5 in a Bed

First thing in the morning and nowhere to go.

It doesn’t happen often … which is why I want to document it.

It’s one of those things that you hear from other parents when their kids are older that they say doesn’t happen anymore and they miss. So you want to do that thing so later when it doesn’t happen anymore and you miss it, you at least did it.

We don’t have to go to school today. Even better, it’s one of those school-only holidays that other businesses don’t have. So things are less busy (like ski slopes) and the kids can get out of bed at 8:15 and not worry about going anywhere or doing anything. It seems to happen so infrequently you’d think we have such busy lives, but I think most people have busy lives. I suppose it just depends on what you do with your time.

We stayed in bed with the boys (and the dog) until they naturally left. We didn’t push out to get going with whatever we were doing today. Not for breakfast, not to clean up, not to do anything. Just let it be.

I suppose if you’re used to this, it sounds normal, “Just let it be.” But it’s actually kinda hard. Your mind races to whatever is next on the agenda. It can be difficult to, cliche as it is, live for the moment. Of course, it’s not always as idyllic as it seems in retrospect. Usually the boys will get too rough and tumble and you really just don’t want to be in that crowded bed any longer with them. But you do it, this morning, to do it. To be there, to at least try it, to let it be, to let no one decide what’s going to happen next.