Wander.

Andrew just scurried off with the children on a chocolate milkshake run. Yes, at 9:30pm. I have approximately 10 minutes of silence. No Pokemon blaring on the television, no whining at my ankles, no chatter. My brain feels like its buzzing, like the silence is so foreign, my mind has to break the quiet to make its own noise to fill it back up. My temples ache and there is a continual vibrato in my skull. But it's quiet. And I can think in calm, open spaces. So, here I am.

I have a head cold for the 50th time this year. It's probably because I get far less sleep than I used to. Partly because of a frequent nighttime-waker and partly because Andrew and I willingly stay up late watching episodes of our favorite shows on Netflix. Either way, my body hasn't caught up with everything my mind thinks it needs to do. It's okay, though, because...It was almost 60 degrees today. Spring is on the way and there will be no need for sleep. Okay, maybe a little need. But we'll be up to our earlobes in fantastic adventures and outdoor exploration.

We went on a walk down by the river today, soaking in this beautiful, overcast day. Tomorrow the forecast is snow. Again. But at least we had today.

Today where Oliver ran ahead of us, scouring his surroundings for pebbles to launch into the flowing river below, capped with frothy, milky ice fluff. Today where Dexter's eyes were never wider and his voice was never quieter. Where he explored and experienced and witnessed. Today where we breathed fresh, non-recycled air deeply into our lungs, briskly walking through wet, muddy patches of earth, eyes darting everywhere and anywhere...as long as they weren't fixated on those same tan walls we've stared at inside our home the last six months or so. Andrew ran with Oliver. They raced and laughed. They breathed heavily from the sporadic, much-needed bursts of pure energy. Dexter and I watched and wandered and skipped. He sunk his chilly cheek into my chest, eyes still wide, filled with light and excitement, and I kissed him and remembered the first summer Oliver got to explore through the grass and feel the warm summer sun kiss his alabaster cheeks. Dexter will get to be wild and free this summer and he will get to bask in the heat and know the smell of campfire and lake water, the feel of cold pool water and summer sun. Today was a mere dribble, a small taste of how sweet this summer is going to be for we Fritzes, and I can't wait. I just can't wait.

Cheers.