NO SMOKING, and a good night's sleep (finally!)

I went out with my friends last night.  This was the first time I had gone out since Colorado adopted that 'no smoking' policy.  Being a non-smoker myself, I'd always sit in the non-smoking section of bars and restaurants, which really when you think about it was kind of pointless because without an actual barrier to kept the smoke from floating over from one section to the other, there really wasn't a smoke free area and I always came away smelling like an ashtray.

Now, let me first of all point out that being in the presence of smokers has never bothered me and in fact I actually LIKE the aroma of a freshly lit cigarette, but it was sooooo nice to come home last night after 4 hours in the bar/restaurant and still smell like Christian Dior's "Poison" rather than a medley of post incinerated Marlboro, Kools and Newports.

I slept good last night.  I'm not sure but I think it was the first restful sleep I've had since Gabe's deployment to Iraq (not counting his time on R&R here).  And yesterday I didn't once log on to the Coalition Casualty site.  If I had, I would have noticed that there had been another fatality in the city Gabe had just spent time in.  If Gabe hadn't called me yesterday morning, if I hadn't been home to take the call, I would have had a very bad night.  Instead, I slept peacefully.

This morning I clicked on the site out of habit, and took the information in with sobering sadness.  While I slept so peacefully, somewhere in the country a family mourned as their worst nightmare became a reality.  I am soooo glad Gabe is finally safe.  I wish they ALL were.

Lately as I drive through the neighborhood, children of all shapes, sized and color swarm to the fences and sidewalk like cockroaches and call out 'Bye Mom!' as I pass them.  Somewhere in amongst them I'm sure a couple of the rugrats actually belong to me, but lets get this straight.... I only have 5.  With Gabe deployed and Zack at work, I will only account for and admit to 3 of the urchins and yet there are about 10 of them on any given day, hopping up and down waving at me.  I'm in a constant state of befuddlement,and the neighborhood spawn tell my kids "Your mom is really cool!"

Yeah, we'll see who's cool when I shoot your butts down the street with a water hose, now GET  OUT OF MY PINE TREE!

Its a test, I know it is.  My maker is testing me, that is the only explanation.  Well, guess what?  I suck at tests!

GO HOME! 

Oh, and would you ask your folks if the Oompas can spend the night at your house tonight, please?