The house may still be in a state of disarray, the pictures may not be hung yet, the TV and DVR may not be installed yet, the master bedroom closet may not be built yet, but we will make do!
The kids are home.
The girls may have nary a stitch to their names, as TGIM accidentally up and left one rather large, unchecked, slightly vital piece of luggage (a suitcase stuffed chock-full of ALL the girls' clothes, including their brand-spankin'-new school clothes!) sitting on the curb of Sky Harbor Airport-- with not even a SCRAP of identification on it WHATSOEVER! I'm so serious! NOTHING! NADA! NO ID! It's totally been stolen or, I don't know, blown up by airport security by now! MY DAUGHTERS WILL GO NAKED!-- but no matter!
The kids are home.
We may have received incredulous stares-- not to mention a much-appreciated brief smattering of applause-- from weary travelers waiting for luggage in Baggage Claim Area 13 at BWI Airport, as my daughters entertained us with an extremely loud, harmonically correct, heartfelt performance of "Angel of Music" and "Phantom of the Opera," complete with snippets of dialogue from the movie. In stereo. Oh, yes. Wait. Did I mention the LOUD part? Because OMYGAWSH. A much aggrieved TD looked on in disgust: "See, Mom?! They did this THE ENTIRE TRIP!"
The kids are home.
I believe the BBQ grill may have broken my foot, when just as I shouted "Watch your feet!" to TD (who was helping me and TGIM haul its gazillion-pound bulk up the stairs of our new home's deck), I-- in fact-- was not bothering to watch my own. But it will heal! It didn't bleed for too long! And the colors of the bruising and swelling? PRETTY! Looks good with flip-flops!
The kids are home.
I am cooking for five again, instead of two, so I'm pretty sure I'll put back on those five pounds I lost this summer, but my clothes will still fit! Just tighter! No biggie! Buns? Still STEEL! Just... bigger!
The kids are home.
Last night as I kissed the girls and put them to bed, then climbed up into TD's behemoth loft-bed impressively assembled by yours truly (with crucial assistance from that European jet-setter Kalki and her twin-bed loving, "geek-genius husband"), and I watched his sweet little eyes flutter shut, and I turned to gaze at the ceiling (which, incidentally, was a mere five inches or so from my face-- behemoth, I tell you! GOSH!), and I stretched and sighed-- you know, a deep, heavy sigh from the very depths of my heart and soul-- it was then that I realized that finally? Finally, y'all? I could BREATHE.
Who knew I was holding my breath?
The kids? They are home.
14 Comments:
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LadyBug commented:
That was lovely, Cat. Sometimes I don't realize how much I miss my kiddos until I'm breathing them again.
- » 8/29/2005 8:36 AM
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commented:
Yay, the kids are home!!!!
(I shed tears over that suitcase, though - brand new school clothes! Oh, the misery!!)
But still, the kids are home! It's all good.- » 8/29/2005 9:20 AM
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Unknown commented:
So, wait... when are the kids coming home? (kidding!)
I'm so glad they are all home safe and sound, and that your fam is all back together again. :)- » 8/29/2005 9:34 AM
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Cat commented:
MRTL! You brat! I just snorted! LOUDLY! A muffled "BWAH HA HA!", if you will! Heads are popping up from cubicles! People are staring! I'm impressed. Your comedic timing is impeccable. Must be all the pie.
LadyBug, you get me. You said in one sentence what I totally meant with all (waves in the direction of my blog) THAT.
William, thanks! Miss your blog, man. Aw, poop. When you comin' back?
Kalki, you simply MUST visit again soon. My daughters would like to sing for you. What?! Hey! It will be FUN! And LOUD!
And truthfully? I TOTALLY cried over the luggage. Still crying, actually. ALL. THOSE. CLOTHES. Just... gone. *sniff* (sorry, I wasn't going to do this... must... be... brave...)
CK: Me, too! Me, too.- » 8/29/2005 9:43 AM
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Cat commented:
William! You ARE back!
My bad.
Poop and Boogies! I'm so excited!- » 8/29/2005 9:48 AM
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Nessa commented:
yay - the kids are home!!! I'm just happy that I don't have to look at the creepy kid anymore!
- » 8/29/2005 10:04 AM
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Not-So-Normal-Mom commented:
Yeah! I can totally picture how excited you all were, talking over each other and trying to tell stories all at once! Yeah! Kids are home!!!!
- » 8/29/2005 10:46 AM
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Bente commented:
The kids are home!
The whole lost suitcase FULL of clothes is so sad. I think I would have freaked.- » 8/29/2005 4:58 PM
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Cat commented:
WINNAH!!!
- » 8/30/2005 4:16 AM
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Joseph commented:
I don't even have kids and this post made my eyes leak...just a little mind you. But what a great post.
- » 8/30/2005 11:21 AM
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Ern commented:
I would have totally cried about the suitcase. I think. If they were MY clothes I would cry. But what do I know about kids? Glad you're all together again. :)
- » 8/30/2005 12:34 PM
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Cat commented:
Seriously, Ern, I spent the better part of the evening consoling my 7-year-old daughter. "But MOM! All my new clothes! They were so cute!" What with TGIM beating himself up over it, and the girls moaning about the lost "cute!" clothes, it's a wonder we enjoyed the homecoming at ALL...
But we're together, yo? Naked, but together. Well, they're naked. TGIM didn't lose MY clothes...
;)- » 8/30/2005 12:44 PM
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Amy commented:
Where is the "Clothe my back to school girls" paypal button?
Cause I would totally donate.- » 8/30/2005 6:41 PM
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Cat commented:
Heh. There's a thought!
You're sweet, Amy.
:)- » 8/30/2005 6:47 PM