I finally did it!

Well, I did it - finally. I've started blogging. My friends Tricia and Suzy inspired me to quit being a blog "lurker" and join the fun. My daughters are at camp for two weeks and I am enjoying some quiet time at my fabulous cabin near Lake Davis. Have you ever had a "be careful what you wish for.." experiences? I've been dreaming about this peace and quiet since last September when we signed the girls up for camp. Now, don't get me wrong, I was dreading dropping them off and have worried just about every second since driving away, but as you parents know - more than a couple of hours of alone time is quite rare. I woke this morning with no schedule, no place to be, no one to take care of, and for a moment, instead of nervana, I felt shear panic. What was I thinking? All this time by myself? How soon until I'm eating a half gallon of ice cream because no one is watching? I started doing the usual, I checked email, paid a few bills, did my breakfast dishes, started a load of laundry.... then it hit me. I'm in the woods, I'm by myself and I can do ANYTHING I want! Soooo, I went for a long walk and tried to focus on just that moment. That's my one of my newest goals, try to be in the moment more often than not.
This is not an easy task for me. Either I'm planning ahead or berating myself for something in the past.
Wow, now I really am rambling. I've realized a couple of things today. First, and really probably the most important, I like myself. I'm an okay person with whom to spend time alone. Whoda thunk it? The other is that I'm incredibly grateful to have this time. How lucky am I? How many people have the opportunity to spend two weeks in the mountains, at a cabin doing basically whatever they choose? I also realized - though this is not a new realization, just a reminder- I love my daughters and husband. I love the craziness of our lives, the daily, sometimes hourly challenges, and just being together. We all went to the fireworks in Graeagle the night before the girls went to camp. I listened and watched as my husband and daughters layed flat on their backs and giggled, whooped and hollared over each and every spectacular display in the sky. I wanted to bottle that moment. I over flowed with gratefulness - corny, but none the less true.
Okay, I think this is enough for today. It's cooling off outside and I want to take a stroll.
Oh, before I go - guess what my writer friends? I started back on my fiction today. I wrote for a couple of hours straight. It's been a long time..... I feel like I've come home again. I will keep it up, even when school starts again and I'm facing all those 4th grades. They've got to give me an idea or two - don't you think?