I promised Jenny that on one day each month, I would watch the boys all day so she could sleep, relax, shop, play, or do anything else she wanted to do. It’s kinda like the old Southwest program called “Walk-A-Mile” in which pilots would throw bags on the ramp and accountants would sit with dispatchers to learn more about what other jobs entail. Friday is the first day.

I’ve watched both boys for a few hours at a time, and it wasn’t easy. I’ve never had them all day before. I told Brenden we were having Guy Day. I haven’t decided what to do exactly. The forecast calls for rain in the morning, so we’ll definitely play at home some. If the rain stops by lunchtime, we might go to Mickey D’s for lunch before naptime. Jenny plans to sleep in, do some shopping, get a mani/pedi/facial, enjoy some coffee or tea alone at Buon Giorno, and whatever else she desires. Although I know she works hard every day, I’m sure Friday will be an eye-opening experience!

Friday night I returned to work after a month off (except for a couple of weird nights where my office was desperate and lured me in). Using a combination of vacation time, scheduled time off, and trades, I was blessed with the chance to spend a huge amount of time at home with my newly expanded family, and we had a great time. When I’m working, I’m asleep for the majority of Brenden’s awake time, so this break gave me a chance to wake him up each morning, play with him at the park and rec center, read with him, and marvel as he grows. Although much of our time was spent caring for one or both boys, the break let me spend some good time with Jenny here and there. Finally, it gave me the chance to see a new little miracle, a brand-new life that is partly me, partly Jenny, and partly the mystery of God’s handiwork.

Being back at work isn’t all bad, though. I like my job and most of my coworkers. I enjoy having a routine and official responsibilities outside my home. To be honest, being at work is easier than staying home with two boys under age 2, especially when one of them is Brenden! When Jenny and I can each take one of them, we get by OK, but when Jenny was napping or out somewhere and I had them both, things could get interesting really fast. Just a few days ago, I was holding Jonathan in one arm, propping up his bottle in place with my chin, and trying to cut up a pizza slice with a fork for Brenden with the other hand. Once the pizza slice ran out and Brenden was still hungry, I threw in the towel and called for backup.

In a nutshell, I had to come back to work to get some rest and to have the time and energy to blog! Sorry for the relative lack of posts, but I’m sure you understand. I am now officially back in business.

Thanks again to all of you who helped us out over the past month, whether through meals, babysitting, visits, gifts, prayers, or well-wishes. We are so thankful to have so many wonderful people in our lives.