A Bit of Normalcy

I've always wondered when there would be a time where we could do things that "normal families" do.  Go to dinner, have picnics in the park, take both kids to the grocery store, not completely stress out when going over other peoples' houses, take the family to a movie, etc., these just don't happen in my house.

This weekend, I finally got my taste of normalcy.  In April, we met 2 couples through some friends of ours.  One of the couples invited us to their Memorial Day party.  We warned them about Nate and how crazy he is, but they assured us that he would be completely fine at their house.  They have a fully fenced in backyard, plenty to do, and if he ended up inside their house everything would be fine.  Now, after 6 1/2 years of Nathan, we are skeptics.  Sometimes he surprises us, but for the most part we have been trained to expect the worst. 

We showed up to the party with both kids, and their swimsuits in tow.  The sprinkler was out since it was a hot day, and I thought the kids would have a blast playing in the water--at least it would keep them occupied for about an hour.  We changed them right away and both boys were almost immediately comfortable with their surroundings .  Nate usually takes close to an hour to explore before he settles down, but for some reason, this day was different.  Maybe it was all of the kids playing in the backyard, or maybe he just got a special vibe from their house.

For the first time I can ever remember, Matt and I were BOTH able to sit down and enjoy our dinner without chasing children around, stressing about where Nathan took off to, or what type of trouble he found.  We both were able to carry on separate conversations with some other people at the party, and our stress levels during the party were very low.  I was fully prepared to only stay an hour or so because I was convinced that Nate would be a pain, but we ended up staying over their house until 9:30!  Both boys were angels and had a blast playing with all the kids in the backyard. 

I finally got my dose of normal.  I know that these are few and far between, but when we are able to finally function like a typical family, it gives me a sense of new hope.