Lion and Magic Boy

I’ve mentioned before that this shared-custody schedule that the children endure is somewhat…erratic, haven’t I? Erratic in that no two weeks are the same. No two months are the same. There is a general trend in which The Ex’s days tend to be mid-week while mine tend to encompass the weekends, but it’s not safe to assume anything. And things change frequently.

This morning I was happily talking to my hair guy Russell about this major turning point in his life when I received a call on my cell phone. The thing is practically useless these days, as NOBODY calls me on it (I will give you the number if you ask me because, seriously, I am so not using my minutes these days), so I was surprised to feel my pocket vibrating. Oh, stop it. Not like that (a little to the right, maybe…..hey! stop that!).

Anyway. it was The Ex, asking if I wouldn’t mind babysitting my own kids for a couple of hours this afternoon. I had plans (work! and more work! because I am behind!), but sometimes there are good reasons to do people favors and this seemed to be the time.

So I got to see Eric for 2 hours and Nathaniel for an hour and Serena for no hours, because of their respective bus schedules. And then they went back with The Ex for dinner only to come right back here before bedtime.

Which was their undoing.

Unless their dinner consisted of Nilla Wafers and ice cream and maybe just Karo syrup mainlined right into the bloodstream, because there was more than a tinge of hyperactivity going on.

Don’t get me wrong, I am all about the multi-tasking. I am used to three people all talking to me at once while I am doing a fourth thing. I am okay with that, most days.

Today, my brain exploded into little bits all over the ceiling and the coffee table and my laptop. Right after I repeatedly jabbed a pencil into my eardrum in response to the incessant sounds and the assault of energy and the questions, always with the questions!

1. Nathaniel spoke in a monotone for 20 minutes while he did some stupid English homework assignment.

2. Eric rolled on the floor, laughing.

3. Serena repeated the same three phrases over and over.

After I wiped off the laptop on which I was attempting to write a post and look up story ideas for tomorrow’s Strollerderby (as if discussing the merits of parental suicide today wasn’t enough), I herded them all upstairs to brush teeth, etc.

Finally we were gathered in my room for the nightly story.

Except I had left my brain shattered on the coffee table.

So I had us all sit in a circle on my bed and hold hands. Instantly, things changed. I could feel the energy of each of the four of us move through our hands in a pulsating, circular motion. Eric sat opposite me and held Nathaniel’s hand and Serena’s hand, yet I felt his energy as well.

It was wonderful, and I could feel the shattered bits inside my head regenerate themselves. I could feel my wholeness again, and I could feel the wholeness of each of the children.

Which all makes sense considering I had just written this new post up at Springing Light.  Go see!