the    sides

Amy went to Orlando this weekend to surprise her mom on her birthday. (Currin Ann isn’t releasing any information on what number birthday this is. It’s a good strategy but when she has a daughter that is in her 30’s, it’s getting harder to believe she’s still 29.)

Of course I got the normal teasing of “bet your tired and ready and for her to come home” and while that is true…it’s not because of what you would think.

I’m tired because after the football game on Saturday we went to the zoo and over to some friends house and stayed up too late. Sunday morning, my dad left the house at 5.30 and not only could I not get back to sleep - I inadvertently woke the kids up tripping around in my room. So by 7 am on Sunday, we were all up and looking at each other like - “now what?”

Sunday night we played Wii to 7.30, did some cleaning up and got in bed earlier than Saturday night but later than what I wanted.

So we are all tired but not of each other.

A friend said to me - “I bet you’re ready for Amy to come home.”

“Yes, I am.”

“It’s hard being a mom, huh?”

I smiled. Misses the point, really.

I mean what has that got anything to do with it? It’s hard being a dad. It’s hard being a kid. In general, life can be just hard. What makes it bearable, fun, enjoyable and meaningful is who you do life with and that’s why I (we) miss Amy. I can cook. I can do laundry. I can clean. I’m an able substitute as ‘mom.’ (I’m not as good but we make do.) But I don’t have another able substitute as a best friend. It’s the relational quotient that we miss…not the stuff she does.

Another thing hit me this weekend - we actually do a lot of stuff together as a family. We had a busy weekend but countless times we looked at each other and said - “Man, wish Aim/Mom was here.” Actually, once the kids found out she went to Epcot they said they wished they were with her.

Any rate, Amy returns home tonight. Be fun to have her around again. I was getting hungry.