After They've Gone

Our house "full" is now our house "empty." It is eeriely quiet here. And still. I'm taking a few minutes to think back over the last seven weeks.

For weeks, I washed, wiped, read, tucked, chased, soothed, corralled, consoled, entertained, played, bathed, sang, cooked, fed, dressed, changed, held, reached, handed, mediated, rocked, wrangled, and explained. (Have you ever tried to explain to someone what a ditch is when you are not standing by one so that you can point to it? Little Sister asked the question. She's four. That didn't make it any easier.)

We have picked up most of the toys. We are still looking for two dominoes, the "wife" in the vintage Fisher Price farm set, and a couple of toy eggs. I can't imagine where they could be. But while we've looked, we did find a few other things that we thought were lost forever. Maybe the farm wife will show up soon.

How are we now that it is just the two of us here?

It is nice not to step on Lego pieces with my bare feet.

I can sit down now. 

I don't miss the dirty diapers.

I don't miss cleaning up all the food in the floor under the high chair.

I really don't miss the 8:00 PM screamfest that happened most nights. Those two little girls had a great time chasing each other and shrieking in that high shrill voice only little girls can produce. They might catch each other and tumble around for a while. Then after about 15 minutes, it was over. They were having a ball. I wasn't.

I do miss hearing those feet coming down the hall—bap bap bap bap bap bap—and seeing that curly headed little girl climb up into Daddy-O's lap for a hug and snuggle first thing every morning.

I miss the sweet smell of a freshly bathed baby still wrapped in her towel.

I miss the bedtime stories. Even the ones I read over and over. And I miss Little Sister reading to me at bedtime. "Spot can jump. Jump, Spot, jump."

I miss the random hugs during the day from Little Sister followed by, "I love you, Mimi."

I miss rocking Baby Girl to sleep.

I miss hearing Little Sister sing the blessing at each meal.

I might even miss watching Peppa Pig.

I am more fit than I was. I got quite a workout from lifting Baby Girl and carrying her around many times a day. That, and stepping over all of the baby gates, often with Baby Girl in my arms. I should keep it up. (Well, not the stepping over gates part, but I should do something.)

We are excited that they are so much closer to us now. Still in a different state, but it a state that borders our own. We hope that we helped by keeping the girls here while they unpacked at the new house. Can't wait to go see them. After we've rested a little.