When I mentioned my favorite blog a couple of weeks ago it unleashed this crazy amount of hits to my blog.  By sheer coincidence, I mentioned reading "Single in the Suburbs" that morning and by the next day it had disappeared.  All of a sudden, all these readers like me were searching for Sarah and by the magic of Google, they were finding my blog on Milwaukeemoms.com instead.

It got me thinking that there were a lot of women (and maybe some men), like me, who could totally relate to Sarah and her single parenting lifestyle.  Clearly I am not the only one following her ups and downs!

Because my e-mail is a bit like my office, minus the piles, I have messages that are still sitting there that I never bothered to delete.  At the time, I just saved all my Match e-mails to a folder.  I just went back through the archives and had a few good laughs.

For example, read this e-mail that I got from a guy who I had literally sent one e-mail to, asking him what he liked to do for fun in his spare time (I kid you not, I am not making this up!):

"I enjoy many things for fun...kissing and all that goes with it is definitely on the list, and downhill skiing, the shooting sports, golf, tennis, riding my motorcycle (with you), riding ATV's (I have one for you too), swimming, hiking, and so much more...I also enjoy doing things that include the kids...the list is endless...Do you like to kiss?"

Puking was more what I felt like doing after I read that!

Another interesting response was one I got from a man who lived in Portugal.  He seemed nice, but I thought that the distance would be an immediate issue that would be hard to overcome.  Plus I thought his comment about meeting his family was just a little too bizarre for me.

I was thinking it would be fun to hear about some of your more interesting responses!  Since I am no longer on Match and have not been for quite awhile, I'm no longer living Sarah's life in that respect.  If she ever gets serious with any of her possible suiters, then we'll be on the same page.  But none-the-less I still find Sarah's experiences entertaining and I'm sure she is not the only one with stories to tell!

When Riley started football this fall, his dad, who is helping coach the team, told me that practice starts at 5:30 but that we should get there ten minutes early because the boys throw the ball around before practice.  Seems like a good idea since our son only knows a couple of kids on the team and isn't big buddies with either one of them.

Monday we showed up for practice on the dot at 5:20 and no one was there.  My boyfriend, who I was talking to on the phone, asked if we were at the right place.  Then it hit me, my ex-husband had said something about practice being at another park this week. Riley confirmed it.  So without getting out of the car we headed back out toward the other park.  We walked all around, found two football teams and numerous soccer teams but not my son's football team.

Now it's 5:40. We tried calling a mom whose son is on the team (and whose number I have in my cell phone). No luck.  I would have called my Ex, but I knew he was at the hospital, with his new baby, and his phone was most likely turned off. So, as the clock ticked, we decided to head back to the first park and there the team was--right where they always are.  I walked Riley over as I knew he was a little apprehensive about being late.

I quickly explained what happened to the coach who was in the middle of practice and added for good measure, "Did you hear Mike is not coming tonight?  He and his wife just had a baby."

The coach looked a little confused and a conversation at the next practice confirmed that my ex apparently hadn't shared the fact that we were divorced.  I ensured that the coach had my e-mail address for any future communication that went out to parents.

The park and rec. department knows there is only one parent in my household. But the information doesn't always get filtered down to the coaches.  As a matter of fact, as a coach, I know it doesn't.  I'm always looking for it; and even as my son's soccer coach last season I didn't realize that a kid on our team had divorced parents.

I'm usually pretty good at letting coaches and teachers know right off the bat that we are divorced.  That way they can make sure and send e-mails to both of us.  When I went to a parent meeting at school the other night I put down both my e-mail address and my ex-husband's.  This keeps him in the loop as much as possible.  I encourage the teachers to please allow the children to make two of anything that is made for parents throughout the year, whenever possible, to avoid my kids being torn as to who to give that gift to.  I also ask them to make an extra copy of information coming home; because it is so much easier during hectic work weeks to pull out an extra copy of information rather than copy it myself.

I try to fill the teachers in on any major life changes for the kids to keep an eye out in case anything could affect them at school.  I told Miranda's first grade teacher that she just got a new baby sister a few days earlier. The teacher asked: "Oh, her dad and his wife?"  As tempting as it was to say, "no, I just got my pre-pregnancy body back quickly."  I just said yes and she thanked me for telling her.  Keeping the line of communication open is always a good idea.

My house is really quiet this week. 

Nickelodeon has not been turned on--not even once.  I've heard no I Carley, no Drake and Josh.  ESPN has not graced me with its presence.  I have not been updated on Brett Favre or the latest multimillion dollar athlete who has been indicted on drug charges or didn't turn up for training camp.  I have not once had to ask for my computer back or tell the kids to close the door to the garage so we don't let all the mosquitos in.  I haven't had to listen to any bickering or request for the umpteenth time that the kids pick up their garbage or not leave their wet swimsuit on the floor.  

If you've read any of my previous blog entries you may have guessed by now that the kids are at their father's house.  The Texans are in town: an aunt and uncle and three cousins.  My kids will enjoy a glorious week playing with their cousins, going to their dad's lake place and just generally having fun.  I've been going through the piles on my office floor, determined once and for all to rid this room and my life of clutter.  Whenever life gets crazy or out-of-control I organize.

Don't get me wrong.  I love having this opportunity to get things in order.  In less than a month school will start and we all know how crazy that is.  Sports practices will start in a couple of short weeks, forms will need to be filled out, schedules--including more activities--will need to be determined and school supplies will need to be purchased.  I am enjoying this week or peace and quiet and I am trying to be productive and make the most of it. 

While it can be tough, at times, being a single mother, how many moms wouldn't love the opportunity to be alone in their house and be kid and spouse-free for a week? 

I've been hunting down freelance work, perusing help wanted ads for a "real job" and deciding which shade of yellow to paint the bathroom once I finish with my piles.  Monday night I went to a school ministry meeting and last night I went out to dinner with my family, including my brother who is visiting from Seattle.  Tonight I will go to my park and rec tennis lesson.  It is so much fun!  I haven't had a tennis lesson since I took a one credit tennis elective at UW Madison almost 20 years ago. (I think it was the same year that I learned how to ballroom dance!) 

I know I need to appreciate this time.  Full-time work may be in my not-so-distant future and days like these will be long gone.  But at the moment, I just miss my kids terribly.  Of course I am vowing not to let the little things bug me when they get home; though I'm sure they still will.  Thank goodness for t-ball tomorrow night because I need to store up some hugs and kisses from my six year old to get me through the rest of the week.