Driving in Neutral

We're just coasting along right now. Not much excitement, just working through each day like a normal family...I think. Since I no longer know what normal is, I assume this is it, or as close to it as we'll get for now.

Every morning we go through the routine of getting the kids up, fed, and dressed. Then it's off to school for Ian. We do our thing during the day. Lately, this means Steve sits at the desk all day working instead of going to the office. He enjoys working from home when he has a lot to get done because he gains at least 3 hours of productivity by not traveling into the office. The down side for me is that he HOGS THE OFFICE AND I DON'T GET TO BLOG!!! Priorities, people! Ah, well, the alternative during busy time is that we never see him, so I'll take the present situation.

Ian returns from school in the afternoon. We have the customary argument/"loud discussion" about homework. Some negotiating takes place. Most of it is completed between breaks that include bug watching and computer games. The writing assignment almost always is delayed until breakfast the next morning. It is becoming so predictable, I often feel I am just repeating the same day over and over.

This past weekend was very special. Ian turned 7. It was a constant celebration from Thursday, when I kissed him good-night and remembered the night I went into labor, to Sunday when he sighed and told me how great his weekend had been. This year the party wasn't overwhelming, as many previous ones had been. He seemed delighted by the attention he received. He was even a gracious host, thanking his buddies for coming as he gave each their goodie bag. He was outgoing and humorous.

Because his best friend had been sick the day of his birthday, we had Jack and his sister over for a private party on Sunday. Jack's mother told me in advance what the gift was - an ant farm. Ian would love it because it was from Jack, but I was not certain he would be able to let Jack know this without also telling him his parents had given him one too. Before Jack arrived we practiced what he would say "if" Jack, who knows Ian so well, were to give him something he had already received. Right on cue, Ian said just the right thing to let his truest friend know the gift was perfect. And, honestly, Jack's ant farm was much better than the one he received from us. How could it not be? The box was HUGE! It even came with a mail-in certificate for free ants. With ours, he has to dig up his own in the back yard, which pretty much guarantees he'll get fire ants.

This morning he did what any other 7 year-old would do who had received a dinosaur dig for his birthday...break it out on the kitchen table before breakfast and start excavating. Sand and gravel everywhere. On the floor. On the table. In the milk. Stuck to the bacon. In the pancake syrup.

Yep. Life is normal at our house. Sure feels nice.