our week is ending. alas, real life is encroaching on this little oasis of family. the fall was so very, very busy for all of us. it has been strange and amazing to be home together days and nights in a row. we've fallen into new routines - 0nes that will be broken next week in the return to.... well, i was going to write, in the return to life, but this has been life, too. and all the sweeter for being rare.
this week we (jon) tore apart our room, delving into corners untouched for years. i admit that i had school bags from two years ago that, at the end of the year, i just shoved in a corner. without unpacking. so we (again, jon) organized and sorted and made other people (me) organize and sort so that instead of having 20 books on the shelf under my nightstand i only have one - the one i'm reading.
this week while i was at my workday jon took sunny to the park where they recycle christmas trees. he dropped off our tree and chased sunny up and down the huge hill there (think udall, those of you tusconans), and every few minutes they had to go back over to the recycling area so sunny could say, " goodbye, tree."
and we went back to that park the next day (it's only a few minutes away), all four of us, at sunny's request, to say goodbye again.
this week we took the dog out almost every day.
this week i cooked supper almost every night.
this week one day jon got up with sailor so i could lay in bed for a few more precious minutes.
this week we watched espn all day in our room so we (you guessed it: jon) could wander in and out to check scores.
this week the kids took long naps and often at the same time so jon and i could work and rest together - alone together - some afternoons.
this week sunny spent most mornings playing trains with his daddy in his room.

and now on monday jon goes back to work and to tutoring, and i have my precious children alone again, and sometimes also my work during the day, and my girls in the afternoon. and the dog will most likely not get out, and dinner most likely not get made. and we may or may not get to the park - and if we do, the tree will be gone.

goodbye, tree.

goodbye, week - breath of rest, of respite, of peace.