Jim and Pam

Tonight was the father and sons camp out.  My husband has taken our boys camping every year since Ben and Luke were toddlers.  I look forward to this night every year and love sending off my boys and staying home alone. I get so excited for them (us) that every year I've purchased their food, packed them up, had them ready to go as soon as Aaron came home from work.  Today I didn't do that.  I was busy, yes.  But not too busy.  Today I decided I wasn't going to do that because sometimes I feel like I do more than my fair share.  The last time I lovingly packed for my husband to go on a scout campout, he called annoyed that I had forgotten something he didn't tell me to pack.  So today I didn't help at all.. on purpose.  Aaron came home tired from work and nothing was ready.  He asked me if I had picked anything for them to eat for dinner and I proudly said no.  But inside I felt sad.  Yes, sometimes I do too much for my family, but I love them.  And my husband does a lot, too.  Next time I will go above and beyond and won't expect a thank you in return.. from anyone.  It's payment enough to have them all gone for a night :)

Roma knew something was happening while the boys were packing the car.  She knew they were going somewhere and she knew she wasn't invited.  She climbed in Simon's carseat and she would NOT move.  I had to put her shoes on and figure out a place for the two of us to go together.  I hadn't showered or put on makeup, but she looked mighty cute and deserved a night out on the town.  We went to Hobby Lobby and then had dinner at Thai Noodles, my favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant.  it's the best $6 bowl of vegetable curry you've ever had.  Roma had rice and veggies, but went super crazy over the fried ice cream.  She was a sweetheart because she had a notebook to draw in and no Simon to take it away from her.  We came home, had a bubble bath, painted nails and she went to a sleep like a baby.

The plan was to fold laundry and watch The Office finale-- the last episode ever.  I've been needing to fold clothes for weeks, but I've been waiting to watch this finale for about 4 years now.  and so The Office won and zero clothes got folded.  I just couldn't fold and give my complete attention to such an important hour of my life.  And it didn't disappoint.  I was chocked up the entire time, and finally cried in the end.  Real tears.  Happy that I wasted the last 400 Thursdays of my life watching this show.  But also sad because I sometimes I am as lame as Pam and I don't appreciate my husband like I should.  And even more sad because I want my life documented better than it is.  I just don't have the time anymore to write all of the funny and crazy things that happen in this home and that makes me so sad.  And truthfully, writing about it isn't even good enough.. I want it on camera!  I need to figure out how to get a reality show traveling with my family around the country.  It can't be THAT hard to do.  If Kim Kardashian can do it, I certainly can.

But really, The Office finale made me so happy.  Happy for everyone-- espesh Jim and Pam.  If you don't know this by now, Jim acts and looks a lot like my husband, and although I am not quite as lame as Pam, it did take me a long time to realize the best guy in the world was right under my nose.  I turned him down twice-- to his face, told him I could never like him more than a friend and he still came back.  Because he loves me. Even when I am an idiot.

It got me thinking about conversations with my husband that I would kill to have on film.  Granted, if there were cameras around, the conversations never would have happened because Aaron doesn't show off like that, but still.  A couple of weeks ago, Aaron and I went to a restaurant (the very same Thai place) on a wednesday night.  We had a discussion about our future-- where we see ourselves in 20 years.  It was great conversation, but I told him that I am sick of doing the same thing day after day. It seems like I am just exhausting myself and I am getting no where.  He was sympathetic and sweet.  And told me I just need a change of pace every once in a while, and to just pretend I'm not a mom.  That made me even more frustrated because I just did that!  I flew to Texas and forgot about my kids and it was great... but I can't do that every week!  I needed a better solution.  We walked out the car, hand in hand and didn't talk really on the way home.  Until we realized we needed milk.  There wasn't a real grocery store on the way home, so we quickly ran into CVS pharmacy.  Aaron went to grab the milk and I walked around the beauty supply, trying to find something that would make me forget that I was depressed about my mundane routine.  And then I heard a man calling out my maiden name.  I turned around and found my husband smiling.  This is how the conversation went (but I can't remember exactly because no one was around to film it.)

him: Janet?  Janet Clawson?
me:  yeah.
him: what a small world running into you here.
me: yeah.  weird, right? (still not sure what's going on...)
him:  so, it's been like, what? 15 years since we last saw each other?
me:  um.  I guess.  yeah.
him: After I said goodbye to you in college, I didn't think I would ever see you again.
me:  and yet, here we are.  What have you been up to all these years?
him:  oh, I ended up marrying a crazy woman.  She sells mary kay.
me:  wow.  that sucks for you.  where is she tonight?
him:  she's sleeping at her parents.  we're um,  not married anymore.
me:  oh.  I'm sorry.
him:  don't be.  it was a big mistake.  i am hoping to get the marriage annulled.  What about you?  Are you married?
me:  no.  I never did get married.  I have a hormonal disorder.
him:  right.  I think I remember that.  so no boyfriends or kids or anything?
me: well, I do have one kid, but that was just basically a one night fling.  he's 14 now.
him:  oh wow.  so you're a single mom.
me:  yeah.  and a librarian. what about you?
him:  I'm a rich attorney.
me: I never thought you'd become an attorney.  That surprises me.
him: yeah.  i went to law school single.  I didn't have to pay for a family and school at the same time, so I am debt free.  just living the dream.
me:  sounds awesome.  well, I was just coming here. to cvs. to find a really rich man to take care of me.
him:  and here I am.  I would love to ask you out on a date.
me: me?  where would you like to go?
him:  well, we are in Vegas.  and if you're not married and I'm not married, I am pretty sure there's an Elvis around that could marry us.  tonight.
me:  I would feel better getting married before I take you home because that didn't work out really well the first time.
him:  I can see why.  Do you think your son would like me?
me:  I am sure he would.  you seem like a nice enough guy.
him:  I love kids.  good ones.
me:  we sound like a perfect match.
him:  well, let's go then.
me:  aren't you going to buy anything? milk?
him:  no.  I can't buy it here.  it's almost $4 a gallon.
me:  I thought you were filthy rich, though.
him:  I am, but I still can NOT spend that much on a gallon of milk. Do you care if we stop by a real grocery store on the way home from the wedding chapel?
me:  not at all.  your car or mine?
him:  mine. (as he opens the passenger door for me)
me:  for such a single rich guy, you should probably drive a nicer car.
him:  I tell myself that everyday. every.single.day.