Only 24 Hours Until The Kids Go Back To School

Her alarm went off at 8:05. She was so tired that she tried to shut off the ringing in her dream before she actually woke up. Groggily she sat up, sleepy and disoriented - the kids had absolutely refused to go to bed last night. The minute she thought that they were safely asleep, one of them would run out into the hall, slamming doors and laughing. This would, of course, bring out the entire set, and she would have to trudge out of her room and beseech them to please, please, go to sleep. They only obeyed when she threatened their very lives, and she was sure that they would wake up angry at her.

It was Sunday morning, and church wasn't for a couple of hours. She could still be resting, but 8 am on a Sunday morning meant a long, hot, uninterupted shower, with all of the heat and water pressure to herself. Before the children, she used to sing in the shower, but now silence was so rare that she soaked it in with the warmth and clean-smelling soap. On her way back to the room, she allowed herself to see the things that she had glanced over just a few minutes ago. The hallway was covered in broken bits of popcorn, and she supposed that the kids were old enough to clean up after themselves. Later, she thought, she would hand them a vacuum, and lecture them on responsibility. Oh, and there was urine in the urinal. She would also have to explain to her boys that flushing is necessary, or it would stink the entire house up.

She settled into a hot cup of coffee, anticipating a Sunday morning at church. She loved church; getting out and spending time with other adults was bliss. Entertaining conversation, talking about something from outside of her kid-centered life. She loved talking to women whose children had grown - it was proof that she had a shot at surviving raising her own. Imagine her horror when she looked out of her window to discover that the roads were covered in a treacherous, solid layer of ice. Frantically, she dialed the number to the church, all to hear that service was cancelled on account of the weather. She was trapped in her house of child-hell - she would have to go an entire week without her favorite lifeline. She wasn't sure if she could make it.

No, this is not the story of a young, hassled mother stuck with nightmare children. It is the story of a college freshman.