The house is clean(ish), the baby diaper scents lingering have been aired away, all toys tidied, baby accoutrements such as high chair and pack and play are tucked in their homes, the "kids" left to go play with others for a few hours and I am on my own in the house for a brief hour or so for the first time in a bit. 

I miss that Friday afternoon relaxation time I was beginning to consistently count on when my niece would nap and I would snuggle into the couch for a 20 minute cat nap on the couch in the warm sunlight streaming through the blinds. Usually a bit of reading, weeding, and maybe some painting would come after that. 

Well, my watercolors must miss me this summer! It has been a really nice summer (weatherwise...oh, please, of course not!) visiting friends and family, working to adjust to a third in our home, weddings, baby showers, baby birthdays, weekends away, and various other joyous moments. I wonder how you look at your calendar in late May or early June and think, 'wow, our summer is full of emptiness' and then find yourself reeling in the middle of August without having had a weekend to spare for rest and peaceful relaxing. 

I am determined that we will create and maintain good--no, great--habits so that when little lads and lassies come along some day we will not be overwhelmed at trying to live life with them in the mix. Good habits equal learning to relax, learning to have fun instead of working so hard. The work will always be there. The fun opportunities will not. Thank you, Lord, for friends, family, and an amazing husband who know me enough to offer encouragements of relaxation, taking on less, saying 'no', and embracing a personal time out. That is what I will be doing now until the key sounds in the lock and the door is pushed open to enjoy group relaxation moments.