Magical Weekend

Hey y'all -

It's been a rough couple of weeks. You two have been sleeping in shifts, with Hagen waking up at 12a, 3a and 6a, and Laney waking up at 2a and 4a. Your dad and I go up and down the stairs all night, and it's not unusual to catch a scene like this:

To make matters worse, Laney's been having some crazy nightmares, and woke up in the middle of the night last Friday screaming, "I TOLD YOU TO SIT DOWN, SPARKLES!!" Your dad asked me what was going on, and I told him, "I think Laney's been managing a gentleman's club in her sleep." No wonder she's been so tired at preschool.

Then, Grandma Sue came to us with an amazing proposition: She'd switch houses with us for the night! She would come out here and spend the night with you guys, and your dad and I could spend the night at her place in town. She couldn't even get the whole idea out of her mouth before your dad and I were nodding our heads and agreeing to the plan and packing our bags.

Of course, she would need to work while she was here, but that would be okay, since she could make Hagen her receptionist:

Your dad and I hightailed it to town, where we had a wonderful dinner together. We talked about everything under the sun except you guys, and we were reminded of how much we like each other. Of course, we love each other, but this night away from home was a chance for me to be newly impressed with the man I married. On our first date, he talked about string theory. I remember thinking, "He may have the most boring small talk in the world, but one thing's for sure - he ain't stupid." Last night was no different: we talked about cultural geography and the Neanderthals and all kinds of other things I know nothing about, and as we were walking out of the restaurant, I thought, "That would have been an amazing first date." The fact that it happened a few years into our marriage made it all the more special.

When we came home this morning, we had a chance to play in the yard together while Grandma Sue planted new flowers in our flower box, and Dad built a fence around our garden.

Of course it's good to be back home where we belong, but it's also nice to see your Dad as more than just the sleepy-eyed dude I pass on the stairs in the middle of the night. Thanks for helping me see it, Grandma Sue.

Love,
Mom