Blessing in Disguise

I often heard the saying be careful what you wish for, because you just might get that. As a busy mom of three, and no that's not including my husband, I've often times wished for a quiet home and some alone time every once in a blue moon. In fact when my husband mentioned taking my youngest to Orlando, Florida as part of her graduation gift, I thought, "Sure! Why not!"

The only thing I was dreaming of was a spotlessly clean house for the next nine days and making meals for myself. Hours and hours of uninterrupted and guilt-free time to immerse myself in a load of books to pass the time, perhaps some light gardening. You know peaceful existence right? I know a lot of you are thinking, Oh what I wouldn't give to have that time, how truly priceless.

It was for the first day or so. I did what all "Martha's" do and clean and organize my house from top to bottom. Drawers, closets, rooms you name it. I thought if I busted it all out in one day after dropping them off at the airport, I could relax in my own day spa of sorts for the next 9 days.

Snap out of it, it didn't work out that way. While I was getting downloads of fun photos from my husband and daughter hanging out by the pool, ordering lunch poolside, enjoying road trips, I was sitting at home completely bored.

Breakfasts consisted of toast and coffee for one, lunches were sandwiches and dinner was usually pasta or something easy to fix for one. All the chores that my family used to help me out with, now fell on my shoulders alone. This is a big house, and between the heat wave we had for most of the time, that involved being out watering all the new plants we just put in, keeping the new grass watered as well, and picking the never ending supply of dandelions before they turned into Buzz Lightyear's trip across infinity and beyond.

Thank heavens grocery shopping never had to be done except for the occasional run to Target to pick up a few things that I ran out of like shampoo and cat food. I think the days were the best part because the nights were almost too surreal. Did you notice how many noises your house makes at night, when you're all alone. I didn't even have a dog. Just three cats who would find it fun to run around at the oddest times playing tag. Advil PM soon became my best friend along with a lot of prayer to get me through the night into the morning.

Now that it's almost officially over as I picked up my family in a couple of hours, I look back and would do a lot of things differently. I would still clean for a day and stock my kitchen with things I love to eat. But I would take the time to do more things for me. Like visiting with my friends more if they had the time, get my hair done, perhaps even take my own road trip kinda close. I need to stop cleaning so much and just sit back and enjoy the gift of time more and stop worrying about finding things to fill the time.

It was interesting to say the very least and look forward to more time in the future perhaps not at long this time. What about you? Would you love to spend 9 days all alone? What would you do?