…to post, people.
I wonder if the person who invented blogging knew they were creating the world’s next big addiction. That they were eventually going to need Blogging Rehab facilities. That therapists’ offices would someday be filled with grown children saying, “And I really think all these issues may be caused by my mother’s excessive blogging when I was a child!”
Yes, I do exaggerate.
In fact, all three of the men in my household–the two tiny ones and the one big one–are napping at the moment. The house is utterly quiet. And things are so crazy easy now that, you know, MY HUSBAND IS HOME (in case you missed that news bulletin) that I have nothing else to do at the moment. That, and the fact that my itch to write something, anything, is becoming unbearable.
Actually, I do have stuff I could be doing. Like responding to the trillion emails in my inbox. (Which I WAS in fact planning to do BEFORE my mother ever-so-gently hinted earlier that I’m not always the best emailer-backer-person. I was. Truly.)
(Before I say anything else, I must say this. Since it has to do with the emails and such. YOU PEOPLE BLOW ME AWAY. That is another way of saying that you make me all teary. Often. Your comments, emails, tweets and such have blessed my little heart out these past few weeks. I think it will be months before I’m able to write a post without telling you how much I love every single one of you to pieces. I love our little community, I do.)
I started writing emails a little bit ago. And then, without me even realizing it, my mouse clicked the address bar and my fingers typed the URL for this here little window. I don’t know how it happened.
I told you it’s an illness.
Anyway. As I was saying. What WAS I saying? Oh that’s right–nothing. Brilliant.
Oh. WAIT. There is in fact something crazy to tell you. Something crazy indeed.
I was recognized in public, people. By a complete stranger. Like I was a famous person. Only, I’m not a famous person.
Now, I know several of our beloved blogging celebrities have had this happen. But, PEEPS, I’m no blogging celebrity.
See, I took Troy to the library one day last week, leaving Merritt home with his Daddy. (Because, his daddy is home now, remember? Woohoo! Moving right along…) Troy adores the library and informs me every couple days that we’re going to the library that day. A trip was long overdue. So we read some books, played with some puzzles, picked out a couple books for Mommy (you know, all that free time these days, what with having someone else here to help with the kiddos) and then decided to make one quick trip over to the magazines. Because Mommy wanted to look for her favorite natural mommy mag and some healthy eating stuff.
(She was obviously feeling crunchy and healthy at that moment. The healthy part wore off as soon as the kids went to bed and she remembered there was ice cream in the freezer. And hot fudge in the fridge. And Heath bar pieces in the pantry.)
But Troy, he wasn’t feeling crunchy OR healthy. He was feeling like he wanted to go back to the children’s library. He was tired of holding hands and of talking in our quiet library voice. After about three attempts at engaging him in the wonders of nutritious foods, the newest slings and breastfeeding info, it was clear he was just plain done. So I turned my back to the magazines and told him we were leaving. No, we were NOT going back to the kids’ books. We were going home. He’d run off already a few times and wasn’t obeying, so, we were just going to go home.
This news wasn’t taken very well.
The tears started. The hand was wrenched out of my grip and the legs went limp. I knelt down to stop this lovely display before it reached full throttle, noticing as I did the stares from the newspaper-reading older gentlemen sitting nearby.
This was the LIBRARY, people. The place where you don’t dare talk above a whisper lest the book police come and haul you off to a jail constructed entirely of those metal shelves and tall book ladders. Tantrums are about as close to the cardinal sin here as you can get.
I also noticed a young lady nearby with a book cart glancing over at us. Really, I told her in my head. He’s calming down. We’ll be out of here in a second.
He did calm down in about two seconds and we proceeded to check out our books using the nifty self check out system. Our library is fan-say.
But then I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the young lady with the book cart was walking over to us. Was she coming to me, exactly? Yes. Um, yes. She was.
Great. Now we’re in trouble. The book police are coming to take us to the metal shelf jail. It’ll be that, or pay the late fees of everyone in the system for penance. We’ll never go home again. Well, at least we’re together.
“Um, excuse me. I know this will sound really strange, and might be, well, um… I’ll just ask. Do you happen to have a blog?”
CHOKE.
All I could think of was that it was a good thing I had makeup on that day, even if the immediate circumstances were a bit… less than desirable.
“Well, uh, yes. Yes I do.”
We talked for a few minutes and I enjoyed finding out a little bit about someone who already knows quite a bit about us. (Hi, Emily!)
I’ve talked to people I don’t know before who read my blog, but there’s usually a connection somewhere–you know, friend of a friend of a friend sort of thing. But not someone who just happened upon my blog at some point and kept reading. And certainly never, you know, like THAT. Out of the blue. When my child is having an almost-nap-time freak out moment in the library.
Truth be told, that was fun. Emily was really, really sweet. And she didn’t toss us in library jail.
So if you happen to see me somewhere and one of my children is screaming, or I’m a frazzled mess, and even if I don’t have any makeup on, feel free to stop and say hi. I’ve already done the meeting during a tantrum deal. It’ll be okay.
Okay, that’s all I had to say. And now I’m retreating back to my break. I think. For at least another week or so.
Cindy says:
Hi!
I just wanted to say that this post touched me. There is something so very happy about it.
I have been “lurking” in on your blog for months now, throughly enjoying it by the way. (I cried when the picture of you and your honey showed up and then when your video came along OH MY GOODNESS)You are truly a nice person and I enjoy popping in to see what new cute things those babies of your have done. Thank you for sharing your life with me. May God Bless you and your beautiful family.
Cindy(from Reno)
August 26th, 2008 at 9:17 pm
Mishel says:
I’m *so* glad Emily didn’t throw you and Troy into the library jail. I would have had to bail you out.
Oh wait. That’s right. John is home now. HE could have bailed you out. : )
Love,
Mom
August 26th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
Kelli says:
And how about the pics of the new haircut, little missy :)
August 26th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Elizabeth says:
Aww .. this post is so sweet! Thank you for breaking your break and popping back to your blog to share this. I hope you all enjoy your library books TOGETHER – as a family, together, again! :)
August 27th, 2008 at 3:06 am
Chelsea says:
That is a great story! I love it!
August 27th, 2008 at 7:34 am
mel says:
I’m glad you didn’t go to library jail. That would have been terrible!!
Aw man. I wish I could live closer to you so that I could see you in the library.
I’d totally ask for your autograph.
=)
August 27th, 2008 at 8:39 am
Tiffany says:
Wow you should carry around a pen just in case people start asking for your autograph. HAHAHA Im so glad that she didn’t throw you in the library jail. :) Poor Troy isn’t ready for anything like that. Have fun on your break!
August 27th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Steve n Vickie says:
Ha ha!! You’re so funny, the library jail :)
If there were such a thing, Charity would have landed us there many times!!!
Vickie
August 27th, 2008 at 9:39 am
looksgoodinpolkadots says:
I thought for sure we were all going to the library jail yesterday. It amazes me how much noise these kids can make while picking out books, QUIETLY. Heh.
Cheers!
Jamie
August 27th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Ginger says:
LOL…you crack me up!!! I am afraid me and my sister Carole would have been thrown in the library jail lonnnng ago.
Even as young adults we catch ourselves giggling and getting dirty looks from the scary librarian.
I always thought that would be so cool meeting a felow blogger.
Ginger~
August 27th, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Anna says:
How fun is that!
August 27th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
Amy says:
That’s funny. I hope one day I get recognized.
Have fun on the rest of your blogging break! It’s great to hear that things are going well!
August 27th, 2008 at 6:53 pm
Octamom says:
Love it!
Blessings!
August 29th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Jessica says:
Hello Ashleigh,
I’m one of those spontaneous bloggie lurkers I suppose. I always pop over from Morgan’s blog and see what’s up. I always enjoy your adventurous tales.
I grew up singing with my parents across the country and was approached like that about being seen on TV (didn’t know we HAD been on TV) believe me, I would have taken the time to watch it. haha. What a hoot.
Thanks for allowing us humble lurkers to uh…lurk. :) Western, Ky is where I call my home sweet hom, but if I ever see you out, I’ll be sure to saw “HEY GIRLEY! AH! You’re the Heart and Home bloggette! WOW! This is SO exciting!”
Tata for now! Enjoy your bloggity break :)
August 30th, 2008 at 11:32 pm
Hannah says:
Haha! The part about you eating ice cream make me laugh. :) It brought back lots of good memories.
August 31st, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Sarah Markley says:
very funny.
i uesd to work in a library and I HAVE put people in library jail. =)
oh, you have no idea how many bad places i have dealt with limp-legged tantrums. i feel for you.
and i love it that someone “found” you in the middle of it. =)
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Stephanie says:
Hi, I found you via Kelsey over at My Sweet Life. I loved your post about your husband coming home. What a touching slide show and how wonderful it must be to have that extra help around the house.
I can’t wait to read more :)
September 4th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Lady Jeanne says:
I love it!
I found you through ylcf and always enjoy your updates. I need to study your photo really hard, just in case you ever appear in MY library! ;-)
September 4th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Chelsea says:
Ashleigh!
Come back! We miss you! Its been too long and you have to have another story to tell. At least just say, “Hey!” :)
I hope you’re enjoying all this wonderful time with your wonderful husband!
September 9th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Ginger says:
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I left an award for you on my blog. :)
Ginger~
September 14th, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Aviva Goldfarb, CEO, www.thescramble.com says:
Ashleigh, I love the way you write and have so enjoyed reading your blog for the first time! Please let me know how your family enjoys your new recipes.
Thanks, Aviva
September 18th, 2008 at 8:29 am
Emily says:
Hey Ashleigh! Since you posted about our rather strange meeting, I thought I should climb out of the library dungeon long enough to say hello! And despite rumors of the library jail, it’s not really that bad! :)
September 23rd, 2008 at 9:29 pm