Just Write {26}

March 12, 2012

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.

:::::

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 }

Mother Ruckus March 12, 2012 at 9:26 pm

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.”

christine March 12, 2012 at 9:41 pm

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

Shelly Miller March 12, 2012 at 9:44 pm

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.

Julia March 12, 2012 at 10:01 pm

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.

Leslie March 12, 2012 at 10:13 pm

That’s lovely. Wow, I love your writing, Heather! :)

Alison@Mama Wants This March 12, 2012 at 11:11 pm

I do the same. Except I hide in the bathroom. :)
Alison@Mama Wants This recently posted..Kisses

The Mommy Psychologist March 12, 2012 at 11:19 pm

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

Sheena March 12, 2012 at 11:35 pm

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’

Elaine March 12, 2012 at 11:39 pm

Oh I just love those last two lines! YES!
Elaine recently posted..Exasperating Boy

Karly March 13, 2012 at 12:20 am

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

kulasa March 13, 2012 at 3:45 am

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

Raw Thoughts And Feelings March 13, 2012 at 5:00 am

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

Semi Domesticated Mama March 13, 2012 at 8:32 am

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

Erica @ Expatria, Baby March 13, 2012 at 8:33 am

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

Barb March 13, 2012 at 8:34 am

Beautiful post. Beautiful writing.
Barb recently posted..The Lamb

Amanda March 13, 2012 at 9:17 am

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.

Adventures In Babywearing March 13, 2012 at 9:35 am

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

Lisa @ Heaven Sent March 13, 2012 at 10:52 am

“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

molly March 13, 2012 at 12:31 pm

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

Barb March 13, 2012 at 12:59 pm

thank goodness for doors
Barb recently posted..shaking it off

Allison Zapata March 13, 2012 at 1:38 pm

Love.

Arianne March 13, 2012 at 3:38 pm

What Steph said. <3
Arianne recently posted..Drowning.

Cheairs March 13, 2012 at 7:45 pm

I am with Allison…..Love!!

Michelle March 13, 2012 at 10:51 pm

I know the feeling. Beautifully put.
Michelle recently posted..just write: swooosh

adriana willey March 14, 2012 at 1:23 pm

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

Ruth March 15, 2012 at 10:29 am

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

TOI March 15, 2012 at 11:01 am

love this blog, love it… you are going to be on my network space :)
TOI recently posted..Latorsha: She Rocks

Galit Breen March 16, 2012 at 6:57 am

Yes, this. I know this so, so very well.

(Beautifully told, as always.)
Galit Breen recently posted..Inspired

Kristi March 16, 2012 at 9:22 am

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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