Saturday, November 05, 2005

Practically on Vacation

Having lots of kids is fun and you really don’t realize how much work it is until something gives you a little nudge.

This morning I am directly responsible for only 5 people. I say directly responsible, because I am emotionally responsible for 11 other people all the time, wherever they might be. But right now I only have 5 kids at home and my husband is gone. My husband is chaperoning middle school kids at a youth event (closest thing to purgatory I’ve ever known of).

So, two of my kids are with him, one is in college, one is in the consequence program, and the other is at McCrossan, leaving me with only being responsible for half my children.

This afternoon we’ll go to the ranch to pick up John and spend time with him and then come home and prepare for tomorrow when the other three will come home and the normal 9 of us 12 will be back together again.

I guess most people wouldn’t see five kids as a vacation, but it sure feels like it to me.

3 comments:

processor said...

When I read, "I am emotionally responsible for 11 other people all the time, wherever they might be," I had this, "Ohhh, THAT's it!" feeling. I've been thinking a lot recently about why my daughter, who's in her first year of college, is calling me twice a day and asking me to take care of her in some ways. And when I read what you wrote, I got it--I'm still emotionally responsible for her, even though she's grown up now and away!!!

processor said...

PS. I can't even begin to imagine being emotionally responsible for 11 other people!

Claudia said...

Here's the way I look at it. Being emotionally responsible for one person takes 24 hours a day right? So at least being emotionally responsible for 11 doesn't take any more time. :-)