It's So Quiet!

It's been a strange weekend. Because I've been sick this past week, Jason, Joshua and Noah left without Veronica and I to spend the long weekend with my family at Mt. Rainier. I struggled with my decision to stay or to go, but in the end, it was clear that I needed to stay home, rest and get well.

I spent half of Friday helping them get ready to leave. After they left, I pretty quickly found myself bored. I'm not used to a pretty empty house that is so quiet. I do realize that it's pretty funny that I feel a house with a toddler, dog and cat feels empty. It just shows what my life is usually like. The majority of my time is usually managing Joshua and Noah, not Veronica. Joshua and Noah argue with one another as all siblings do, often requiring guidance. They are usually pretty loud. Obviously, five days a week I am teaching them and trying to stay in tune with what they are interested in, seeking out learning opportunities. I am trying to teach them to be loving, godly boys and deal with disobedience and bad attitudes.

They are also caring and attentive. When I don't feel well, Joshua often asks how I am doing in a concerned way. He plays with my hair. Noah often says, "Mommy!" as he runs to give me a squeeze.

Jason doesn't have cell reception up at The Lodge, so I haven't been able to talk to him accept for a quick call on Friday night  letting me know that they arrived safely. My conversation this weekend has been with an almost two-year-old, to God or to myself. I have become aware that if I lived alone, I would talk to myself all the time!

Needless to say, having the three of them gone for three days creates quite an absence in our home! At each meal, Veronica has called out, "Boys! Lunch time!" She is missing them all too.

I have made use of my time by beginning to potty train Veronica, which is going well. Each day it's gotten a little bit better, so hopefully that will continue. A couple of weeks ago, I posted on Facebook that my high for the day was Veronica telling me first that she loved me. Well, apparently now she's not very choosy with who or what she says that to. Each time we flush the toilet, she peers down into the hole of whirling water and calls out, "Bye-bye pee-pee! I love you!"

I have also spent a lot of time going through Veronica's clothes, organizing them, packing away clothes that are too small, getting out bigger hand-me-downs, etc. With two families giving us all of their little girl clothes, Veronica has so many clothes. I have bought her less than ten items since she was born.

I put together a large basket of her summer clothes, putting me in such a good mood. We only have one more month of winter! Soon it will be St. Patrick's Day, Spring, Easter, time for planting and two months containing four birthdays in our home! I am missing my boys and really looking forward to the many more opportunities we will have in the coming months to have fun together.

The weekend has had it's lovely parts too. Less dishes. More reading. Sleeping in. Singing and dancing with Veronica. Napping. I am feeling much better and will be so very ready for our men to return home tomorrow.