Just Me and My Guy - By Cara Potapshyn Meyers

A beautiful ocean breeze is blowing by me while my son is making the "world's largest sandcastle" with a little boy he befriended. We have had impeccable weather since we have been here; Five days so far. Under ordinary circumstances, this would be sublime.

My son and I are at a ridiculously overpriced beachfront hotel, with suboptimal service (I am the Hotel Snob, you know). Our house has been without power, food, and hot water for almost a week now, since Hurricane Irene passed by. My son couldn't take the pitch black nights with no air conditioning or fans and no refrigerated food. I made a call to a beachfront resort that I had tried to make reservations with a month ago. At that time they were booked solid. I called the day after the hurricane passed and wouldn't you know it! I had my choice of any room I wanted because so many guests had cancelled! I planned to stay for just a few days since I predicted we would have power back within that time. No such luck. I extended our stay throughout the Labor Day weekend.

This unplanned excursion, although bordering on necessary, has really been a treat for both my son and me. Neither of us had been to the beach all summer. My son adores the beach and wallows in the sand. I know I can take him anywhere and he will make friends...even a beach chair, if necessary! His BFF and mine came to visit us one of the days we were here. That day went too quickly for us. Since then, my son has befriended a boy who is here with his Mom and siblings because they lost power also. The boys have been practically inseparable.

My only frustration has been the fact that some cell towers around here have been inactive, due to the storm. My only means of communication has been through texting. I'm not sure if I like embracing my limited means of communication or not. On the one hand, I have to use my computer sparingly. Getting and receiving cell phone calls is practically impossible. If the wind blows the right way, I can post on FaceBook or upload a photo of my son on the beach. All in all, though, I'm getting used to the spotty connections and limitations to the outside world.

The best part of this trip has been the bonding I have had with my son. We are "together" 24/7. He is off with his friend while on the beach, but we are together at all other times. We lie in bed, exhausted at the end of the day. He watches some TV while I read or type this blog. We order in room service because I arranged to get meal vouchers. All I have to pay for is the delivery fee. Basically, we do what we want, when we want, with no set schedule at all. It's perfect!

We also play on the beach together. When my son's friend has somewhere else to go, we fly our kite, dig in the sand, and walk on the beach collecting treasures. I get cold easily, so I stay at the water's edge and take photos of my son as he navigates the wild post-hurricane current with his boogie board! We even became friendly with a very nice lifeguard who took my son out into the ocean to help him learn to swim in ocean water. I have complete confidence when my son is in a pool or still water. But ocean water is always unpredictable. I want him to feel the unpredictability and learn how to navigate through it. He is strong and sure of himself. I have no reason to believe he won't be able to be completely comfortable and respectful of the ocean. He wants to learn to surf one day. One needs to be totally at ease but mindful to take on a sport such as that.  

This week has been an unexpected joy! My blogs, however, seem to depict an oxymoron! Last week I was swooning over my extended "alone time." Now I am swooning over time spent together with my son. I guess this shows me that there really is no balance to parenting if you have one but not the other. I also believe that because we are just doing our own thing, without any set schedules, it makes this time together even more enjoyable. I am almost disappointed for us both that school begins in a few days. We'll be back to "routine." Everyone needs routine in their lives to some extent. Some more than others. But I am loving this simple time with just my son. His sweet endearments towards me. My unbridled love for him. Just the two of us. Just me and my guy. 

Expect the Unexpected...by Liimu

When Hurricane Irene hit, we were in what could have been considered the worst possible place - at a beach house along the Jersey Shore. Not just at the jersey shore, but in a house that's literally situated between the ocean and the bay. Most of the time, this is a luxurious thing, and these two weeks are a time we look forward to for months in advance of our finally arriving. When the media was calling for a hurricane that was destined to impact 65 million people and potentially cause 14-foot waves that would wipe out everything in its path, it was clear that this was not the ideal place to be. Still, I was determined to have my vacation and so rather than begin plans for evacuation, I started googling indoor games and activities, with the thought that we would hunker down and weather out the storm. Pun intended.

I had reserved the house back in January, had asked the babysitters to accompany us so I could work while on vacation even months earlier than that. When I secured a project that required me to attend a two-day workshop two hours away from the shore right in the middle of our vacation, I gritted my teeth, thanked God for the work during this rough economic times, and made my hotel reservations. At least I'd have two weeks minus two days. When the sitters kept being thwarted away from coming due to weather (there were horrible storms the first weekend and of course, the second weekend when Irene arrived), I massaged my temples and thanked God that they were here when I most needed them. I wasn't looking particularly forward to managing all three kids in the house down the shore during a hurricane, but what was the alternative?

When Gov. Christie and Cape May County issued the mandatory evacuation orders, that question was quickly answered. It was clear that my plan was not going to be the one executed, yet again. Like I said in a previous blog, "We make plans, God laughs." As I packed up our belongings and thought about the fact that I was going to have to go home, come back, only to turn around again and head out to the workshop, I began to give way to self-pity, then quickly jolted myself back to gratitude. At least my husband was around and completely capable to care for all the kids while I was gone. One of our sitters was willing to come down at least for one day, so that would help. We were even talking about having the whole family just wait for me and we would all go down together after the workshop was over. A check was waiting for me when I got home, so at least I'd be able to put that in the bank. Lemonade...lemonade...it's lemonade, I told myself.

When I woke up Sunday morning, the first thing I noticed was that the power had never gone off. Lucky. Other than some flooding, our area had been largely unaffected. I watched the news all morning, but saw no signs of serious damage down the shore either, nor did I read of anything online. I wasn't entirely surprised, then, to get a call from the owner in the afternoon saying that the damage was minimal and we could come back down that very same night. Even though I'd have to turn right around a couple days later, we took him up on his offer, barely hesitating to pack the car up with our suitcases that had remained unpacked the entire weekend.

By 8:30 pm, we were enjoying another beautiful sunset view over the bay from our rear deck. This is what life's about, I thought. Enjoying the moment. Maybe I'll have to leave, but at least I'll have made the best of the time we have here. The next morning, I got up and ran a couple miles along the beach, then walked to get coffee from the local Wawa. I got home, checked my e-mail and was amazed to see that due to flooding from the hurricane, our workshop had been cancelled and would be rescheduled to late September! Then, the owner called us again a few hours later to say that due to the fact that we'd been forced to evacuate, he was letting us stay an extra two days!

Yet again, I get a great lesson in expectations and letting go. While I can make whatever plans I like, the only thing I should ever expect is the unexpected. Expecting everything to go the way I plan is a set up for not only occasional disappointment, but oftentimes an outcome that falls far short of how well things could have gone if I'd been able to relax and go with the flow.

The Calm Before the Storm - By Cara Potapshyn Meyers

As I am writing this, I am prepared for and awaiting Hurricane Irene to pass by this area of the East Coast. Although several of my friends who live near to the shoreline have already had to evacuate, I am thankful that I am able to stay in my own home. After last year's tornado, one dinky hurricane is not scaring me away.

Most important to me, at this moment, is that for the first time in, I don't know how many years, I am alone. Completely, utterly, you can hear a pin drop, alone. I am feeling devinely bliss.

My husband took my son to California to visit with my Brother-in-Law and his family. I felt that this was a perfect time to get our carpets professionally cleaned in our home. The dogs went to the kennel ("Doggie Camp," as my son calls it). Although I was left to shlep numerous items downstairs and orchestrate this whole undertaking, once the cleaners left, I took a nice hot shower and then a peaceful, completely uninterrupted nap. Sublime does not even begin to describe how I felt.

Family and dogs were all supposed to return home on Saturday. With the forecast of Hurricane Irene passing through our area over the weekend, my husband made the decision to fly back home with my son on Monday. Dogs will be coming home then too. Here I thought I would have two days to relax and unwind. Now it has turned into four! I am completely in Heaven! Even if we lose electricity, I will luxuriate in reading novels barely started or take well deserved naps. As a well designed credit card commercial tags, what I have now is priceless!

From this blessed experience, I must admit that as a Later Mom, I feel we all need significant downtime. This time alone has been truly an unexpected blessing because every one of my typical days is filled with enormous amounts of stress. Putting myself aside, though, shouldn't every Mom get alone time? Real alone time. Not catch up on e-mail time. Not do some extra laundry time. Real, honest-to-goodness do something relaxing time! 

I often cringe when magazines or professional organizers suggest to Moms that they "schedule" downtime for themselves. If I have to schedule it, then how can it truly be considered "downtime?" My personal example is that I have a standing manicure appointment at the same time, every two weeks. Manicures used to be luxurious for me. They bordered on indulgent. Now they have been relegated to a "task" that needs to be fulfilled whether I'm in the mood for a manicure or not. It has lost it's specialness.

Some say, "You should schedule a walk into your day," or "Go to a yoga class each week." Both would make me feel good, but eventually they will also become "commitments" that I will eventually resent. "Scheduling" in true relaxation time just doesn't do it for me. I need unexpected or minimally planned "me" time. I anticipated having two "alone" days this week. I now have four! What an amazing, precious gift!

Our recent Guest Blogger, Holly Sklar, made the same point. She described "Date Night" with her husband as almost another task on the "To Do" list. She stated that the thrill and excitement of it, especially after a full, busy week, felt like another chore. Even as couples, relaxation time together is no longer what it used to be. As she pointed out, as a Later Mom, parenting, having a full or part time job, and running a home, drain the life out of you. And as she admitted, she almost resents her children for it, even though she loves them passionately.

So where does this leave us? If we schedule in some pampering or relaxation time, we risk having it turn into a chore. If we don't schedule it in, we get drained, cranky, and worn down. There needs to be a happy medium.

I found, especially through this unexpected gift of alone time, that by asking for it may be the best solution. When you are feeling the need to escape, ask your mate to watch the kids while you hit the gym. If you are run down and need a massage, hire a babysitter or ask a friend to watch your kids. If the sight of books and toys strewn across the room make you want to scream and cry at the same time, ask to get a manicure while the family eats dinner. And while you are asking, request that the dishes and pans get cleaned as well so as not to "smudge" your pretty fingers. All of these unexpected gifts of time will be so much more meaningful and needed at the times when you need them most! They will feel like gifts instead of chores! You will be nurturing your own body, mind and soul.

Lastly, though, reciprocate. A Mom friend of mine who has a son the same age, had my son over for a six hour playdate! I was at a stress point where I needed alone time very desperately. In turn, I took her son for a six hour playdate this past weekend. I could tell that she was equally grateful to have gotten a large chunk of time for herself as well. 

It all boils down to what we need, when we need it, and to find a way to get that need fulfilled. Our lives are over planned as it is. So try to get your own unexpected time in. You might be surprised at how easy and effective it can be. If you are even luckier, a roadblock, like my Hurricane, will come along, allowing you to indulge in your alone time just a little bit longer! I'm certainly enjoying mine!

Where I've Been... by Liimu

Sorry, everyone. Normally I try to get my post up by 6 am, but Hurricane Irene is heading for the coast and they are telling us we have to evacuate by 8 am tomorrow. I've had other things on my mind. I'm trying to stay in a positive frame of mind, but honestly I'm pretty sad and disappointed to have to leave when we are scheduled to be in this house until September 3. I think if it were just me, and I weren't responsible for the safety of four children (and two babysitters), I'd probably stay here through the stupid hurricane. And probably end up washed out to sea.

I'll have a more substantial blog post next week, I promise.

Till then, rain, rain, go AWAY!