Cafe Living Room

Hubby stayed home for eight days after his three-month stint. It was just in time for Kuya's school vacation. Being the November holidays, family schedules were jammed. We tried to fit everything we could in a few days day to spend more time at home and with each other. It was really mission: impossible.

I wanted him to stay home to do a couple of home maintenance projects with me. But more than that, I just missed having him home and being with the kids. I gladly took a back seat for a couple of days and let him be in charge of everything.

Night times are my favorite. I think we may have even developed a ritual. We'll put the kids to sleep before 9 pm. I'll make a cup of coffee for him and a cup of tea for me. We'll sit in the living room with only the Tiffany lamp as light. And we'll talk about the kids, the house, our plans or reminisce about the past. He jokingly refers to this as, "Cafe Living Room." It sure beats Starbucks even if he's just having instant coffee.

Now, he's back at work. And we're back to the original routine which is seeing him one night a week and on the weekends he's off duty. I suddenly realize that eight days is short. I had hoped to do more home projects with him or just to do more stuff with the kids. It ended too soon.

Three days a week isn't too bad. I think it makes us appreciate our family even more. The kids are excited when they know he's coming home. "Yay, Dad's coming!" Kuya will bring out stuff he made in school. Kowi will show off the new nursery rhyme she learned.

But I especially look forward to the opening of the Cafe Living Room. When he has plans to come home, he calls to ask if there's coffee. Instant coffee or not, Cafe Living Room will be brewing--something. Somehow having only the Tiffany lamp for company is not the same.

Yes, I'll gladly take those couple of days a week that he's home any day.