Y'all, I am blissed out right now. Positively floating on air. The luxury of having no schedule to consider is difficult to articulate. Last night, I stayed up reading until midnight because I knew I could sleep as late as I wanted to this morning. I finished three sections of the paper in one sitting!

Today, I painted another stripe on Ol's wall and was then seized by a wild urge to dress up and go shopping. So I did. I bought a pretty dress for BlogHer and had the lady at the makeup counter teach me for the 67th time how to apply eye shadow because I'm an imbecile in that department. I strolled around aimlessly, free as a bird, a smile in every exhale.

Afterwards, I talked to my sister for a full hour and brought a piece of cake to a friend. Now, still bedazzled from the neck up (because really, why stop with eyes when an enthused artiste has makeup brushes in hand?), I'm in pajamas and on the couch next to snoring pets.

I simply don't think I could be happier.

Perhaps you're wondering how in god's name I could be living such a life right now. Because the children are in Louisiana with my parents for the annual Big Boys Week. Everyone is thrilled.

For five glorious days, I don't have to be rested and ready to go by 6:15am. I don't have to pack lunches and get slow-moving kids to camp. I don't have anyone to pick up, and I'm not hosting any play dates. No arguments, spills, tears, Pokemon or appointments. Thoughts aren't chased away by chatter and demands. Books come back to life as more than dust-gatherers. It's so quiet and still.

The joy I'll feel when I see my boys again on Sunday will be immense, but until then I am relishing this time and space. I am grateful for every second that I get to slow down and listen to my self and do just what I want.