Wednesday, June 11, 2008

JJMAC

Dear Jen,

Remember when we used to talk on the phone 2, 3, 4 times a week; sometimes for an hour or two? Remember when we could do that and we probably never really had anything to say? Remember when going more than a week without talking was like forever and we were all like, "WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?" and "I THOUGHT YOU WAS A TOAD!" when we'd talk again?

Yeah. That was cool.

But now, we don't talk as much. You told me "you'll see, when you have three kids" and I'd say, "Oh well, two kind of did us in, I think I understand." Isn't that funny? I had no idea what I was talking about. You were so sweet. You never said, "Hahahahahaha! Nobody, you're such an idiot!" That's why we are friends Jen. I had no clue of the constant, and I mean constant, interruptions. I was unfamiliar with the chaos that comes with everyday, normal activities. I never imagined I couldn't sit down for 6 minutes and sort a box that needed to be sorted and put away. How could I have known my 3 year old would actually fall head first into the box, on top of all the things I was sorting. Or that my 1 year old would screech like a banshee because he wanted to be in the box. Or on me. Or anywhere he wasn't. Because really, he just needed a nap. Or that my often tight-lipped-about-his-life 5 year old would develop a habit of talking nonstop at the most inopportune times and I can hardly hear myself think for the chaos. How could I have known?

On the upside---you read my blog now. So I'm pretty sure you'll see this. A long time ago I posted about you finally getting high speed internet. You didn't even know I posted about you because, I didn't add pictures to that post and really, you can't be bothered with my printed rambling, while having to already put up with my verbal ramblings. It's why you are my best friend, I know how far you'll go for me in this friendship. It stops at repetition. I don't blame you.

So, if I were to call you, amid the interruptions, I would tell of the 23 things I didn't accomplish today, the 3 things I did accomplish that are all undone again before sunset, how much weight I still haven't lost, and how so very tired I am. Doesn't that make you want to call me right now? Come on, just call me. I'll post a piiiiiiiiicture for you. Come on, come on!

Right now, it's 10:22. At 5:19 this afternoon, I was ready for bed. Now I can go to bed, but I won't. I won't because I revel in the solitude and I can only revel in that if I'm awake. Plus, as soon as I go to sleep, someone will show up beside my bed with wet pajamas. Or puke on themselves. Or having had a nightmare. Or cold. Yeah, cold. It's Iowa in the summer for pete sakes! Sissies.

I probably sound depressed. I'm not. Things are going well, aside from the hours of the day just whizzing by me and feeling like I don't get enough done. I love going to the Y and working out. I have some great friends here that I am so glad are a part of my life. I adore my kids and my husband even more than ever. I feel very lucky in that way.

I miss you. It's not like I can't pick up the phone and call you. I've dialed the first 5 digits of your phone number like 62 times this week. Okay, maybe not that many, but pretty much every time I've gone to, something has distracted me.

Oh yeah, and blogging? Sometimes I lay in bed an night and dream about the good ol' days when I had fun thinking of stuff to post. Or was excited to write about something that happened to me in the day. Or how sometimes I had to keep myself from posting more than once in a day. HA! Can you imagine? Now I'm reaching for something every few days. Reaching EVER.SO.FAR.

So far that now I'm posting a personal letter in lieu of blog posts. Isn't lieu a funny word? Like Lucy Lu, but with meaning. I used to think it meant something like "in regards to" and when I learned that it meant "instead of" it was so hard for me to make that mental adjustment. I always felt like I was faking it when I used it with its proper meaning. Now, it's second nature.

I kind of had a similar experience with waking up in the morning. Six years ago I would have bludgeoned anyone who tried to wake me up a second before I was ready to be awake. ESPECIALLY on a Saturday. Now I get up and run to the cribside of a stinky boy with a toothy grin and slobbery chin and I cover him in kisses and I'm happy to be there. Even though it's the buttcrack of dawn. You just have to practice at wrapping your brain around the change, and voila!

Okay. I'm really done. I'm going to bed. I know you don't sit around thinking I'm neglecting you. Another reason we are such good friends. But, I did want to say hey, and that I'm thinking about you, and well, let's talk soon. How's August 3rd looking for you?

Love ya like a sis,
Nobody
p.s. Bo calls handcuffs "handcops" and swimming trunks "undertrunks". I adore it. He's five now, so I keep thinking those cute things will come to an end. I love that they haven't. J told him the word was "handcuffs" and I made him sleep on the couch for 3 nights. The nerve.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

My brother and sister-in-law are here with us from Arizona. I have been noticing the big difference in the workload of their three children to our one child. Then I read your blog and you put it so well. I hardly chat on the phone now with one kid. Phew.

Hi Jen.

Analiese said...

Hi Jen
Ahhh well my memories go further back. Remember when we came to visit you in Cedar City and John was the only one to go to church? I still laugh. Here was this convert doing the right thing and us RMs going home cause there was no room ..............

omar said...

I feel like an eavesdropper commenting on this post... Wait, is there a different word for it when it's in writing, as opposed to spoken? I eavesdrop on a conversation, what am I doing if I'm reading written words? I'll think on that for a while.

So anyway, I'll just add that I love "handcops" and that Lucy Liu is hot.

a said...

"You just have to practice at wrapping your brain around the change, and voila!"

YOU are SMOKIN CRACK!!!!!LOL!!

Hey Jen!!!!

Bryner Family said...

Wow, I could have written this post. Except for all the stuff about Jen because I don't know her. :) Hee hee. I understand the huge shift between 2 and 3 kids. When #3 was a baby, not so much, but now... NO ME TIME AT ALL! Last night they all had different reasons why they "couldn't sleep" and stayed up bugging me way past their bedtimes. I wonder how a whole day can pass and I can't manage to get even one load of laundry all the way from the washer back into our drawers. Where did super efficient mom go? She is slowly... fading... away. :) Love your blog!

S said...

Excuses! Excuses! Excuses!
Hey Jen!

S said...

Can I just take this moment to also say Hey! to Sarah, Barnecked, TXRED, CYM, NCS, TORI,Omar, and circus momma if she ever shows up. Thanks. Hang in there Five is the new nine!

the lizness said...

I know, I SO need to call my best friend

Tori :) said...

Ahhh how sweet. You can write me a letter if you want to. I have 7 kids so you'll NEVER get a phone call from me. ;)

Tori :) said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
omar said...

Status update: I've made no progress on the eavesdrop thing.

But while I'm here, let me tell you that I don't want your phone calls, I want you to send me the chicken with the hot sauce.

Hi S!

Code Yellow Mom said...

I was just getting over the "what to do with the mass e-mail as blog post" question and now I'm in the same conundrum as Omar - what to do with a letter to a best friend in blog post form...You keep giving me these things to ponder in my..ahem...free time. That's why I love your blog. :)

It is totally the truth that friend time has to be calendared. Between teethings, feedings, and occasional sleepings. And sometimes the sleepings take precedence. Sad, but true.

How does your late August / early September look?

Code Yellow Mom said...

Oh, and Hi, Jen. And S...

Jenny P. said...

Yeah. I don't really have friends anymore either. My husband always asks me why I stay up so late... I tell him it's because if I go to sleep, then I'll wake up. And so will they. I am also one for reveling in the sweet bliss that is solitude..

My best friend is a Jen too... we never get to to talk. When we do talk, it's normally in the car, when we are both picking up kids from school. Though I hear as of July 1st, cell phones while driving will be illegal. Guess I may have to become a techno nerd and get me a fancy shmancy bluetooth thingy. Or just never talk to anyone on the phone ever again.

Lisa said...

It's just the beginning! You are in for so much fun when they are teens!!!! FUN!

I admire anyone who managed over two. I was a wimp, but can't imagine it any other way.

Tori wins!!

Sketchy said...

Oh man I'm glad I'm not the only one blog-brain dry. But still you manage to come up with fun things to read. Me? Not so much.

Anonymous said...

Oh the pressure (I never post because too many cute witty people read this blog.) When nobody named her post nobody called today I always thought that perhaps I was a nobody because I was calling on a quite regular basis ... so it is good to know that she is indeed missing our intensely gratifying conversations. So yes my three kids have done me in this week. After a b-day party today .. I had an overwhelming feeling that I needed to call my friend in Iowa whom may be drowning. Much to my surprise she was anticipating my call, assuming that I had finally logged in. Nope. Just two friends who are in sync .. this one a few days late. So I loved the post, skimming it while I was on the phone with you did NOT do it justice. My husband had to tell me to hold it down in the computer room. So I have to agree with Omar, I loved the "handcops", Jay sleeping on the couch, and Lucy Lu comments. I can't wait to talk on June 30 at approx. 1PM because Aug 3 is definitely too long to wait. I wished that you lived closer so that we could meet up at some berry bush and hide from our children, the phone seems to be a giant kid magnet. Okay I better stop commenting my memory is fading ... probably because there weren't any pictures!

Hi Alicia .. Hope you are doing great

Hi Analiese .. Ahh the memories Gordon Place .. miss ya

Hey Barnecked Lady .. Ah the late nights at Deseret .. fun fun

Hi S .. your babe is so cute I sneak on to your blog too to look at Pictures!!

aubreyannie said...

i love your blog. and i think it's kind of silly you hinting at reaching for stuff to write about when you writing about this is entertaining to the point that i can't stop reading. and i'm kind of opposed to long winded blogs. yours is nothing like that. it's so refreshing. so, thank you.