Ringing in the New

It was New Year’s Day and we were in the middle of our second snowstorm in two days. My youngest son was still napping and my older two were out for a walk with Grandma, who had come over with her dog, since the sidewalks weren’t clear where she lives. I figured I’d seize the opportunity for a power nap.

I was tired from shoveling the heavy wet snow the day before, which was especially dense at the end of the driveway where the plow had deposited it.

I was worn-out from putting Christmas away (long overdue since we had begun celebrating it when we were still eating Halloween candy) in time for our New Year’s Eve party.

I was drained because said party did indeed go until past midnight, even though all our friends had already left by then, because the boys insisted they had to see the crystal ball descend.

I was exhausted because during the first half of the New Year’s Day storm, we had gone sledding over at the library playground, in between my morning and afternoon shoveling sessions.

As soon as I bade adieu to the boys and Grandma, I made a beeline for the couch and face-planted. Even though I knew I’d have 15 minutes max, those 15 minutes were mine. At last!

I closed my eyes tight and relived the holiday season and all that it entailed – incessant serial demands for special-order snacks, requests for assistance with “batteries-not-included-more-than-some-assembly-required presents from Santa, and the onslaught of multiple joyful and exciting celebrations punctuated by the whining, griping, and squabbling that happens when people get over-stimulated, overwhelmed, and overtired. I was looking forward to the structure and regularity of school-and-work days.

Just as I started to drift off, a cell phone rang. Not my cell phone with its no-nonsense beep-beep-beep-beep, or Grandma’s with its soothing new-agey chimes, but the kids’ cell phone with its jazzy-pop ringtone, which was left on the coffee table. Please, just let it be a text, so I’d only hear the cadence once. But no. It went onandonandon.

Sigh. I had gone wireless years ago, and recently decided to get the kids their own phone, thus empowering them to make and receive calls without using my cell phone, which to me is even less desirable then letting them use my laptop. The kids’ phone had been mostly commandeered by my oldest. At seven, he’s a relatively early adopter, but a handful of his friends do have their own phones, too, and it has been interesting to see his phone manners and messaging skills progress.

Ironically, just then my nap was thoroughly thwarted by the barrage of yet another jingle. How clever of my son to choose a different melody for his voicemail notification, I groused and hauled myself off the couch.

Shuffling into the kitchen to pour a cup of leftover coffee, I couldn’t help but smile, though, as I recalled the text I had received from him just that morning: “Iloveyou” plus an animated GIF emoticon with hearts popping out of its eyes. The message would remain locked not only on my phone, but also in my heart.

The mother of three sons, Caroline Poser lives with her family in Groton. She works full-time as a software marketing professional and moonlights as an author. For more information: www.CarolinePoser.com