This is the way to Grandma’s house
Oct, 18, 2009 -- By: Mrs. Flinger
Oct, 18, 2009
It’s quiet. It’s too quiet. I never realized you can hear the upstairs clock from the living room. In fact, I never realized you can hear each clock’s second hand tick in an off-beat pattern together. Three clocks in all ticking loudly.
You can hear the refrigerator hum, too. And a plane from outside. And the DVR always crunching its hard drive.
The house is missing the children. I am missing the children. They left about three hours ago in a car with their Grandparents. They’ll be staying with my In-Laws this week so that I may take a trip to The Netherlands for business and Mr. Flinger can take his structural engineering test. It’s so nice of them to offer.
But god it’s so fucking quiet.
The children add life to this place that I never realized. They breathe in their own rhythm independent of the clocks and each other. Just their presence gives this space a warmth. I never realized.
I always pictured having time away. For years Mr. Flinger and I wondered if we could just grab a few days, maybe a week, to remember what it was like before.
Only just today I’m realizing there is no way of being “before” for me ever again. I can enjoy the time to be an adult, a business lady, a person. But I will always be a mom.
And I hope my house never breathes without my children in it for long.
I never realized how much I love their presence.
Until it’s gone.
8 Comments Filed in: Read the Archives
Comments
First, yes yes yes. The quiet is peaceful for only so long.
Second,I think I have a picture of you flashing the same exact puss as your daughter.
Miss you!!
It’s so funny - I’ve never met you but I, too, would assume that, from the pictures I’ve seen of you, your daughter is doing her best “Flinger”.
HAHA! I seroiusly think she looks much more like my husband’s side of the family. Amie, I better look through our photos together. I know YOU have an awesome face in the one I took.
Carly, I love that’ “her best ‘Flinger’” Awesome.
I’m glad that I’m not the only one who feels that way.
You’re words gave a lot to me.
Because of this feeling you’re describing, I always try to share enough time with the children.
It is a valuable time that you simply can not miss.
Because no one can bring a single moment back.
Especially after a business trip, I am always glad to be back home.
Aww, I know what you mean. The days I work from home & C goes to daycare are sometimes a little eerily quiet. It’s nice, for a few hours. Any longer than that and I start to feel “off.”
Hope you have a blast in the Netherlands! Can’t wait to hear about it!
bawl. :’( (but in a good way)
I love this so much.
Exactly.
Love Mom