Pleasant surprise

My first week at home is drawing to a close, and I have to say, it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I miss my friends at work, but I haven't cried over it. My appetite is slowly returning. And it's nice to get ample sun during the day, and maybe a jog in at night without feeling guilty that I haven't spent enough time with the kids.

I've called friends I haven't had time to call. I'm chatting with my neighbors more. I'm cooking meals at a more relaxed pace. I'm sitting on the porch composing queries on the laptop thinking, "I could really get used to this."

Of course, there is a downside. The kids. I took them today to the store.My son insisted on pushing the shopping cart, then running and hiding from me, and then--after I threatened to ground him--pushing me and talking back. I had forgotten what it felt like to have all eyes on you in a store, each onlooker wondering how parents as incompetent as you are allowed to keep kids in their custody. As for me, I just stared at this little beast of mine and wondered, "Who is this boy?"

Being at the office was a field day compared to this.