I finally have time to myself and I don't know what to do

This weekend is momentous. For the first time in over 18 months, I am in my house ALONE. Ainsley and Brett have headed up to the cottage for the night and my parents have taken Juliet to sleepover. I am completely alone in my house and I at a bit of a loss. I have forgotten what it feels like to have time all to myself.

I did not plan ahead for this. My husband didn't make his decision to go up to the cottage until yesterday and so I did not make any plans for a night alone. So now I am trying to decide what to do. I have started a spring cleaning of the girls toys and am tidying up things that I normally don't get to during my normal week. I'm all caught up on work (amazingly) so I can actually do something fun.

I have decided that tonight I will spend on my own. I will have no one to answer to, no chores to do, no pressure. I am so looking forward to this! I am going to head to Blockbuster, rent a chick flick, get some Japanese Take-Out and relax. I will probably have a glass or two of wine. I will not think about what else I could do (marketing for the business, accounting, laundry, etc.) but I will do all the things that I normally don't have time to do. Have a bath, read a book, watch a movie without interruption. Bliss!!!

Tomorrow I will come back to the real world and head to Vaughan Mills to get something to wear to two book launches I'm heading to in May and I will do our weekly grocery shopping. But for tonight, Tonight is Me Night!

The News Story That Opened My Eyes

As many of you know I work as a reporter. Most days I like my job a lot, but days like today I LOVE my job, because I don't know how else I would meet such wonderful people and children.

I work as an anchor and education reporter in Austin. I came across a Craigslist ad begging for awareness for a school in Austin created specially for young children diagnosed with Autism. It's not far from closing down because of lack of funding.

I've been around people with Autism before but never to this degree... But it wasn't just the kids who grabbed my heart and held tight, but their mothers. Never have I seen such love for a child, never have I felt that close to how a mother must feel about her child. A story has never given me the opportunity to sit down a just talk to a woman about her pride and joy--Her child.

I've been told several times that once you hold your baby in your arms it's a miracle when you realize how much love you can hold for a single being.

Hearing the struggles from these women brought tears to my eyes and tugged at my heart strings like never before. I don't think I've ever cried on location of one of my stories before, but today I did. Today I wanted to reach out and hug every mother in the world--Every mother who has a child with disabilities--Every mother who worries about her child day and night--Every mother who cries daily wishing she could do more for her family--Every mother who loves her child.

Cheers to you mothers. I can't wait to join the club.

To watch the story I'm still boo-hooing over click here. (It takes a moment to start playing after the anchor speaks)