Summed Up

Friday night, I was sitting in the movie theater and my cell phone rang.  There is only one valid excuse for a ringing cell phone during a movie:  the pregnant woman has gone into labor.  And so it was that I missed the last fifteen minutes of “Premonition” and sped down the freeway to my pregnant friend’s house.  I arrived at 9:30 p.m.  Her contractions were four minutes apart.  I said, “You want to take a walk?” and so we strode for an hour around her neighborhood, gazing at stars and chatting.

At 10:37 p.m., I said to her, “Do you want me to go home?”  and so I decided to go home to sleep while she got some rest.  I never did fall asleep, but at 12:08 a.m., I answered the phone on the first ring.  “Her contractions are a minute and forty-five seconds to two minutes apart.”  “I’ll be there in twenty minutes,” I said.

I threw on a sweatshirt, jeans, sneakers and my glasses.  When I arrived, the dishwasher was swishing and the husband scurried around gathering stuff while the pregnant woman leaned over the couch, captive to her contractions.  They left and I curled onto their bed with my own pillow, settling down to rest.  In the other bedroom slept their 2-year old.

At 1:30 a.m., the phone rang.  They were admitting her to the hospital.  I told him to call me when the baby was born.

At 6:00 a.m., the phone rang.  The baby girl had been born, 8 pounds, 1 ounce, 21 inches.  Mom and baby were fine.

At 7:30 a.m., the 2-year old woke up.  When he saw me rather than his mom, he cried hysteric tears for about two minutes until he caught a glimpse of his new baseball and mitt on his dresser.  He grabbed them and stopped crying.  We went downstairs for television and breakfast.  (I, still wearing my sweatshirt and jeans, now looking rather disheveled.)

At 8:30 a.m., the phone rang.  We agreed that I’d take the 2-year old to the zoo and bring him back home at 11:30 a.m. to meet his dad. 

I picked up my daughter, put on my contacts and off we went to the zoo.  (I apologize to anyone who might have seen me.  I know I was frightful.)  Fun was had by all, including the elephants.

At 11:30, dropped off 2-year old at his home. 

At noon, back home to send off my 9-year old to a birthday party.  Bade farewell to my husband who needed to go to church to work.  Then, took other kids to Trader Joe’s and Burger King. 

I spent the afternoon cleaning my house (so cluttered!  so distressing!) until it was time to go on a date with my husband.  And where did we go?  That’s right:  to see bull-riders!  (That link is accompanied by sound, loud sound.)  I only have pictures taken from a great distance, but trust me, we had fun.  Doesn’t this look fun?

Afterwards, appetizers and dessert at a waterfront restaurant.  Wow, we’re actual grown-ups, my husband and me!  On a date! 

Today?  Today we had church and I snapped this photo of my kids in front of church.  Spring is in full-bloom at the moment here. 

This week’s goal is simple.  Talk my way into the last fifteen minutes of “Premonition.”  But for now, I have to think up something to make for dinner before everyone simple dies of starvation.