An Almost Perfect Day …

Yesterday was an almost perfect day for me. Are you curious as to what that looks like? I want to document it because it was so great. Here’s how it went:

The Hubby got up early with Big C as he always does. He and Big C shared a prayer and then Big C got in the car and drove away by himself for the first time ever. I lay in bed praying my heart out that he would be safe and no crazy drivers would get near him.

Because Big C can drive himself, The Hubby came back upstairs and climbed in bed with me. He whispered in my ear, “What do you want to do today?” I was confused. I started mumbling about laundry, some email correspondence and organizing a closet. He then mentioned that he would be home. ALL DAY. With no work! Apparently the Jury Duty he’d been scheduled for had been unexpectedly cancelled.

We sent our boy RedDog off to school. Hannie B had been pukey the night before, so she was staying home for the day and slept all morning. Owlie came wandering down the stairs, rubbing his eyes and asking the first thing he asks every morning, “How was your sleep, Mama?” We made our way to the couch for a snuggle which involved Owlie, a stuffed puppy, and a Dad who likes to tickle.

After breakfast The Hubby and I tackled the bane our existence – the dreaded storage room of doom. Within two hours we’d cleared out about twenty boxes, gone through all the boy clothes in their bins, made a list of things to give away to people at our church, hauled a chair, an old vaccuum and a broken TV to the curb and reorganized our food storage, 72 Hour kits and camping equipment all while rocking out to great 80’s musing on Pandora’s New Order station. (Depeche Mode, OMD, Pet Shop Boys, The Cure . . . in case you were wondering.)

Next The Hubby joined me for a workout. Yes. You read that right. I’ve actually started exercising. I am so sore I can barely walk, but I am committed to seeing it through. Owlie joined us too. I’ve never seen a cuter jumping jack in my life. Hannie B. was our interval timer and twice said, “You got this Mom! Don’t give up!”

The Hubby took me to lunch at Panera while Hannie B. and Owlie watched Frozen for the kajillionth time. We ran errands to the Home Depot, the bank, Hobby Lobby and Costco. I might have said this is what Saturday would be like it we didn’t have kids. We laughed a lot and talked about ways to improve our marriage and be better parents.

When we got home Owlie was excited to show us the car his sister had made him out of garbage from our storage room cleaning project. It had silver plate wheels, a trunk, an exhaust pipe, a plastic bag windshield, wipers, a license plate, a steering wheel and control panel and she’d made him a drivers license. He was in heaven.

Undeterred by the frigid temps outside, we plowed forward with Easter decorations. The kids bedecked the Easter tree while I played around with the mantle and my egg collections. The house instantly felt more Springy, despite what the outside wanted us to think.

When Big C walked in the door, I felt such a well of joy that he was alive and had survived driving from our house, to seminary, to school and then back home again that I couldn’t help but run and hug him! Silly? No. Wait until you have a kid who drives.

We had a healthy dinner that everyone helped to make. At the table we discussed a book The Hubby and I have been taking turns reading. The kids are really thinking about the suggestions we bring up. I love it when our conversation at the table is productive and happy instead of argumentative and rude – and believe me we have our fair share of the latter.

Kids started homework, Owlie ran around like a crazy pants and Hannie B and I headed to Target where I found FOUR pairs of shoes! When we got home I straightened up a bit and joined my sweetie on the couch for a little March Madness.

We were snuggled into bed by 10:30.

That is what an almost perfect day looks like to me. I was with my people all day long. We were productive, happy and together. And that is what it’s all about to me.