Peace amidst Chaos

Chers Amis,

Shh! I am afraid to move and break the silence and peace. It is one of those moments of consolation that make the rest of the chaos worthwhile. Scarlett burst into tears a little while ago as the girls finished their American History notebook on political parties. She had a Monday afternoon meltdown and couldn't remember who was a Republican or what a Federalist was - it all blurred together. I told Scarlett, sodden with her tears, to go upstairs and take a nap. She had started the day overtired and needed down time. I told Caddie to go do her own quiet reading and forbade Pippin from turning on the TV or touching my computer in my absence. "Go upstairs, but DON'T bother Scarlett!"I warned. Up they all went like Ping and his cousins waiting for the dreaded swat. No swat,I was busy piling yet another load of still-warm laundry on the bedraggled couch.

A few minutes later I mounted the stairs to survey the scene. Scarlett was a bit pink around the eyes, but was relaxing. Monday's are always the hardest days as we switch from weekend fun to school without the benefit of a change in scenery. I tucked her in, smoothed her hair and she happily agreed to take a nap and and melted into her bed. So what were the other two up to? Had they emptied the toy chest in Pippen's room? No, I found them cuddled up in my unmade bed, bereft of linens (on couch:-) covered with my pillow shams. Caddie was reading our next book club selection - the story of Saint John Bosco and Saint Dominic Savio aloud to Pippin who was curled up next to her happy as could be. Much to their delight, I covered them up with my comforter that had fallen in a puddle on the floor and left them to their reading. Peace amidst chaos is brilliant! Oops! I hear feet. It is also fleeting!

-- Marjorie