Just what I needed

I have had a lovely evening! Our friend that is getting married on Valentine's Day asked if I would mind helping her put her wedding programs together tonight, and I agreed. She asked if I thought Brian would mind watching the kids, and I agreed on his behalf. A small break from the kids? Sure, I'll take it!

She asked me to come by her house around 6:00. I get off work at 4:00. I was already close to her house from work and didn't feel like driving home, which would add twenty minutes and traffic to my drive, so I just decided to stay close to her house. And what's also close to her house? The mall. So I got off work and went to the mall. By myself. I didn't have to worry about stroller or a diaper bag or who went to the bathroom and when - I just grabbed my purse and walked inside. I hadn't found something to wear for the wedding, so I decided to shop for myself, and I found an outfit for the wedding AND it was on sale AND I can wear it for work AND it fit perfectly. Hooray!

I decided to vacate the mall and I headed to Target to walk around for a bit. It was so nice. I didn't have to buy an icee and popcorn, didn't have to get a shopping cart, didn't have to look at toys (although I did).... I had a very nice time. I didn't even buy anything at Target, I just meandered around because I could.

I headed over to my friend's house and we got down to the business of assembling 350 wedding programs that had to be tied with ribbon. When I first saw them I thought they were lovely. After the first 150 or so I was wondering why anyone in their right mind would voluntarily take something like that on. But I had a fabulous time there, too! It was relaxing to just sit and chat and laugh. My friend's future mother-in-law was also there helping, and she was absolutely hilarious. She spent two years in a convent as a novice nun before discerning that her calling was elsewhere, but she is still deeply involved in the church - she attends daily mass, adoration, the whole nine yards. She told stories that had me laughing until I was crying. About convent life, about life in general, about some of the priests in the area - she was a hoot.

There's really no point to this story - I just had a very lovely and relaxing evening. And I love my kids, please don't think otherwise, but it was nice to have a little time away. I think having such an easygoing day today will help me keep a little perspective when I'm rushing around with the kids in tow and no free time for the next two weeks. With the exception of tomorrow, I have at least one item on my calendar every day - school stuff and girl scout stuff, mostly, but there's also some work stuff and then next week there's wedding stuff. I'm going to be a busy girl, so I deserved today. I deserved to try on clothes by myself, without an audience. Without a little voice saying, "Mommy, do you have stretch marks because you stretched too much?" and without having to prevent Bubba from chewing the security tags off the clothes. Ahhh. Now, on to tomorrow!