The Value of a Good Story

I spent a lot of time on the internet today. I just didn't have enough to keep me busy at work and what was there was barely interesting...I mean, I did my work and all...I have a good work ethic, honestly!
Anyway, you know how that can just leave you feeling a bit sunken in the middle, glazed-over, foggy and irritable? Well, that's me today. It seemed like the kids were both talking at once, each time I opened my own mouth to say something to someone else this afternoon. We managed to get through ballet and I sat by a mom who was unusually talkative (so much talking today! ugh!) and the DH was already here when we walked in the door, so as I was trying to tell him that I forgot to put the barbecue in the crock pot this morning, the kids were, again, speaking at the same time to tell him of their day.
Pull it together, girl.
Drew just begged me, in the most pitiful way, to "so something as a family" tonight. He made it sound as if we never do. It tugged at my guilt, even though they ain't hurtin' for time with mama. I swallowed hard and managed to shove my emotions aside. I told them they could each grab a story to read in the hour before bedtime.
My kids are sneaky kids.
They both grabbed long, long informational texts. "These are not stories!" I yelled. They both just smirked and whined.....I was powerless to resist. We read Emma's book first - "Shark Attack." Seriously, it's what she picked. Drew picked one about Atlantis - one that retold Plato's tale in what seemed to be its entirety, including the names of all the Greek gods, who I had to try and explain.
This exercise did very little to relieve my evening malaise. I soldiered on, though, and decided on a Mary Poppins lullaby for tonight. I alternate between that one and a Lutheran children's hymn my great-grandma used to sing to us. Then it was time for prayers. Andrew thanked God for the best mom in the "entire universe." Aaaahhhhh. There it is. Mommy's all better now, and she's even glad to know a little bit more about good old Plato.
Deeper thoughts today are here. It just didn't seem right to do two thoughtful posts in a row.

DAILY BLISS: The allergen warning on my bag of pistachios that reads: Contains pistachios. Duh. And the fact that, above all the other voices at swimming lessons, I can hear Emma as I sit on the other side of the pool deck, from the shaded "parents only" section.