Coming up for air

It is just shameful that I have been away this long. You know that all those things I thought would be cute to write about and that I just knew I would remember when the time came, well.....the memories are already less vivid. I will do the best I can!

Where have I been all this time? You know....life, responsibilities, interruptions.

Here are a few highlights from the past 2 weeks. Just a warning, somehow I think more clearly in bullet points. It is my "to do" list mentality!

• We had spring break in our area starting the 9th. At this point in our lives, we don't do a lot of traveling with our kids 5 and almost 3. Spring break really isn't a huge ordeal for us yet. I actually thought it would be pretty calm, but then I got a wild hair-not on my body, in my brain!
• I have a dear friend who moved to Dumas, TX (think really west Texas-west of Amarillo! And yes, we did see a tumbleweed and Anysa was amazed by it's size.) a couple of years ago so her hubby could be the youth minister and worship leader at a church there. Their kids are about the same ages as mine and my friend and I used to really enjoy hanging out when they lived here. I saw her a few weeks before and realized how very much I missed her so we made plans!
• The kids and I headed out at 6am last Friday for our 7 hour adventure! It actually went by pretty fast-we stopped for gas early on, kids played and napped for awhile in the car, I talked on the phone (blame me?), we stopped to eat at one of Texas' staple eateries-Dairy Queen, then arrived in Dumas around 2:30pm. Note-the kids loved DQ and I loved the fact that they got ice cream for their treat instead of another annoying toy was wonderful!
• I won't detail the entire excitement we had in Dumas, but I will hit the highlights! Friday was really just hanging out and letting the kids get reacquainted. We ate some great bbq then headed home to get the kids settled for bed. K and I had some eating and movie watching to do! Saturday started with a great gourmet breakfast cooked for us by K's dad then us getting ready to head to Amarillo for mall shopping and more eating! We visited with K's mom and while there, Luke started acting sluggish which I thought was just his need for a nap but as he was sleeping on me I realized he had a fever. Aaargh!! That always seems to happen to us. We go somewhere and one of the kid's gets sick in some sort of way. So we headed back to Dumas, administered some drugs, and got the kids to bed.
• Now you have to know my friend K and love this about her. Germs are not her thing-Lysol is her best friend. I know, understand, and love this about her. Of course, my fear was being kicked out all together-just kidding! Instead, we just kept the Lysol, antibacterial lotion, and kleenex handy.
• With kids in bed, K and I were free to eat some more and watch another movie. Can you tell our mutual interests and running theme of the weekend??!! Isn't it the best to have friends you can eat and laugh around, never worrying what they might be thinking about you. After popcorn, Starbucks frappichinos (no, Dumas does not support a Starbucks, but with a little help from Wal-Mart, we made our own!), and watching a cute Reese Witherspoon movie, we were feeling good.
• On Sunday, we just hung out, managed Luke's sickness (no more fever, just cough and nose stuff), enjoyed a gourmet lunch with dessert from K's dad, and let the kids play. On Monday, the kids and I headed out around 11am to make our way home. On the way, Luke seemed to look and feel worse so we drove straight into town and to the doctor's to discover a double ear infection! After the doctor, a $47 antibiotic (so mad at the doctor!), and bed for the kids, I was free to do laundry and pack the kids for their trip to Papa and Gigi's house on Tuesday morning. Yes, Luke was sick but after weeks of anticipation, there was NO way anyone was talking the kids out of going. AND I already had my "free" time scheduled, you understand!
• On Tuesday, I headed to work and the kids headed to grandparents. Luke really was on his way to recovery. As they drove away, I am sure Papa was excited about his 2 hours of listening pleasure with The Boyz in the Sink collection (VeggieTales) that Anysa insisted on. Funny note- Before they left, I insisted (in front of Papa) that Anysa be sure to go to the bathroom so that Papa would not have to stop along the way and have to deal with 2 kids and the always clean/my kids never touch anything bathrooms! Taken care of, right? Found out later that Papa was actually the one who made them stop for his own potty break! What was a man that had never even changed a diaper and had to grandkids, one of each sex going to do?! Luckily for him, the nice lady behind the counter welcomed Anysa to join her while Papa took Luke with him. Of course as a mom, I am envisioning the small town lady behind the counter with a cigarette in her mouth, a smoked-filled room with truckers stopping in for coffee and a chat, and people at the counter picking out their lucky numbers for the winning jackpot along with their favorite smoke and beverage for the road. I am sure it was actually clean and smelled like spring. I do know Papa gave her a nice tip!
• With the kids away, a mommy will play! And what is more fun than scheduling doctor appts without kids! Especially when you are heading in for your first mammogram! No worries, just a baseline and because my doctor understands it is better to assure a worrisome woman than to try to talk her out of it. So, of course I go in expecting all the horrors that I had heard from others. I am sorry to disappoint with my own horror story...there isn't one. Honestly, it really was quick, not painful, and not that big of a deal. I mean, of course, no one likes another person manipulating their personal body parts to fit between two pieces of plastic long enough to take 4 pictures but it really was a breeze. Now of course, my friend P was quick to remind me at coffee later that evening that of course it is not bad when one has something to put between those two pieces of plastic! I take her at her word.
• Yes, I got to enjoy 2 1/2 hours of coffee and conversation with P without worry as to which child I needed to go home to put to bed that night. On Wednesday, I was so excited to head over to my friend G's house for a day of painting. Really, I was! See G has these adorable 3 year old twin boys and in December the family grew with the addition of another set of twins-girl and boy! I know your eyes are bulging, but honestly I can't think of a better and more equipped person emotionally to handle these blessings. She is just a natural! Anyway, things have been crazy for them and I am trying to help. (Background, they moved from an hour away from me to 10 minutes away from me back in Oct/Nov, she went on bedrest before then, had the babies a month early. Can you imagine ever trying to catch up with the boxes, organizing, and 4 kids!) Anyway, we working on one room at a time and are determined to get the kids' rooms done.
• Yesterday was work, a drink and dinner with a few gals from work at Cantina Laredo (Ladies' night margharitas are the best!) then home to see the kids who arrived a few minutes before me. It was fun to see their excitement of finding presents scattered in their rooms. Just a few trinkets and books I picked up very cheaply at the resale shop on Tuesday. After settling down, they headed to bed in anticipation of the Sleep Fairy delivering a surprise if they went right to sleep without whining and popping out of bed as frequently as they like to do. Thanks G for this wonderful idea! It worked great for Anysa who went right to sleep and stayed in her bed until 7:30 the next morning, but it will likely take longer for Luke to catch on. Maybe after sister gets a few surprises and he doesn't it will work.

It was a great week, but the best moments were:

• Anysa letting me know that I deserved a sticker for the being the best mommy.
• Anysa letting me know over the phone (after she had already arrived home, but I wasn't there yet) that "oh and one more thing Mommy, I really missed you while I was gone."
• Luke so excited about his new $.25 books and saying "wook, wook at all my suprises! sit down and read to me"
• Luke (in bed while I was still reading to him at bedtime) reaching over to hug me and saying "I wuv you Mommy, I missed you."

I bet you have those favorite moments too!

Stacey