Energy

How often have you went all week at work just waiting for the weekend so you could relax, get a few household projects done, and spend some time with the family? Does it ever happen that way? 

Not usually I bet. In fact for me it goes more like arrive home on Friday after waiting in endless traffic and hitting every red light. Then attempt to pull in the driveway counting how many bikes, scooters, skateboards, and other toys you will run over if you weren't looking. Okay, so I patiently smile at my three kids, roll down the window and point to the toys scattered across the drive. Most of the time they eagerly run to get there stuff moved out of the way before my smile turns to a frown and the polite "Hello" turns into "Get your stuff out of the way!" yell.....Well, after pulling in the driveway I am eagerly greeted by my youngest two children asking me about my day and telling me they are happy to see me. The oldest one, well if she is near she will say "hello" too as long as her friends aren't around and it wasn't too noticeable of course. Anyway, I gather my stuff (usually a empty drink cup, phone, and work folders) climb out of the truck and am surrounded by my kids and sometimes the neighbors kids too asking what seems like 50 questions. You would be surprised what questions are asked when you are just wanting to get inside to relax and clear your mind from a week of work. Mistakingly, my brain starts to slow down at the end of a day when actually it needs to do just the opposite. Every question in the book comes out...from "Will you play outside with me?", "Dad, how long is a Walking Stick Bug?", "Can I have a snack?", "Can we go to the park?", "Can I go to Maddie's (Kylie's best friends house)", "Can we have a sleep over?", "What are we having for dinner?", "Watch this Dad...."is on the table. You simply have to be ready for everything. No matter how many parenting books and conversations you have with your parents about raising children, nothing can prepare you for the amount of energy you need to keep up with your kids. Okay, even if the empty drink cup I spoke of earlier is from a cup of dark, caffeine loaded coffee (my latest secret to deal with the barrage of questions), I still have a difficult time taking the short walk from my truck to the garage door and making it in the house. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids dearly and they are the greatest part of my life. But, at the end of a long day you really have to prepare yourself mind and body for the relentless energy of your children. I'm sure some day as they are grown and leading their own lives, I will pull in the driveway and miss that interaction that once was.....so, for now, I'll continue to pick up my coffee and drive back those feelings of exhaustion. After-all, a smile, hug, and a warm greeting goes a long way with your kids and if you can gather up the energy to toss a frisbee or watch the newest trick on a scooter, even better. For now, the work will be on hold and the easy chair will have to wait.....I have to go play with my kids before they grow up.