I handed the teething and fussy and clinging baby to her Daddy right at the moment he came through the door. I said, I need to hide for a little while and here I am.
It’s been not even five minutes and Miles has come to the door three times and Asher once. Elsie has been doing that thing with her walker, where she bangs it against the door while making grunt sounds mixed with whining for me. Ryan is trying to make dinner and Miles keeps asking to play a game. It feels a bit like the house is spinning, there’s so much activity.
The witching hour(s).
Everyone is done, over-tired, needing, hungry and did I mention over-tired? I think of all the houses breathing this same life right now and I know it’s so good that we all get to breathe this way together at all.
In a few hours all will stand still. I’ll sit in the quiet and think about my sleeping babies and I’ll drift away, fatigue winning the war with Me Time. I’ll sleep instead of reading or watching TV, I just know it. I’ll be better for it tomorrow, when I wear the teething baby while wiping the counter and starting the washer. Then I’ll play the games with my boys and break up their fights and repeat myself a lot while taking in their deep blue eyes.
We live a thousand seasons in just one day, breathing so much life into our home with laughs and cries and fights and kisses and sleepy sighs. This is the way of a place of belonging, a home with a heart that beats like a baby’s fist to a mother’s door. It says, I’m still here.
My mothering and writing heart sees the poetry in this beautiful mess. The rest of me needs to stay behind this door for just a little longer.
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This is the 26th installment of Just Write, an exercise in free writing your ordinary and extraordinary moments. {Please see the details here.} I would love to read your freely written words so join me and link up below. You can add the url of your post at any time. Just be sure it’s a link to your Just Write post, not to your main page. Then please link back to this post in your post so people know where to go if they’d like to join in.) (Any links not following those two guidelines will be deleted.)
Also. Please take a moment to visit someone else who has linked up! It’s a really good way to meet new writers and get inspired by the meaning behind their moments. Word?
{ 29 comments }
I do exactly what you do! Sometimes, I have to hide in my bedroom for just a little while (or long while). I need the peace and quiet after the non-stop noise and confusion of the day. Sometimes, during those witching hours, I even look at the clock and say, “Just another hour, and they’ll be in bed.”
Oh I so get this! There are some days I hide myself in the bathroom (our bedroom door doesn’t have a lock) right when my husband gets home. Just to get a breath. Even if that is while two little girls knock and whine at the door.
christine recently posted..A Birthday Lost
We do live a thousand seasons in just one day. My post speaks to that today as my daughter turns sixteen. And it gets easier, less wanting to stay behind the door a little longer but still a mothers heart that beats like a babies fist to her mothers door. So much rich poetry in this simple post. Rest well and thanks for the link. I have enjoyed this community.
This is so beautiful and reassuring for me today. I love how you see these things as a parent. Your last paragraph is pure poetry.
Julia recently posted..Crying over spilled milk.
That’s lovely. Wow, I love your writing, Heather! :)
I do the same. Except I hide in the bathroom. :)
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..Kisses
How many times do we choose sleep? Frankly, at this point in my life, sleep is me time!
The Mommy Psychologist recently posted..Toddler Gets Kicked off Jet Blue for Tantrum
Today, was a behind the door, sit in the dark kind of day. Tomorrow, I will come out of hiding.
Sheena recently posted..Live a Little: Country Cruisin’
Oh I just love those last two lines! YES!
Elaine recently posted..Exasperating Boy
This is so familiar to me. Probably because my three girls do the same thing every day! New follower, and writer. =)
Karly recently posted..Just Write – Saving My Work
beautifully written…my ten year old is hugging me here as I type and like you I love mothering with all my might…:-)
kulasa recently posted..Revelry of a Wounded Heart
I love the expression “We live a thousand seasons in just one day”, and I had those moments of chaos when my children were younger!
Raw Thoughts And Feelings recently posted..Misery Loves Companies
Thanks so much for hosting. I hate the “witching hour” in this house. It is the most frustrating, patience testing time of my whole day. Have a great Tuesday.
Semi Domesticated Mama recently posted..Anatomy of an Anxiety Disorder
I often wonder how people with multiple children “do it all”. What a lovely insight, and reassurance that sometimes we all need to stay behind that door for just a little bit longer.
Erica @ Expatria, Baby recently posted..These I Won’t Forget
Beautiful post. Beautiful writing.
Barb recently posted..The Lamb
Oh my gosh, mommy. I know just how you feel when the house is spinning. You are so wonderful and you make me feel so much better.
Amanda recently posted..We can’t have another baby.
I feel like my wheels have just gone off the track just enough to keep going but feel really unbalanced and about to de-rail at anytime. These seasons can trip you up if you don’t stop to cherish them, yes.
Steph
Adventures In Babywearing recently posted..All to thee
“My mothering and writing heart sees the poetry in this beautiful mess. The rest of me needs to stay behind this door for just a little longer.”
Yes. Just, yes.
Lisa @ Heaven Sent recently posted..Imagine
I totally feel you on needing to hand over the kids when daddy gets home. And then it’s not even really an escape. How could it be? When they’re right outside the door. We’re lucky if we get to pee with the door closed ;)
And yes on the witching hour. We are right there with you at 5:00 p.m. every day.
molly recently posted..rainy day
thank goodness for doors
Barb recently posted..shaking it off
Love.
What Steph said. <3
Arianne recently posted..Drowning.
I am with Allison…..Love!!
I know the feeling. Beautifully put.
Michelle recently posted..just write: swooosh
sometimes this blog world makes me sad that i don’t get to live with the writers behind them. you are one of those for me. the thoughts you let us in on here and these word pictures of your world, i just get. some of it is known to me before and some of it is my unknown known, but either way it’s refreshing. thank you. it’s nice to know you.
adriana willey recently posted..soup and dreams and other hard things
You truly have so many things to be thankful for. Although, it sounds you are facing a lot of challenges, I can see how happy and appreciative you are. You are truly blessed.
Ruth recently posted..DTS Home
love this blog, love it… you are going to be on my network space :)
TOI recently posted..Latorsha: She Rocks
Yes, this. I know this so, so very well.
(Beautifully told, as always.)
Galit Breen recently posted..Inspired
So beautiful and heartfelt! You took me back to the younger day’s the “witching hour”. It’s a bit different now that they are teenagers…but still as “witchy”. :)
Loved reading this today….thanks for sharing!
Kristi recently posted..New Year’s Eve In the Spring
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