Home Alone

You know how after a few years of having kids you really miss having time as just a couple. You always say how great it would be to just have one night away. You count down the days when your kids are off to college. You're sure that if you could just have one night alone that it would just make your whole family happier. Well, I'm here to tell you not to give in to all the hype! Don't listen, it's all a big fat lie! John and I let the 4 older kids go and stay over at my sister and brother-in-law's apartment for the night. The kids were so excited, they packed their bags, got out the sleeping bags, and made sure that they brought movies to watch. John and I were probably more excited than the kids. We had a countdown going to when they would be picked up. It was just going to be us and the baby (who mostly sleeps). We couldn't believe it. Our dream of one night was finally coming true!. Then they came and picked up the kids. We hugged them and waved as they drove away, and then the tears began. John kept reminding me how unsafe cars are and that it is almost inevitable that you will get in an accident one day. I had every worst case scenerio running through my mind. I was sure that in an hour my precious babies would be calling me in tears that they missed me and wanted me to come home. We both said a prayer together and tried to relax and take advantage of our newfound freedom. We put in a movie and tried to enjoy. The minutes couldn't have gone any slower. I think I called over there about 8 times in 2 hours, just to make sure that they were breathing. John and I went to bed, but of course couldn't sleep. It had to have been the longest night of our lives!!! We woke up exhausted. When the kids finally came home they just went on and on about how much fun they had. They said that sleepovers are the best and that they wanted to have one everynight! I didn't want to ruin their fun, so I played along and told them that I was happy that they had such a great time and that John and I were just fine at home. However, I'm pretty sure that the next time someone wants my kids to sleep over, one of them will get some strange illness that doesn't make them feel sick, but that is highly contagious, so they can't go. And, the next time someone tries to sell me that line that it's so great when your kids are gone, you just need one night alone, will have an earfull on how preaching propaganda is just wrong!