The tide might be turning...

This weekend was a perfect storm. You know how you can sit home weekend after weekend and wonder why every body else has a life and what have you done wrong that you don't? Well this weekend was not that weekend. It started the week before with my sons girlfriend returning from college. Long anticipated and signaled the start of the summer period. Then his best friend returned for a 10 day visit on leave from the military before deployment. This kid is not just any kid he is my other son. His mother has helped raise my kids and I hope that I have been there for hers. Geographically theses kids have grown up with their bedroom windows 20 feet apart and spent everyday together for 13 years. So 2 of the most important people in his life were now home, and how do you juggle that. Boys not being innately socially aware anyway I think I was more on edge ready to jump in if things weren't going smoothly. Like a mothering life jacket. Luckily the alarm was never raised and he showed me he must be growing up as he even managed to mix the two worlds a few times. Makes a mother proud.

 

Then my daughters turned 15. Not a significant age but as I celebrate the opening of an envelope every age is a reason to plan, party and make balloon arches. This is what happens when I am left sitting at my computer avoiding writing a mid term Yes I am a 48 year old college co-ed even if it is online. The pretty pictures on Pinterest sucked me in and I decided I NEEDED a balloon arch for the house that wasn't even hosting a party. Its not like they are 4 but I was now on a mission and the unicorn color scheme looked perfect. I have one kid who likes pinks and the other wouldn't be seen dead in anything that didn't have a blue hue to it. The reservations for their friend brunch had been made, cake ordered and the rest planned to the T. What could go wrong?I could. The Thursday night before the loooong weekend I felt a pain in my throat. Knowing my body as well as I do I knew this was not going to pass. Sure enough Friday morning comes and I am SICK. I had a hospital visit planned that needed to be rescheduled. I had enlisted my BF to help with the balloon arch and she had to bail. Why The F do I do these things to myself? Three hours of balloon arching later and three skinned fingers it was done. I fully expected one of my daughters to make a negative comment about it. I was ready, not ready.Saturday was grad celebrations and leaving dinners, Sunday was a quieter day but prep for the birthday continued. Monday was friend brunch day followed by a drinks party followed by the extended family birthday dinner at home. How am I still alive? Tuesday was actual birthday with birthday breakfast then birthday jean shopping. I swear I am dying. Then there was birthday dinner out. How am I not on life support. Then it was time to sleep.After all the personal pushing and all the planning and all the anxiety that birthdays bring up for me the one thing I noticed was that my kids all got along and they enjoyed each other's company. My son has ruined more Christmases and birthday then I can remember but he didn't ruin this one. Can I dare to hope? Can I take the crash helmet off? Can I imaging a world where my children all get along and have a relationship with each other not because I told them they have to? Now sitting here I wonder if all the stress I put on myself to make my children memories perfect I actually make myself sick. I don't even care because if a tide is turning in my house and peace may reign I now have the time to be sick.