11.10.2007

no place like home

last night we had dinner together, and then, as usual, i set off on my own to study away. i've got two big projects due this week that i've been slaving away on. for some reason, after getting up to campus and working a little, i just started to get so sad. i felt lonely and just wanted to be with josh and the boys. generally i'm somewhat of a loner, and i love what i'm studying so it's not bad--it's kind of a break. but sometimes, especially on friday nights, it does leave me a little sad and lonely, but you do what you have to do. last night was worse, maybe because it's been kind of a hard week, or maybe i'm just a little stressed out. anyway, so after getting all choked up and feeling generally miserable i thought, "janell, you CAN go home!" wow, what a concept. so i did. i arrived there about 830, and was just getting out of the car when josh and the boys pulled up after having a fun night at gateway. i opened joshua's door and he was so excited and said 'mom, how come you're back?!" and jacob just started giggling. i gave joshua a hug and josh got jacob out, who immediately came running around the car to me and hugged my legs. i was even MORE happy to see them. granted, i had only left the house two hours earlier, after a fun day of playing at the park with the boys. but still, for some reason it was just SO GOOD to be back home. i walked into the house with jacob on my hip and joshua's little hand in mine, a very happy mom.
we got the kids ready for bed, and joshua wanted me to put him to sleep which i always love doing. we read 'cool chameleons' and i sang him a few songs and he fell sweetly to sleep.
then, i talked josh into watching one of my three favorite movies which i've seen a million times. don't laugh. it's you've got mail. WHY have i seen it a million times? well, i used to put it on for a few minutes while i folded laundry, or was nursing or working on christmas cards or other tasks like that that don't require much thought. (my other two favorite movies, by the way, are both pride and prejudice--the keira knightly version and the jennifer ehle/colin firth version. i love jane austen.) i pretty much want to be meg ryan living on the upper west side (or, of course, elizabeth bennet. what girl doesn't want to be elizabeth bennet?) last night it was you've got mail--i think it's smart-funny, clean, sweet and happy, and they talk a lot about politics and literature--my two favorite hobbies. and it has a fun soundtrack. and tom hanks is amazing, greg kinnear is hilarious in this movie and nora ephron who wrote/produced/directed it is very good (and also writes for the nytimes, which earns her extra janell points). one of my favorite dialogues is:
"keep those west-side-liberal-nuts-psuedo-intellectuals happy"
"they're called READERS dad"
"don't do that son, don't romanticize them."
anyway, we put this on and i told josh "it's like comfort to my soul. it's like eating soup on a rainy day." this is true. don't ask why it has this calming effect on me but it does. so watching it with josh while we ate peppermint ice cream, i just felt like, okay--life is normal again. life is good. of course, i still studied throughout the movie (and actually did get a lot done). and josh was fast asleep on the couch in under an hour, but it was a great night. i love my family. it's good to be home.

5 comments:

Sansego said...

What a sweet post! If I had kids like yours, I'd never want to leave home (until they reach their teens!).

I agree with you on "You've Got Mail." Don't apologize for liking it. I love it! It was way better than "Sleepless in Seattle" (which I thought was overrated). I love the scene where Greg Kinnear is trying to sing along with the group and gets the notes wrong or something.

Have you seen the LDS version of "Pride and Prejudice"? It's pretty quirky and funny. I love it, and I'd call it a "chick flick." I don't like too many chick flicks, so that's a good compliment. And it's also less in your face Mormon film regarding religion. Have you seen "Bride and Prejudice"? I love that one too, because of the Indian music. I love Indian music. You can't sit still when that music plays. I recommend that you watch both if you haven't seen them yet. Just make it a "Jane Austen Appreciation Day" and watch both those as a double feature.

Lorri C said...

Hey Janelly- I'm so glad you got to enjoy your family- they are pretty wonderful after all. I know what you mean about this week-it must be crunch time for school. Hopefully I'll be able to enjoy you and your family next week, I only have school on Monday so I'll have time to play in the late mornings and of course on Turkey day- Love ya!

Lis said...

Hooray for you! I don't at all envy the time you've had to be away from your little rug rats. Glad you could catch a little break...not too much longer and there is Thanksgiving break and then a real break for Christmas. Keep up the great work! Can't wait to see you tomorrow!

brooklyn said...

How did I miss this post?! It was so sweet and I totally relate (except my repeat movie of choice is crouching tiger hidden dragon). You captured that feeling and mood so perfectly. It's funny that you can be so burned out, but seeing your kids after being away for even a few hours is the best thing in the world.

I guess that's what you just wrote. I should just stick with "I concur".

Messimoo said...

So fun to find all the Cerva girls. I found you off of Heide's, who I found off of Hailey.

Your boys are adorable. I cannot believe how much your oldest has grown since I last saw you at the library here.

Don't you just love those Mommy moments?