Watching the first snow of the winterHaving made it through a day of school (homeschoolers don't get off for snow days), dinner, cleanup, and kids ready for bed, I handed off the baby to Rob and took my flu-ridden body up to my bathroom and locked myself in hoping to seek some relief from my discomfort in a warm bath. It's something I don't do too often truthfully. It's not practical. I don't have the time and it costs a small fortune to fill our bathtub. Tonight however, it was about the most practical thing I could do. Oh yeah, another thing I never do is lock the bathroom door. I don't know why, it usually doesn't bother me with three kids and a husband wandering in and out (Aubie doesn't wander yet). Tonight however, no one was getting in!
I settled down in the hot water and created a concoction of essential oils that I thought would doctor me to put into the water. I was soon relaxing and feeling just a little bit better when the first disturbance began. Alayna was talking in her loud voice. It's the one she uses most. I could hear her out in the hallway railing over something her brother Alton had done to her. Although she was venting to Avery, it was clear she wanted Alton and everyone else to hear her. "Alton is so mean and rude! He doesn't care about anyone's feelings!!" I then heard Avery sympathize in his most concerned tone "Ohhhh..." This followed after her every sentence. By now the two of them had made it to the bathroom door and were trying to get in because apparently Alayna wasn't sure that I heard her. "Mom, why is the door locked? I want in!" "Not right now. I'll be out in a little while, go find Daddy," was my annoyed response. Alton then arrived on the scene and the argument fired up again only this time Avery got involved. I'm sure he was feeling left out and so I heard him say to Alton accusingly, "You hit Alayna in the eye Alton!" This in fact, never occurred and so for a moment there was silence as Alton was probably trying to recall if in fact, he had hit Alayna in the eye and Alayna was probably trying to find a way to use this comment to her advantage. Fortunately, I heard them agree that this had not happened, but the arguement quickly resumed.
As I lay there soaking, I was wondering why my husband, whom I thought I had carefully briefed as to what was to occur during the minimal precious moments I was stealing away locked in the bathroom, was not with these children much less protecting me from the noise pollution outside the locked door. I decided to try calling him, "R-O-B!" This did not bring the aforementioned man whom I am sure knew he was in trouble by now, however it did seem to strike a little fear into the children who quieted down for just a bit until they too realized he was not coming. More noise, more sounds of trying to open the bathroom door. I sighed and sank my head deeper into the water. Perhaps that is why they made my bathtub so deep. They knew I would need to get as far underwater as possible.
A few minutes later, and Rob had casually made it upstairs. The noise subsided as he put the kids to bed. Strangely, with the sudden peace and quiet, I felt restless just laying there. I drained the water and got out feeling like I had at least enough energy to finish what was left of the day. Someday the kids will all be grown and out of the house and I can take all the peaceful baths I want, but I'm not sure that's such a good trade-off.
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