The Quiet Dinner

With 2 kids a quiet dinner is rare. Most nights consist of me shoveling the food down my throat in a race to finish eating before the kids. They usually have a 5 minute advantage on me! Basically leaving me 2 minutes and 43 seconds to consume as much food as I can before a plate goes flying to the floor. I've become a winning marathon eating champion with only a few losses under my belt. With quick reflexes, I've been able to add a few saves to my title too! Never knew I could simultaneously shovel food with one hand and quickly grab a flying plate with the other. If this was an olympic sport, I'd be on the team for sure.

On Sunday, I cooked mussels in a white wine sauce. I cooked the kids their own dinner prior to ours, not because the kids wouldn't like it, but because I didn't want to share. AND we got the kids down before we sat down to eat. Just the two of us were sitting there, it was so quiet and calm. I was slowly eating and enjoying my meal. By enjoying I mean being able to actually chew my food rather than swallow it whole. Such a treat!

As much as it was an enjoyable treat to have a quiet dinner, I realized that it was only nice because of the daily chaos. The craziness, crying, screaming, fighting, running and flying plates....with all that drama I am able to appreciate the quiet moments. It made me love my daily chaos a little bit more. Because in that chaos you discover smiles, laughing, dancing, learning and teaching.

No it wasn't a nice, fancy dinner out. We don't get to do that very often. It was just a moment at the table with my hubby enjoying a delicious meal. Some couples without kids have that every evening. It made me think. Sure it was nice but I did pick the right path for me. I wouldn't feel complete without my kids. It's a rough, bumpy path filled with gallons of coffee and wine.....but it's my perfect chaos.