How Does That Make you Feel

Well, I'm back and really, aside from the fact that I'm exhausted because a few of us stayed up until 3am this morning, I feel like I had such a great past 4 days! What a great experience and what a great chance to meet people who share the same desire to help those in need of someone else to talk to and in need of chance to bring their life back on track. While it was 4 days full of class during the day it was also 3 nights filled with pool, foosball, friendship and what could only be considered as mini therapy sessions between 80 therapists in training in a bar! The phrase, "And how does that make you feel?" could be heard in response to just about everything. Whether it was in response to the program coordinator failing to inform students that they aren't actually registered in the necessary classes or a reaction to finding out that the buffet line was out of rice pudding for the night.
So, yes, I'm home and my house is still standing and my kids are still in one piece. Actually, my house is pretty clean and my kids are doing really great. It appears that if I were to ask them the dreaded, "How does that make you feel?" in connection to my being away all weekend, they would respond with something along the lines of, "We had tons of fun with Daddy! But we're glad you're back and had a good time. Can I have a cookie?"
Pat, as he so kindly informed me, found the time to bake cookies- albeit without brown sugar so they are pretty much inedible to everyone except Nicholas- take the kids to my grandfather's house to see my family and hang out, do some laundry AND straighten up and vacuum. How does that make me feel? To be perfectly honest, very happy and a little, um, inadequate. My husband, who gets stressed walking through the supermarket, was able to take 4 days and do everything that it takes me two weeks to accomplish. I've come to the conclusion that "Mom the Superhero" does not exist and neither does "Dad the Superhero" but "Mom and Dad the Fearless Tag Team Duo" does. We pick up each other's slack and Pat did just that these past 4 days. I had to go on this residency because it is a requirement of the program, and I'll have to do it again next year. But I really needed to go on this residency! I needed to get away and not necessarily from my family but just away. I needed to see two of my oldest friends on Friday night and hang out and catch, unexpectedly. I needed to meet these women who reminded me about humor and friendship. I needed to be someones "wing man" last night until 3 in the morning because those are the things that remind me that I'm not just mom or wife or teacher. Those are the things that remind that I'm Alison and I'm funny and fun and outgoing and actually pretty easy to get along with...I am someone that people want to be around. These past few months, and even before that, I don't think I remembered that. I think a lot contributed to me not remembering almost who I am, but the fact that I've ran through every emotion out there, sometimes more than one at a time, at crazy levels since last August is the biggest culprit.
Yeah, I had a GREAT time...I enjoyed my classes and my girls nights in the bar and at dinner. But I'm happy to be home. My heart swelled when I heard Nicholas say, "Mommy" as soon as I walked in the door at my parents' house. I couldn't help but tear up when Addison smiled at me with a mouth full of fruit when I saw her for the first time since Thursday. It's great to be home! I'm looking forward to work. Even more, I'm looking forward to a few weeks from now or even a few months from now when I get back together with a few new friends who are my own personal "therapists" and who don't need to ask me, "How Does that make you feel?" because they already know!
Now, I am eagerly awaiting former "Dad the Superhero's" arrival home from work because I have a GIANT bug hidden under a sneaker and I'm too afraid to touch it! The bug makes me feel like I'm glad to have my own "exterminator"!