One for the Road

Brian's traveling and since the internet is sporadic overseas and his cell phone doesn't work internationally, he said he'll check the blog when he can.  I haven't written anything for him to check! So, most of this is just for him.  

A few notes about what we've done while Brian is working hard in Rome: 

I've hired a sitter twice, so far.  Once to have fun with a girlfriend.  (Grandaddy said, "While the cat's away, the mice will play, huh?"  Yes, yes we will!)  And once to take him to two doctor visits and to have a rash checked on Ava's leg.

I was having the prescription filled at our pharmacy and the clerk looked so confused for the longest time.  Finally she said there was no record of Ava.  Then it occurred to me that in her 2 1/2-year-short life, she's never had a prescription.  Now THAT should go in the baby book!  And, for similar books, Sam and Chase have only had a prescriptions for one ear infection and burn cream, respectively.  I find that amazing and am SO thankful!

I did another VERY exciting thing while paying a babysitter...grocery shopping.  There's this freaky lady (I say that with the GREATEST love since she's a good friend of one of my good friends) who shoots for spending $60 a week on groceries.  Isn't that amazing? Since I've been working on a new budget for '09, I've learned that we spend $100 a week on produce alone. Hhhhmmmm....  I need to think about that one.

I let the kids camp out on the floor in my room Friday night for a special treat while Daddy's away.  Sammie wanted to watch "The Sound of Music".  (That's my girl!)  I fell asleep when I turned out the lights for them at 9 and we all slept until after 7 the next morning.  These are tiny miracles in my life.  (The sleeping, I mean, not the children.)

I pulled the van out of the garage for a while, so they could ride their bikes and skates in there.  At one point, Ava came in first and asked for a drink and both the other kids came in and just grabbed it from her to take a drink.  We had a little lesson on asking permission, thinking of others and not taking advantage of babies.  Their consequence was that they had to serve her for the next day or two.  They've cleared her place at the table, retrieved her cup when she wanted a drink, shared their snacks and helped her dry off and get dressed after bath.  (This consequence actually helps Mom a LOT!)

Everyone was a bit stir-crazy and tired by about 5:30 on Saturday, so we had a long bathtime where new bath paints were introduced.  (Despite my best efforts, I still had to take down the cloth shower curtain for a good washing, too!)  Little activities like this have done wonders for teaching Chase his colors!  He's finally got at least red, blue and yellow down.  

Then, our Saturday night ritual of watching "The Lawrence Welk  Show" on PBS with Grandaddy ensued.  Chase was begging to go to bed by 7:30.  Truly I think it was because he was exhausted and not because the music bored him.  Brian's probably glad to be out of town when it comes to Saturday night.  

Somehow we actually got to church a few minutes early this morning.  I love that Chase and Ava go in the same classroom together!  Their teacher said Ava gets to come over because she's so well behaved.  I laughed a little, since she's our rebel at home.

It was baby/family dedication day and I cried as they showed all the new babies and the little siblings traipsed up on stage in their finest.  Our family minister spoke briefly to the parents.  I found it so interesting that he didn't mention Sunday School, or a daily Bible lesson or Christian schools to keep the kids on the right path.  He reminded the parents, including me, that he hoped our own love for the Lord and each other would so over flow in us, that our children would learn the truth of who Christ is simply by how we act in our daily lives.  I'm glad I went to church today.

So, "leftover night" at some friends' planned for later today. (I have GREAT memories of these when we lived in New Albany...anyone else?) 

And, who knows what tomorrow and Tuesday will bring as we countdown to Daddy's return. Sorry to bore my other two readers with a blow by blow of family life when hubby's away.

One last thing:  Every morning (it's still dark here at 7 a.m., so they can't see) at least one of the kids' comes in our bedroom and says, "Daddy?"  They just expect him to be there.  What a great expectation.

Come home soon, Papa Bear.