The Post About Nothing

It's really nothing, but it's so maddening when you go to pump your lotion after you've used it like 100 times, but for some reason there's a dried up clump hiding in the pump or something so instead of landing in a little dollop in your hand, you have to find the spot in your bathroom that got randomly hosed down by renegade lotion.  It's never in an obvious place, and it can find fabric to get stuck to like a heat seeking missile. Augh!

It's really nothing, but it's so telling when you overhear your kid playing with her toys and you realize one of them is being you.  My daughter's doll has recently threatened that another princess was "Three seconds away from losing all your privileges!"  I can tell you right now, it's painfully obvious when one of them is me, and one of them is her preschool teacher Miss Carly--Miss Carly says things like "Let's please make thumbs-up choices today, honey!" and regular Mom-Carly says things like "If you don't finish that chore right now, I'm going to take away your special cupcake.  Look at my face, do I look like I am kidding?"  Sigh.

It's really nothing, but it's so exciting when you find a coupon/sale combination that you didn't just read on a couponing website.  I get so happy at the thought that I found it myself, managed to do the mental math and figure that it was a better deal, found the coupon in my box of craziness, and did it all while wrestling my kids in a busy store without losing my temper.  It makes me feel like She-Ra, and a little bit like a renegade agent for breaking off the game plan. 

It's really nothing, but it's such a relief when you find an extra diaper at the bottom of the bag when you thought you were out and you are nowhere near home when everything goes horribly south in the changing station of a public restroom.  It makes me feel like my subconscious snuck in and left me a little gift without telling my conscious mind about it..."you're going to need this later, but you'll promptly forget this ever happened."

It's really nothing, but it's so adorable when one kid takes it upon themselves to help the other.  Sam has just recently started trying to cheer Peyton up with jokes, hand him toys, find his binky--all by herself.  She even has this horrifyingly scary voice she thinks is cute baby-talk that makes him laugh.  (It gives me nightmares).  Still I swell with pride when I hear her yell "Peyton needs a superhero, here I come, Buddy!  I will help you!"

It's really nothing, but it's so disconcerting when someone else loads your dishwasher differently than you do.  It just is.  Not that I don't more than appreciate the help in the kitchen!

It's really nothing, but it's so wonderful when someone you don't see often enough says they've been thinking of you.  When we met up with Daniel's family after our vacation, my 6-year-old niece said "Oh, Carly, I really missed you while you were gone!"  Oh my goodness, I can't tell you how much that warmed my heart.  Just what I needed!

It's really nothing, but it's so satisfying when you finish reading a book.  Hey, world, I just managed to squeak in something for myself!  And, unlike my countless craft projects and writings, I actually finished it without getting too busy or distracted and wandering away, never to return! Booyah! Since I spent time at my parents house in July, I managed to read four.  Four whole books in a month--I might as well have landed on the moon, I was so psyched.  (Sidenote:  The Help was totally awesome and I am jazzed for the movie, Bossypants was hilarious if you don't mind a few swears, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks was very interesting, but a bit of a downer, and Outliers was good, but I felt had some gaping holes.  I just wrote four book reviews for you, I am ON FIRE!)

It's really nothing, but it's so miraculous when you peek at your children while they're asleep.  Best thing in the world, hands down.  It's really nothing, but it's everything.