Box of crackers

It's 1:30 in the morning. I obviously should be sleeping but one of the boys woke me up with some half heartfelt whimpers. They're asleep again and I'm not. I'm hungry and stressed. So, what does a good girl like me do in such a situation? Grab a box of crackers and a cold beer. What else?

Today (yesterday?), was a long day: two showings and a visit to the hospital. Both actually went well but the whirlwind of activity surrounding them wore me out, or what was left of me. I took the boys out to one of the dreaded malls, suffered the innumerable questions about my children and the groovy stroller (Valco Twin Runabout with the additional toddler seat, in case you’re curious), returned home with semi-grumpy, tired boys, and then left to see my Dad at the hospital who was recovering from "minor" surgery (if there is ever such a thing). The good thing was that I got to visit with my Dad for a good while and, most especially, the surgery seems to have been successful. Can't ask much more for that.

So, why I am up in the middle of the night drinking a beer and eating crackers? Well, let's see, today I mopped the kitchen, vacuumed all the carpeted rooms, waxed the furniture, scrubbed the rubber play mat in the play room, loaded children in and out of the car (one extra time when I discovered that one of the lame parking garages at the Galleria - blah - did not have elevators - is that even legal?), I ate a tiny sandwich of soy turkey (ick) before driving across town to the hospital. Also, I know I have at least one showing tomorrow and it's around the time I was planning to have my sweet, Uncle Don come out for lunch with the boys. My dilemma is that I can't figure out what the heck I'm going to do to make it work tomorrow. Should I cancel lunch? Should I take the kids on a walk during the showing or go somewhere? Should I eat another damn cracker and take another swig?

Obviously, I'm tired.

I think I may give off the impression that I handle my life pretty well despite its many obstacles and hurdles but, believe me, I have moments and I'm having one tonight. You can reach a point where you're just tired and want to surrender. "Uncle!" (Not Uncle Don, obviously, just alluding to asking for the pain to stop.) If I weren't so tired, I probably could easily figure out how best to handle tomorrow and, if I'm honest with myself, I know I will figure it out in the morning but right now the answers seem elusive because my energy is waning and my mind is muddled.

So, I'll sit here a little while longer, drink my beer, eat my crackers and listen to the rocking chair make its quiet creak as I rock myself to sleep once again.