06 July 2006

home


(ava at the friend's farm we visited last week)

we are home and I am somewhere between relieved and melancholy. and yes, exhausted. I'm still reeling from all that we managed to pack into ten short days. so many people/places/things and so much fun and now here's the part where I talk about how ridiculously tired I am (yawn). there's really no good jumping off place with all of it (lest I sound like I'm standing in front of a third grade classroom reading, 'what I did I on my summer vacation' with all the 'we went here' and 'then we went there' and 'we saw that').

and now it has happened. everytime I come home from a trip, it happens. the first day back, I experience a surge of energy so superhuman that I am able to heave trucks into the air (or at the very least, unpack the suitcases). from the minute we walk in the door (which is usually in the middle of the night and this time we pulled into atlanta around 3 in the morning), I am off and running. nevermind I was fighting deep sleep just twenty minutes earlier. the moment we get the kids into their beds, I am going through mail, inspecting the house, mentally constructing the swiftest of game plans. the first day home, I am a machine. I attack the suitcases, cleaning the house as I go. 'to do' lists are promptly made up and I am swimming in optimism. then somewhere around day three, it hits me-- out of nowhere and I'm down for the count. I move in slooooooow motion and often catch myself staring into space. it's the kind of staring that you have to be jolted out of or everything turns blurry and your eyes begin to water. I'm extra-schlumpy and the one suitcase that has not yet been unpacked will inevitably sit for days. I will be living out of my own suitcase in my own home for many, many days. it's a wonder I'm even able to write.

still, there was the moment last week when I brought some belts home for ava from the thrift store. for some reason, she's been on a belt kick lately. when I pulled the three striped belts from the bag to show her, she immediately screamed,

"BELTS! JUST WHAT I ALWAYS WANTED FOR ALL OF MY LIFE!"

something about that makes me want to get dressed and face the day.

14 comments:

  1. sounds great. i pulled a dress out from kids thrift store yesterday, one that my girl had loved in a smaller size. She squealed and hugged the dress to her face, alternating between kisses and hugs. It made my day! Welcome home.

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  2. lol omg her saying that (hilarious) makes me want to face the day too.

    such a fabulous photograph you took! i hope to hear more about your trip. i'm so glad you had a getaway! :)

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  3. Ahhh, yes. Home, happy, melancholy, cozy, exhausted and livin this life :)
    So happy to see your presence here again.
    And great shot...

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  4. Glad you are back.
    Children oh children, just the best things EVER! :)

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  5. I've been checking into your blog from time to time and have enjoyed your photos and prose. I could so relate to this coming home...the wandering around and seeing things new after being away from the familiar for just a little time. You captured it so well.

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  6. I do the same thing whenever I come back from a trip. Isn't that funny!

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  7. i have 2 unpacked suitcases sitting on my bed right now.

    *that quote from ava is priceless

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  8. I love the belt comment! :-)

    And that photo is absolutely gorgeous.

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  9. I love that ava's shoes (which I am going to rob from her) match the flowers (echinacia right?)

    glad you are home...

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  10. hey welcome back! and yet another enjoyable post about everydayness! such a great photo and flower in it! i must i must write you and tell you how much i suck for not writing that email or sending that other mail. yikes!

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  11. wow that picture is beautiful. i LOVE it. i still haven't unpacked our bag from fireworks on the fourth of july...that's really pathetic. i need to suck some energy off of you!
    lately emma pronounces everything "her most favoritest thing EVER!" even if it is just eggs for breakfast. my little dram-A queen.

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  12. welcome home!

    i have that weird come home energy thing here [but you would have already guessed that right??]

    ava is a dear!!

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  13. welcome back!
    I understand that restless, relieved yet melancholy feeling.
    I'm glad you are back and maybe someday your suitcase will be emptied and your belongs will find their places at home...

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  14. It says a lot about you that YOUR suitcase is the only one left unpacked. :) Go take care of yourself and get some rest! Everyone always needs a vacation after a vacation, anyway. So rest up and then tackle those leftover things as you can.

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