Drop-In Friends

 

Yesterday morning we had no plans on the horizon. We only knew that we needed to pick our au pair Adriana up in DC around 2pm. Jon had planned on taking one or two of the kids and doing that himself. I figured I'd stay here...

Then we kind of came together with the idea of heading into DC together, in separate vehicles so that he could pick her up, and we could still have some fun in the city. I threw a couple things in a bag, put the kids "walking shoes" on, and off we went. It's not a quick drive into DC from our house. It's at least an hour, and that's without any traffic.

After trekking around the downtown mall looking high and low for parking for TWO cars. We took the kids to the Museum of Natural History. We knew that with the dinosaurs, and mammal exhibits, there had to be something they would like. We were right. It was one of the first times, it was really exciting to see the kids actually enjoy this museum. This museum that Jon and I had one of our very first dates in... It was pretty cool.

Anyway, we spent an adequate amount of time in the City, enjoy the gorgeous weather, enjoying the sightseers who randomly enough were spending more time sightseeing my children than the National Monuments. I had conversations with at least 7 seven people, 2 of which I actually needed to speak a different language to converse with... Turns out that as they grow older, they don't become any less of an attraction, and some people are starting to think that William is an older sibling... Poor Will.

But I digress. Jon left with William to pick up Adriana, and I went to head home with the other four children. On the way back, I decided to call my friend Nita, knowing I would be passing right through her neck of the woods. I would hate to pass up any opportunity to see her, even though I talk to her every. single. day. Anyway, I called, she was home, I said I'd drop by if it was OK with her... No problem she said... Drop on by.

I arrived moments later, my FOUR young children in tow. I can think of literally hundreds of

other people who would have seen me coming and locked their doors. (Her neighbor was one of them) Not Nita. She met me at the door, greeted all of my kids, and then promptly locked them in her very own "steel cage" of a playroom. You see, Nita has Ricky. Ricky is 18 months old, and while he may be only one child... She knows the awesomeness of being able to put your child down in a secure location and make dinner, or go to the bathroom, or... eat a cupcake on the stairwell without being noticed. Not saying that I do...But if I wanted to,  I could. Anyway, the kids went into the playroom, they played, we talked, I played some Wii with her husband Rick.

It was a really nice feeling. I can count on one hand the number of people that are equipped to handle my kids. And by equipped, I mean... If I had an emergency one day, I could call them up and drop them off. That's saying a lot. I used to think that being a Mom of Multiples automatically made you capable. Then it kind of dawned on me... You have to want to be capable. Like for instance my friend Cherie... She too has triplets (all Boys too!) she's not only an immediate shoe in because she has triplets, but she also understands. She knows that this is hard. That I don't want to impose. That I just want my kids to be safe... And a lot of times, I really just want to go somewhere where I can be myself and not have to worry about where my kids are and what they're getting into... She's right there with me.

I'm not really sure where I'm going with this now. I know that I'm pretty thankful for the few friends that I do have... I find myself saying so often that I really don't have any friends. I think it's mainly due to my past, and also the past few years of the kids keeping me so busy. I love that I've started finding a niche and that even the friends that I have, that aren't "Drop-In Friends" are still such good friends... So maybe that's where I was going with this. I am really lucky.

Comments

[Heather@It's Twinsanity]

I am imagining that your trek to DC is much like mine with regards to all of the tourists taking pictures of your family instead of the monuments!

I am back home in Virginia now and living just down the road from you. Someday we should get together! I just need to finish unpacking.

[Katie]

I <3 Drop - In Friends!!!
...so in case, your up this way, your always welcome.
Very cool museum indeed, glad your weekend was so great!

[pam]

my boys are wearing (today!) the same shirts your boys are in that first picture!

[cherie]

I love that my cleavage is on your blog.
:)

[Nita]

I think we're the lucky ones. ;)