interruptions

Now you all know how it is that I get so very much done. I have a lot of help. He's good, isn't he? He's an amazing Papa, fabulous creative thinker and sounding board, perfect morning bed-peeler, and so very much more. Thanks for hosting him for the week - I think he liked it (enough that he's promised me he'll return in a month for my final deadline push). In the meantime, while I continue to work away on this manuscript, how about some back to normal crafts and a lot of photos around here for the month? Good, good.

The Creative Family was written almost entirely out and about - coffee shops, libraries, and anywhere else I could bum free wifi. But this second book - being primarily a craft book - has me running from cutting table, to sewing machine to computer constantly. And so home is where I'm writing, a couple of days a week. It is a lovely place to work, I will say. Home is good, but home is not without it's interruptions. Bless the man outside the door who creatively engages, plays, feeds and acts as goalie. But sometimes - one slips by him. Three, actually:

Calvin's interruptions usually involve sitting down quietly with me for a minute (they each have an ongoing project in my room for just such visits). And then...in the quietness of the studio and with the handwork of his embroidery, we have some really amazing chats about, well, life. Six year olds know a lot about life. Oh, yes they do. But then...sometimes he's also the bearer of the 'staff-splitting' questions (as we call them), such as, "Can I ride my bike without my helmet if I'm just going on the grass? I think Papa said I could." Uh-huh. Right.

Ezra - in the perfectly middle child way - first peeks through the keyhole of the door, then sneaks in (not so sneakily), standing in this little corner with a grin on his face until I acknowledge that he's there. At that point I'm usually met with a wonderful Ezra story, or a puzzle, or a question to ponder with much debate. Such as, "Mama. Would you rather be a pirate, or have a really really really big foot" Hmn...I'll think on that one.

Adelaide's specialty is a strong and fast push of the door open, a thundering of her usually naked body across the room to me, followed by a sweet, coy and hopeful (I swear those eyelashes are batting at me), "Milkey, Mama? Milkey? Now?" O-kay. If that doesn't work for her, she usually settles for a swipe on her way out the door of the size 50 knitting needles (really), chanting the pirate 'arghhh!' all the way.

Sometimes, I will admit, these little interruptions are frustrating, and working at home can be really, really hard on all of us. And I am eternally grateful for those moments when everyone is whisked away to the skate park, the woods, or to visit the grandparents and I can work in solitude. But sometimes? Working at home and all of it's many interruptions - is amazing. Amazing and full of good little unexpected moments that inspire me, make me laugh, and give me energy to keep going.

It's true. I've got a lot of help.

Comments

[lori]

great to have you back, really enjoyed your husbands perspective of your family....
reading about Adelaide wanting milkey brought back many sweet memories of milkers around here.
welcome back...
also, being a work at home mama myself I can totally relate to both aspects of loving the little visits sometimes and other times loving the quiet being able to think times.

[Gwyn]

It's that hard to ignore quality kids have that keep us grounded in the present isn't it!?

[Kelly]

I absolutely adore the picture of Ezra! Of course, they are all darling! How lucky you are! Enjoy, all that you do!

[carri]

Those babes are wonderful. And I'm glad to see that my toddler isn't the only one who loves her birthday suit best.

[Alicia G.]

Thank you, thank you for this post. As a WAHM mom, that second to last paragraph really struck a chord with me. It's nice to know there are other WAHMs juggling & struggling just like me. Cheers.

[Kristen]

I haven't commented in a good long while but had to remark about 6 year olds and their wisdom. The walks to school in the morning are my most favorite time - I cherish the wisdom that is imparted to me in that 20 minutes. Every age is delicious but six really is something.

[tara pollard pakosta]

I just love how you write
and how you inspire me with
your words/work/the way you love your familY!
thank YOU!
tara

[Julie]

Oh, Amanda, what a lovely post. Makes me sigh. (In a good way). As for me, I think I'd rather have a really really really big foot, as long as it weren't so big I couldn't lift it. Because being a pirate seems a big to scary for me. Canonballs, swordfights, crocodiles!

[Sheri]

you've hit the nail on the head about the troubles and joys of working at home. my favorite days mean coming out of my office, stealing lots of hugs and kisses, and then heading back in (with a pot of tea). oh yes! the "both" is quite a gift, as is the man on the other side of the door!