T-I-M-E Spells LOVE

I think Everett has really enjoyed the time he and I share together when he comes home from preschool. He gets off the bus just before two o'clock, and Ashley usually doesn't wake up until two-thirty or three.

Today, since Joel is done with school and is just waiting for graduation this weekend, Joel was sitting on the couch when Everett and I walked in the door. Everett walked two paces into the living room and stopped dead in his tracks.

"No, Mommy!" Everett immediately said in a whining voice. "I not want papa to be home. I want him to go to school!"

Joel and I laughed, then Joel turned back to job hunting on the computer.

"Why don't you want Papa to be home?" I asked, knowing full well that Everett probably wouldn't give me a real answer.

"Cause. . . ." Everett muttered, "I want Papa to go to school. I not want him to be home wight now."

I enjoyed the short laugh that I had in response to Everett's earnest comments.

After a few minutes of trying to get Everett to pay attention to something else besides the fact that his father was home during the time he usually gets me to himself, I finally succeeded in interesting him in a snack.

Joel came over to the refrigerator; Everett had opened the door and was browsing half-heartedly.

"Do you want a biscuit, Everett?" Joel asked.

Everett didn't answer.

"Everett. Do you want a biscuit? I can get you a biscuit." Joel said, this time a little louder, and this time with laughter on his breath.

Everett looked at Joel out of the corner of his eye, then turned back to the bright and disorganized contents of the refrigerator without utterance.

I knew exactly what was happening and decided to step in. "Everett, buddy, would you like a biscuit?" I asked.

Everett turned right around and sweetly said, "No thank you, Mommy." He stubbornly kept his face turned away from Joel as he said it.

Everett finally settled down with an apple and peanut butter, and, with some food in his belly, began to be more receptive to the idea of Joel being home all day. The airplane rides, wrestling, and hide-and-go-seek Joel initiated certainly didn't hurt, either!