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July 20, 2008
I feel like I have been gone for a long time. I talk to the little ones on the phone and their voices sound far away. It is too quiet.
It is amazing how the phone changes their voices, making them sound like babies again. Or maybe it is me, not being able to see their faces. My husband relates the cute things that they are doing. He tells me the stories. I wistfully tell him that I wish I were home to have seen that or heard that. I wish that I were a part of that story.
He says, Now you now how I feel when I am at work all day and I call home.
Six days is a long time to be away, but the perfect amount of time to give me some perspective. I had a great time. But today I was ready to come home.
I finally arrive home and the house is empty. Rob has taken the kids to the China Buffet for dinner. It gives me time to unpack all the free stuff gifts.
They are home shortly after that. I hear them in the driveway before they even get to the door. Mom! Mom! they scream. They tumble in the door, tripping over each other. Hug after hug after hug.
They start telling me stories. Giving me the recap of all I have missed. They talk louder and louder. Now it is their words tripping over each other. Even the big kids stay close to me.
They are laughing. Jumping around. Vying for my attention. I have forgotten how funny they are. We pile onto my bed, no one ready to go to bed just yet. My oldest son tossing his football up in the air and catching it. My youngest son bouncing on top of me.
It is no longer quiet. I wouldn’t want it any other way.
I am happy to be home.
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It was so great to meet you! You are HILARIOUS.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:07 amWow. Just wow.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:08 amWelcome home! Glad you had fun and glad you’re back! That renewed appreciation for the kids is a wonderful thing, isn’t it?
July 21st, 2008 at 12:15 amWelcome Home!
July 21st, 2008 at 12:27 amPerspective in small doses is just the thing for a busy mom. How great that your kids know you are just as excited to be back as they are to have you back.
beautiful.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:44 amThat’s the best welcome home story I’ve heard in a long time! Glad you had fun!
July 21st, 2008 at 12:46 amAhhhhhhhh.
Sounds lovely
July 21st, 2008 at 1:06 amthis is how my 6 kids act if i go out shopping on my own for a couple of hours!!!!!!!!!
July 21st, 2008 at 1:12 amBut now WE miss you. You can’t win!
July 21st, 2008 at 1:14 amThere’s no place like home . . . There’s no place like home . . . There’s no place like home!
I’m glad you had a good time, but I know exactly how that feels. Actually I shouldn’t say I “know” . . . I remember how that felt thirty years ago! And that’s a good thing.
July 21st, 2008 at 1:15 amWelcome home! I can feel your happiness through your post!
July 21st, 2008 at 1:26 amSo sweet. These truly are the best days of our lives.
July 21st, 2008 at 2:58 amaaaw lovely. big happy families are the best!!
July 21st, 2008 at 4:11 amso nice to have such a great welcome back
Awww… I have one more week before everyone is home… I can’t wait!
July 21st, 2008 at 6:42 amI love how just a little break makes you love the chaos that makes up your life.
July 21st, 2008 at 6:46 amWhat a wonderful welcome home! Lucky you.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:22 amWhat a beautiful moment.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:32 amYes! They do sound younger on the phone! Even my alienated teen daughter sounds sweet when I call her.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:07 amWelcome home!
July 21st, 2008 at 8:36 amMy daughter is coming home tomorrow after 9 days with grandparents. It is funny how much younger they sound on the phone. I can’t wait to see her. It was a perfect break and now I am ready to get back to normal!
July 21st, 2008 at 9:07 amBig yellow houseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
I’m sure I love you and appreciate you more than they do.
OK fine, they win. But still…. big yellowwwwww houseeeeeee!
July 21st, 2008 at 9:10 amI’m happy that you’re happy, but tell me, AM I STILL YOUR THIRD OR WHAT?? (Remember, I’m Irish and own Crocs…)
Chris says: DEFINITELY. Maybe.
July 21st, 2008 at 10:23 amWhat a great post! I love how the sights, sounds, and emotions all flow together. You can just picture the scene in your mind’s eye.
Wow, I sound like such a teacher!
July 21st, 2008 at 11:23 amGreat post!
July 21st, 2008 at 11:29 amI’m glad to be home too! Even though it is like 90 here and I might be actually missing the cool weather in San Francisco.
It was nice to meet you in SF!
July 21st, 2008 at 11:41 amWelcome home!
July 21st, 2008 at 12:10 pmWe just got home yesterday after living in a camper for 8 days. Our house is not big, but it is a mansion after the cooped up feeling of the camper.
It was so great to meet you. I was the one who accosted you and Susan while you were having a quiet drink in the lobby together… And I blathered like an idiot. But you were gracious and kind and I thank you.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:28 pmAs much fun as the conference was, it is good to be home. I really enjoyed meeting you there. Thank you for being gracious to this fan girl.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:58 pmYou remind me of when I was young and my mother went away on a trip. The mother being away is part of the memory. Isn’t it funny how young your children sound on the phone? My 8 year old sounds 2.
July 21st, 2008 at 2:13 pmyes…being at blogher was amazing…but coming home to three kids who were SO happy to see me (or maybe it was the tshirts and webkinz i brought home that they were happy to see…) was PERFECTION.
was so great meeting you. you are so pocketable.
(and snarky. i love the snark)
July 21st, 2008 at 2:27 pmI’m glad you made it home too! Isn’t it funny that quiet seems so strange and underrated? Even after all those millions of moments you wish the kids would be quiet.
July 21st, 2008 at 2:53 pmI love this story! So loving and beautiful :o)
July 21st, 2008 at 4:09 pmAlways awesome to see you. Glad you are home safe.
July 21st, 2008 at 5:34 pmI love this. Just beautiful.
July 21st, 2008 at 6:15 pmThat is so cute. Probably the best thing for every mom who went to blogher. Returning to hugs and kisses.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:03 pmI think the extra time to unpack is key here. That way you felt you could relax and enjoy them when they came in the door rather than rush around getting unpacked. Precious memories.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:18 pmWelcome home.
July 21st, 2008 at 10:46 pmYou just described this morning at my house. It was great to meet you in person!!
Mary, mom to many
July 21st, 2008 at 10:52 pmOh Chris, so beautiful.
July 22nd, 2008 at 7:18 amOh man! Now I need to redo my mascara! Darn you to heck Super Mom!
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:10 pmI love hearing that at some point my children will sound younger to me on the phone. Because when I see them after a weekend away, they always seem older and I feel as if I’ve missed something.
I wish I could have spent more time with you this weekend. But um, there were a few people there.
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:52 pmOh I could picture the kids, mine do it whenever I just go to the store.
July 27th, 2008 at 3:55 pm