I know that on this site there is a lot of venting going on, and most weeks I would probably have a lot of venting to be doing too, but I actually had a very good week with SKs, so I thought I'd share.

I was really surprised, because it is the first good week in awhile. SD15 has even opted to stay at BM's for the last 3 of our weeks ( over some stupid fight about fDH not wanting SD15 to have a belly button piercing). She didn't have the choice this week, as BM was going out of town, and I was apprehensive about her visit.

We have SKs 50/50 and exchange them every Sunday promptly at 6. Normally, Sundays are the most stressful day of the week! It's either the last day of a very long week and I am counting the minutes until I have my house back, OR it's trying to relax during the last minutes of freedom fDH and I have until we get taken over again. I think most of you can probably relate to the feeling.

Normally I work Tuesday-Saturday. This week was different because it was a very long work week for me (Sunday-Sunday). My store had a big promotion going and we were swamped every day. I was exhausted and surely short-tempered.

I was caught off guard a few times! First was when SS12 volunteered (VOLUNTEERED!!!) to do dishes after dinner Thursday night. SS12 never really puts up much of a fight when asked to do a chore, but he NEVER volunteers. The second time was when SD15 approached me and asked if she could rearrange my laundry for me so that she could do a load. WHAT?! Who is this kid? Then she asked me if I could help her straighten her hair for school because I do it better. Whatwhat?! One night this week SD15 and SS12 (who normally bicker ALL day long) even worked together for 2 hours (nicely?! WTH?) on SS12's science project. Friday night I found myself enjoying dinner with Skids and fDH around the table. SD15 was in an unusually pleasant mood and was cracking jokes and making everyone laugh, including myself.

Today, I had to be at work before the skids were out of bed and got home after the exchange with BM. I came home to a clean house (that fDH says kids helped with?!) and dinner made. I felt like I was in an alternate universe. Sunday nights after weeks with SKids are usually spent putting my house back together after Skids trash it.

It is so hard to get comfortable as a SM, though, and as much as I enjoyed myself this week at home, I can guarantee this feeling won't last long. Every time I have let my guard down in the past, I get tromped on shortly after. The ups and downs and unpredictablilty of it all is so exhausting. So don't worry, I don't think everything will be peachy keen from now on. If there's anything the last 5 years living with fDH has taught me, being a (f)SM is the most under-appreciated and under-valued role in a family unit. But I can't deny that it was a refreshing change of pace!

I don't know what was in the water this week, but I sure liked it.