Just One Game

This afternoon I felt really tired. Just blah. Emotionally zapped. I remember looking forward to Sunday afternoons before Bunky died. He would typically entertain the boys after church with some outdoor activity or game. It was my chance to grocery shop (alone), take a little nap, or just whatever I wanted/needed to do.  I took that for granted, as I did a lot of things.

Today some dear friends ended up taking all 3 boys for the afternoon. After a quick trip to the grocery store, it was honestly a treat to lay on the couch for a while without someone needing something. The house was quiet. I missed him desperately. I just wanted to scream out, "Thank you for all the Sunday afternoons you gave me." I'm thankful for people in my life who know me well enough to just be able to look into my eyes and know when they have to insist on something with me. It is still hard for me to ask for help sometimes.

The boys crashed through the door and my quietness was quickly filled with requests. No gradual re-entry. None. It's okay though, because I don't want to miss opportunities to show my boys that they are important to me. I want to delight in them because they are a gift. After all, tomorrow is not promised. I know this all too well. So, just one game, mom? How can I say no? Even when all that is in me has no desire to play games. Everything in me wishes their dad was here so he could play a game with them. But he is not. So, I will.

I played. And guess what? I am so glad that I did.