me dancing on my sewing table. He commented that I sure knew how to find the joy in little things. In reality I was trying to adjust an overhead work light while listening to some new (to me anyway) Manu Chao songs from a Mexican website I'd happened upon the other day. The music was great so, yeah, I was dancing. Given all the trouble we've been having with our boys (and the prospect of not having any for at least a couple of hours) I guess I was making the most of the moment. The funny thing was they hadn't been out too long before I began to miss them just a little bit.