I had 2 1/2 hours in my house today. All. By. Myself.

If it isn't obvious to you what this post is, it is my weekly gratitude post.  Anyone who is a mother or a father probably doesn't need more than the title, but I am going to go ahead and tell you all anyway.

Joe came home this afternoon around 2 to pick up Tucker and take him to the vet.  I think Tucker is coming to the end of his time with us.  I will spare you the details but let's just say...no, let's not say anything.  Tucker is an old dog and is doing old dog kinds of things.

Anyway, I made Joe take Tucker because my guilt complex is too strong and even if I steel myself before I go into the vet, it doesn't take much but a look from the vet and I am ready to schedule surgery for the damn dog.  I said goodbye to Tucker just in case before Joe took him (yeah, we are having that conversation) and then was surprised when Joe was home an hour later with him.  One x-ray shows us that he has some kind of mass.  Either a gastro-something-or-other or cancer.  If it is the gastro whatever, after a bland diet for a few days he should be fine.  If not, well, then after the bland diet we will be back to me being grateful for laminate flooring in most of the house and a tearful goodbye.

But, once Joe brought him home, he grabbed himself something to eat and was getting ready to go back to work when Taelin said, "Daddy, can I come to work with you?  I want to see what you do."  And Joe replied, "Sure.  Go get your socks and shoes on."

Um.  What?  Did I hear that right?

I had.  OMG.

Do you want to know the last time I had time the house by myself?  It was back in April. It was the 30 minutes before my first Scentsy party.

Now, before I get to carried away, I want to make sure that I have the disclaimer that I love my family more than anything and everything.  And also, I do get time to myself when there is no chance of interruption...I just have to leave the house to get it.

But, as Joe and Taelin (who was over the moon excited) walked out the door, I realized the gift of time I had just been given.  I looked at the clock and it was not even 4:00 yet.  OMG.

So, I grabbed myself a cup of tea and my iPad and marched up the stairs.  I sat down at my scrapbook table with old episodes of Castle running the in background and didn't move from that chair for 2 1/2 hours until Taelin and Joe happily bound back into the house.

I had 2 1/2 hours in my house today.  All. By. Myself.