Officially the last week of Summer here at the troops. One week from RIGHT NOW, the kids will be back in school. Little Man and I will be alone, again, for a few hours of the day. I won't lie. I'm looking forward to the quiet. And if we are going to be this busy ANYWAY - with football, volleyball, Jr. high football, and getting everyone ready for school, we might as well be IN school, right?
At 5:30 this morning, as daughter and I sat on the steps outside of the DMV, 16th in line, and waited for the doors to open at 7, I thought about this Summer.
It's been so good.
And so short.
I am determined to take time to be grateful. Even though things are always so busy.
Here's my Monday list for this week.
1. Another driver at the troops! She passed her learner's permit test at 8:15 this morning! Woo hoo, extra HOO!
2. A brand new, baby great-niece arrived safely this morning. Great-granddaughter #2 for the Coach's parents. Seems like just the other day, we were the ones having the babies. . . now it's our nieces and nephews that are adding to the family ranks. Two sisters-in-law are now GRANDMAS! How fun is that?
3. Football camp for the Coach and the three big boys. They left yesterday. I don't really sleep with the Coach gone (which helped when I had to get up at 4:45 this morning!), but they have SO MUCH FUN! And our "girl time" is fun, too. Oh, "girl time plus Little Man", I mean.
4. Two weeks of the Olympics this Summer. Fun times. Late nights. WHEW, I'm tired. Time for a more reasonable schedule!
5. A new computer at the troops! I'm not using it right now, since Son #1 hadn't quite finished setting it up when he left for football camp. But it's NICE.
6. Cooler weather. We almost fried to a crisp at a record-setting 113, but the Lord has given us a reprieve and I'm so glad.
7. School supplies all bought and divided among seven kids. Let's see, just to give you an idea. . . there are 43 notebooks. FORTY-THREE. Yikes. Gotta laugh!
8. Almost all school clothes. . . shoes, football cleats, basketball shoes, PE shoes, socks, khaki pants, polos, etc. bought and tried on.
9. Closets and drawers organized in all of the kids' rooms and a NEW dresser for the boys' room!
10. No more junk drawers! I gave Son #4 the job of cleaning them all out this Summer (we had. . . uh hem. . . FOUR!). I can't find some things, but it was WELL worth it! Ha!
11. New hooks on the garage wall for towels and swimsuits - thanks to the Coach! It may have taken me all Summer to think of the best way to keep up with them all, but we will be SET for next year!
12. Countless little "projects" completed to get us all set for another crazy football season. And basketball season. The Coach is mostly "gone" already, but he was sweet to take care of so many little things for me before the season actually began.
In closing . . . Our wonderful school flooded with 2+ feet of water last week, 10 days before the start of the new school year. It's going to be crazy to start school in the middle of construction, temporary classrooms, and the work that was already going on on our school campus/parking lots/street.
I've been so blessed by the sweet attitudes of our headmaster, administrators, teachers. . . as they have faced this sadness, frustration, challenge. . . with grateful hearts.
And now, we are off to Sam's for groceries and to get the "actual" (one of Little Man's favorite words) driver's permit for my sweet girl. Maybe I'll let her drive home. Not!
Happy Monday!
