How was your night?

The clocked ticked and ticked and ticked, the numbers flicked through on my digital clock. It was almost 12:30 am and I was tired but wide awake.

Tick tick tick tick FLICK. Tick tick tick tick FLICK.

I lay there thinking, thinking, thinking…. I thought about lesson plans. I thought about packing merchandise. I thought about my back – it was hurting. I thought about Hugo’s trip to Virginia tomorrow that he was leaving so early in the morning for. He planned on taking Noah, 10 and Teddy 9 to a public Auction. How many people would be there? Might one of them get separated from him and get lost? I got so panicked over the idea that I sat up and prayed a decade. Then I laid back down, a little more calm of heart.

Tick tick tick tick FLICK. Tick tick tick FLICK. One am!

I sat up again, and opened the laptop sitting on the table by the end of the bed. I opened my email account. I had a friend I was worried about, and wondered if I had an email from her. Another reason I could not sleep.

Nope. no email from her tonight err, rather this morning. I glanced at the clock. I sighed and opened an email to write to another friend. I complained to her about how I could not sleep … I managed to kill about 20 minutes. I closed my account, flicked through FoxNews.com and felt depressed. I closed that window and decided to close the laptop as well. I laid down once more, fluffed my pillow, shifted about a bit, moved Elsa a little and flopped down again.


Tick tick tick tick FLICK. Tick tick tick tick FLICK.

I kissed Elsa's check, and she stirred a bit so I left her alone. I was tired, but still not crazy enough to wake her up. I looked at the clock and there was only another 15 minutes until I had to get Hugo up. He wanted to leave at three for Virginia. I rolled away from the clock, determined not to stare at it.

My nose was itchy. My back was itchy, Even the back of my knee was itchy.

Tick tick tick tick FLICK. Tick tick tick FLICK. Now there was only five minutes before I had to wake him up.

Nudge, nudge; "Hugo - it's almost three and I can't sleep, so what do you think if I go with you?" He was more than pleased at the thought. The boys were company, but neither of them can drive!

So I scrambled into the shower, washed my hair, got dressed, got Elsa changed, got Gabriela up without waking Emma. Now THAT was a feat, esp since her arm was around Emma's shoulders, cuddling her like a teddy bear. Switched Bethany from her own bed to Gabriela's spot to help Emma stay warm and hence stay asleep. Woke Noah up and told him to get dressed. He said Teddy had decided not to come so I left him asleep with his dreams. Stole twenty bucks from Hugo and stuck it on the fridge for food for lunch. Wrote an email to Jonathan, even though he was asleep right there in the living room as I knew I could never wake him, and even if I did he would not remember I had, let alone any instructions I gave him. Woke Rafael and told him where we were going. Woke Noah up for the second time, this time succeeding in getting him up.

Loaded both diaper bags into the van while Gabriela settled the somewhat shocked and disgruntled Elsa into her car seat. Noah cuddled up beside her seat, wrapped a blanket around his knees and dozed off. Hugo started the van, and as we drove down the drive I saw that it was only 3:45. I laid my seat back, give a contented sigh and said to Hugo; “Not bad eh, it only took me 45 minutes to shower, dress, pack and load the van.”

I'm sure he said something in return, but I didn't hear him. I had finally fallen asleep!