"All By Myself"...with 3 little GIANTS of course!

Derek went to California this weekend all by himself to attend his Uncle Rick's wedding. This was the first time Derek has gone out of town without me or any of the kids in the last 6 years of marriage! I am not complaining by any means, with the help of my dad, I planned the trip for him and with all of his hard work and support, he deserved it. It was just different being (queue music) "all by myself".... with 3 little GIANTS of course!

So, in order to keep us all sane and getting along, I planned a pretty busy weekend. Friday morning I cleaned the house while the kids watched their morning cartoons and Baby little GIANT napped. We dropped Princess little GIANT off at school, ran some errands and then home for lunch. A friend of mine came over to do a craft for a Bridal Shower we're hosting and Middle little GIANT sat at the table and colored with us as Baby little GIANT napped again. Then it was time to get Princess little GIANT from school. After that we had a skype date with Daddy, Oma (Derek's mom), and Uncle Wake-Up (Derek's brother). We then headed to the pool for a swim date with our new friends from the neighborhood. After that, we enjoyed having our friend Alyssa over for pizza and a sleepover. We blew up the air mattress, brought their mattresses out and had ice cream while watching Finding Nemo. It was such a good time!

Saturday morning after Alyssa left we prepared for the days events. Princess little GIANT's bf from school, Elizabeth, came over for their first play date, while Elizabeth's parents moved. They had a good time even with the pesky little brother, Middle little GIANT, bothering them. Middle little GIANT isn't quite used to his sisters friends not being his friends too and having to leave them alone while they play. After Elizabeth left, it was time for Middle little GIANT to have some fun, we went to Big Al's Bowling for Tobin's (his first "guy" friend in Portland) birthday. Tobin turned 5, but is actually shorter than my little GIANT, which is no real surprise. They get along great even though the age gap is 2 years. The party was a BLAST! Then we headed home to wind down and watched a Wertfam favorite, Despicable Me. (It's So FLUFFY!!!) We had dinner and I got the kids to bed a bit earlier than usual since they had a late night and busy day.

Saturday night was what I felt to be the most unusual with Derek being gone, which shouldn't have at all. I'm used to being alone with the kids, taking them from here to there, feeding them dinner and putting them to bed all on my own, even watching TV alone once their asleep is common for me to do with Derek working nights. What was weird was knowing that he wasn't just in the other room asleep, that he wouldn't be waking up in a little bit to join me on the couch, or that he wouldn't be there to hear how the day went and the funny things the kids did or the challenges I had.

Sunday we went to Church, came home, had lunch, skyped with my parents, and played several different games while watching football on TV. It was actually one of my favorite days with them while Derek was away.

Now, you may be reading this wondering what my point is and thinking I sound really pathetic considering Derek was just out of town for 3 days and I planned for him to be gone, but it's not that at all. I just found a new appreciation for single mother's out there that don't have the father in the picture. My little GIANTS behaved so well while he was gone and we really had a fun time. I just realized how much I missed sharing those moments with their dad and how I can't imagine as a single mother, how much they must long for someone to share moments with. I think we all can understand that they must long to have someone help with the cleaning, the laundry, the discipline, the sicknesses, the homework, the late nights, the early mornings, but my heart can't help but think of the loneliness they must feel to share moments.

Obviously this is only my perception of what a single mother must feel and each situation and person is different. I just can't help but feel after my weekend as a "single mom", blessed and so thankful that God gave me my husband to share every moment (the good and the bad) with, as we journey together Living Life with 3 little GIANTS!