Teagan being in school is such a blessing.  The fact that it is even possible, is miraculous for us.  He absolutely loves his friends, his class, his teacher, being a part of something.  It’s hard to send my baby off, especially with all he’s been through.  Two days a week, I can handle….I’m not sure what I’ll do when it turns in to 5 days a week.  Truthfully, I’ve been so worried about how he’ll do, the fact that there was a whole lot of good in it for me too, sort of went over my head for awhile.  But now I’m sitting in the middle of the benefits and man, they rock!

1.  I can go to the grocery store – ALONE.  With no whining.  No one kicking me with their shoes while sitting in the basket.  No one to ask for ice cream or a lara bar or some other sugar item.  No one to sneak extra crap in to the cart (cough cough:  Ty).  I can stay in the produce section and meander the supplements and homeopathics as long as I want.  I can read labels without feeling rushed.  I don’t have to dodge an apple thrown at my head just for fun or take my 3 year old potty for the 3rd time by the 5th aisle.  I can take my time and come home and unload it all without being rushed or bombarded with little people requests and demands.  The grocery store without 3 kids is sooooo quite, calm and peaceful.

2.  Target.  Alone.  This one needs no elaboration.  If you are a mom and you’ve been to Target, you get it.

3.  I can eat a snack without having to share.  No little mooches under foot begging for just one more bite.  “Can I have some…..I want a bite….Will you make one for me?”  No!  It’s mine and I won’t share.  Oh wait, I’m alone, I don’t have to!

4.  I can pee in peace.  Privacy in the bathroom, seriously people, it’s a beautiful thing.

5.  I can blare Eminem while I work.  And not the crappy edited “clean” versions.  The real thing with flying four letter words.  And I can sing along.  And I don’t have to worry about little ears hearing them or little mouths repeating them.

6.  I can clean house and work in my kitchen without feeling the pull that I’m supposed to be spending time with my kids.  I spend a lot of time working in the kitchen with the way we choose to eat.  I love that, but the pull gets me sometimes too.  It’s great to be able to putter in the kitchen and around the house knowing that my kids are having fun and learning.  Plus I get SO much more done, SO much faster!

7.  Work!  Believe it or not.  Working from home is awesome, but it has some very real challenges.  Uninterrupted work time being the biggest challenge for me.  Having 2 days a week with multiple hours of uninterrupted time, hugely productive.  So much so, I’m able to take on more sessions, which I love.  I get 3x the amount of work done in half the time.  Productivity improves my mood.

8.  I can talk on the phone.  Uninterrupted.  Without having to hide.  Or duck out on the back porch away from the noise.  Or threatening my kids.  Or throwing a snack at them to buy me 5 minutes.

9.  I get the TV!  Ok, so I don’t watch TV.  But that’s not the point.  I could, if I wanted to.  And I could watch whatever I want.  The option is there.  Chic flicks, R rated movies, boring documentaries….I could totally choose.

10.  I miss them.  And they miss me.  And we are all happy.  I love it when Teagan says “I love school mommy, aaaaaaaaand I love you.”  I love that on Wednesdays he declares he wants to stay home, “just me and you to snuggle”.  Swoon.

My sweet boy, on one of our snuggle mornings at home.  He was enjoying the cool breeze, the first in months, by an open window.  This was my view from my pillow.  Life is good.