I am Kyle's self-indulgence

This week I’m getting to have a little taste of what it’s like to be a single parent. Erika is away in Florida, attending her sorority’s national convention, so from Wednesday afternoon through late Sunday night I’m flying solo.

There have been a few moments of frustration, mostly when the kids are in the house running around and fighting over toys, but we’ve had enough excuses to get out for church or a friend’s birthday party that I’ve been able to maintain my sanity.

Today it was 95 degrees outside, so I decided it was time to set up our big wading pool. From the moment the kids got up from their nap and “rest time,” respectively, we were outside swimming and splashing and having a great time.

Eventually, though, we had to go back inside so I could make dinner while dealing with one child further breaking a door screen, bending venetian blinds, and closing his sister’s fingers in the lid of a storage box (seconds after I had said to leave the box closed). I’m afraid I lost my cool at this point, and later had to have a talk with said child about how daddy is sorry for yelling and he’s going to try to not do that anymore, but that he really needs the child to listen and do as he’s told.

But then, after an unusually calm bathtime I read to Eva Neil Gaiman’s Blueberry Girl, which I have decided is now officially our Special Book, kissed her goodnight, and was greeted by Daniel, dressed in his pajamas, and ready to read Neil Gaiman’s Odd and the Frost Giants (Yes I have a thing for Gaiman, but these are two excellent children’s books, okay?). Since Eva and daddy have a special book, I told Daniel that this can be a Special Book just for us guys.

After not napping and spending all afternoon playing in the pool, Daniel was very tired and didn’t quite make it to the end of our chapter. After watching him sleep peacefully for a minute, I turned out the light. While slowly and quietly pulling his door closed I decided that these are the moments that keep me going.