Our house is a much different place when our papa is home. So very different in many wonderful ways. I picked him up at the airport on Wednesday and we went straight to pick up the older boys from school. And needless to say, they were over the moon to see him standing at the end of the hall waiting for them with arms open. As they ran down the hall with arms as wide as his, their teachers' pleas for "walking feet" were completely ignored. And tears welled up in my eyes to see them together again. Then off we all went to pick up Wyatt at Mrs. Alice's. This time papa was greeted with a familiar game of "monkey face" that is only understood between the two of them. I inhaled it all. And counted my blessings for all the many ways our home will be different for the next few weeks with him home. His presence is almost immediately noticeable.
- There are flowers on the table that I did not buy for myself.
- The candy jar is full again.
- The house is noisy with tickle fights and extremely loud games of hide and seek.
- The skateboards are out and ramps are being made.
- Home repair projects are in full swing.
- And nightly bedtime stories are being acted out in full with papa as the growling big bad wolf.
I know should take full advantage each and every time he has the boys occupied. I should run like a mad woman to the sewing room to finish something on my project list, to make a coffee date with a friend, to take a walk by myself. These times are far and few between, and I know that. But in these first few days of having him home, all I can do it sit back and watch my boys relationships with their daddy pick up right where they left off two months ago.
Welcome home again papa!