NOW I Get It

When I was a kid, I was nothing but annoyed by the character of Peter Pan. Who wouldn't want to grow up? I went through a phase in which I thought it was a really bum deal that grown-ups got to boss kids around, and achieving autonomy was my dearest wish.

Of course, the book Peter Pan was written by an adult. Now I'M an adult. In the past week I've paid someone to service the furnace at our old house, I've called to make sure the gutters were cleaned, I've dealt with the landlord and a plumber over the (still mysterious, despite reports to the contrary) stink in our rental house, I've called the cardiologist to make sure Willem's records were passed on to a new doctor, I've considered new health plans, I've paid the gardener who's mowing the lawn of our Boise home, and I've done some serious soul-searching about what kind of house we should live in and what we can afford as Shaun and I have entered into negotiations on a house. And of course there is the usual feeding and refereeing of children, grocery shopping, laundry, and the tiniest bit of housekeeping. So now I understand.

Truly, for the first time in my 35 years, I have found myself wishing that mom and dad would just take care of it. Grown-ups? Are you with me?

p.s. Shaun has probably done more than I have. He's just handling it better.