Ok, I'm Slow...

I will admit that very quickly :-) ...really though some situations will present themselves before me quite clearly and my mind just doesn't think them through and have that "a-ha moment." Here's the latest example. We have both sets of parents living in the same town as us, (or grandparents - depending upon which generation you're perspective is coming from). This is a huge benefit, I can list and list the pluses of the situation. (One of the few minuses...you have to deprogram the kids from "grandma-itis" a lot more often...it truly is a disease) We regularly find our way to one of the parents' houses at least one evening of just about every weekend. Steven or I neither one had this experience growing up - our grandparents lived in neighboring states and visits only came on the holidays or in the summer months, so I am glad our kids have the opportunity to spend more time with their extended family.

Now, when we end up over at my in-laws house, I am glad to go...I have a good relationship with them - totally the opposite of the typical dreaded in-law stereotype. But when I go, I still feel kind of out of place in that I don't know what to do with myself - nothing to watch on TV, the grandma is doing her grandma thing with the kids, Steven usually picks up some book or magazine over there and relaxes a bit, the father-in-law is not much of a talker - I usually end up sitting at the kitchen table (the control center of the house) and visit with whoever is around, try to prevent the grandma from going overboard with the grandma routine, and snack on whatever is in front of me. This has been the habit for almost 6 1/2 years now.

Well tonight I wised up a bit (that a-ha moment finally hit) - I sent Steven and the boys over alone, I have stayed behind and guess what!? I was able to clean the house (2 bathrooms, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dishes and the like) in no time flat, I am listening to the music I want to listen to, I am thinking through and planning for the upcoming week...why in the world did I not wise up to this before! It's quite something - and it may all fly out the window in a few weeks when the baby comes, but I think it is going to become my new habit!

Did I mention that I am kind of slow...