There has been a whole lot written about "balance" between work and family, and almost all of it is aimed at women. I could never work when my kids were small, particularly the boys. And I'm not talking work as in leaving the house with shaved legs and make up on. I mean work as in planting marigolds.
I actually tried to make a garden once when both boys were toddlers. Philip began "tasting" the sand and Christopher got stuck in the thorny berry patch and began howling. So I just played with them. Everyone stayed intact and the only "balance" I had in my life occurred when I got the two boys, the groceries and the dog food into the shopping cart without tipping.
But they're older now, so the other day when I got a phone call from an actual interview person, I felt really cool. And I rarely feel cool, but that morning I did. I had cleaned my desk off and my new YA was coming together and I had FINALLY bought living room curtains, so all my stars were aligned. There I was, with that new ms, an interview, and Christopher safely off at college.
Of course, my life is generally not this smooth. The other side of that day was that the living room curtains are still in the bag, the YA only has the first chapter and a half done, and it was a snow day which meant Philip and Emma were both home.
Philip and Emma have been tight playmates ever since we toted Emma to the playground with us in a Snuggli.
Life with them is something like this. This is Philip's personality:
OMG! The Adventures of Mom and Other Hair-raising Tales of Terror.
I've had the same thing happen to me: I'm either too excited or too lackluster on the phone because I'm preoccupied with something in front of me.
Yikes @ the rocket.
Bish, I've learned that when they are quiet and you want to think they are reading or absorbed in some mind-enhancing activity, you better go check.
Emma and Philip are pretty much experts at conjuring adventure.
I find it really difficult to talk on the phone unless the house is empty, Medeia. And that almost never happens.
Yikes! Rockets are not a good thing to find when mom is on the phone! But that's always the way, isn't it???? :)
It does seem that way, Jemi. They could be great all morning, then when the "critical" friend, the one who doesn't have kids, but has lots of opinions on what you're doing wrong calls, a huge squabble explodes out of nowhere.
You can pretty much count on it.
I'm still wondering what they were doing in the maternity clothes. :D
According to the legend, Marcia, they were looking for snow clothes so we could go sleigh riding that afternoon.
And yes, that was the first thought that crossed my mind when I got the text.