Quiet

There is no school today. I got up at my normal time. I did my normal routine--EXCEPT for that whole waking of the children, fighting with Izzy, nagging them to get their dirty clothes IN the basket, nagging at them to clean up the spilled milk and spilled cereal, nagging at them to start packing their lunches, brushing Izzy's hair, nagging at Mary to PLEASE brush HER hair and pull the bangs back, realizing I should have been on the road FIVE MINUTES ago when I haven't even packed my lunch yet, and rushing to pour my coffee....

It was just sooooo quiet. I tip-toed around like a little mouse and had coffee and my hair ready in record time. I had time to eat breakfast--but I couldn't quite grasp the concept of actually eating it at HOME and not at my desk, so I brought it with me like normal. The girls did wake up (I tripped on a box of beads lying in the middle of Mary's bedroom floor when I went to put a pair of clean socks in the drawer for Izzy--since all the clean socks are currently in a huge basket in the middle of my own bedroom), but I shushed them as fast as I could and talked Izzy into going BACK to bed (I know!).

And then I realized I had nothing else I needed to do to get ready. Everything was in the car and ready to go, and I even knew where my purse was. And then I felt kinda lonely. I didn't want to disturb anyone's slumbers (or rouse them BACK out of bed) to say good-bye, so I just said it quickly and quietly to those awake. And...I got to work 15 minutes early. A feat that hasn't been accomplished since probably before I had children....

It was too quiet. A lovely morning, but no goofy Keith running around in his own little goofy way. No Motherly Mary nagging him to Pour his Cereal! and Pack his Lunch! while still giving me her sweet, gentle good morning (BEFORE the hair-brushing request and SCOWL, of course!), no Grumpy Izzy who almost magically turns into the Happy Izzy we all know and love the second she FINALLY gets out of bed and FINALLY deigns to put her clothes on and get down to the kitchen for breakfast.

Quiet. Lovely. But just not quite right....