Remember that time??

Dear heavens.  What a week.  And it's only Thursday.

Tuesday morning I took the four oldest to the dentist.  Ran to Target while waiting for them because Son (#1) needed something for school.  When I got back, they told me they'd had to pull one of Son's (#4) teeth.  Hmmm.

You know it's going to be an interesting day when your dentist is the one to tell you that your son had a baby tooth stuck to the side of a permanent tooth.  And you had no idea.

What can I say?  I plead eight kids.

So from there we headed back to school.  Dropped Son (#1) off and as I was parking, he came out the door, waving me in.  I rolled down the window,  "WHAT??"  I was headed to meet Little Man at the park with Grandmother, who had field trip duty while I was at the dentist with the big kids.

"Um. Mom," Son (#1) begins. . ."my passport is expired."

Now it was my turn.  "WHAAAAT?"

Because this was Tuesday.  And Wednesday evening?  He was leaving to drive down to Dallas.  And Thursday morning EARLY?  He was flying out of Dallas for a mission trip to Mexico over Spring Break.

So it began.

Even just 48 hours later, I look back with amazement.  Our sweet friend at school got online, found out where he needed to go, got him an appointment, and helped him gather the necessary paper work.    Son and I headed out to get him last minute trip stuff, passport photos, and he got his truck ready for the drive to Dallas. Tuesday night we gathered as a family to pray for his safety and God's provision.

This letting go stuff is hard.

He's 18.  But by the time he left at 6 AM yesterday morning ALONE to drive to Dallas and find the downtown rush passport office?  I was a bit nervous about the whole thing.

And you know what?  He did great.  Made the trip without difficulty.  Got to where he needed to be an hour before his appointment.  Had all of the right documentation.  Met my cousin for lunch (thanks, Daniel!), went back to pick up the new passport, shopped at Cabelas, ate dinner, went to a movie, and met up with the mission team last night.

This morning?  They are on their flight to Mexico.

Here at the troops, the other kids are off to school, the Coach is in Virginia at a conference, and tomorrow is Daughter's (#6) ELEVENTH birthday.  Oh my word.  And Spring Break will commence shortly.

These days are exhausting.  But OH the memories we are making.  And someday. . .when Son (#1) has kids of his own. . . we'll all be sitting around talking about his mission trips and the adventures he's had and one of us will say, "Remember that time you realized your passport was expired the day before you were leaving for Mexico??"

My heart is full.

And grateful.

And I need a nap.

Happy Thursday!

Daylight Savings Time and Other Stuff. On a Monday.

I hate Daylight Savings.  And yes, now those of you who love it can commence the hate speech in my direction.

But here's the deal.  Yes, the evenings are lovely.  Once school is out.  But have you TRIED getting four little kids to bed when the sun is still shining brightly?  Not fun.  I'm not a fan.  Maybe once Little Man is in his teens it won't be such a big deal.

But it is what it is (as the Coach would tell me).  And we survived the first morning back in school after losing a very much-needed hour.  In spite of the hour lost, I would have loved spending some time on a walk or in the yard, yesterday.  But four of my men needed hair cuts and we were out of bread and the Coach had a meeting and there was Corduroy's journal to fill out and beginning readers to finish. . .

A fairly typical Sunday.  With lots of back-door-slamming and trampoline jumping and chicken chasing (Not really.) and showers and homework and clothes for school.  It's the life.

And I'm perfectly serious - It's a beautiful life.

No.  There isn't much time for writing.  I can't fix that.  Son (#3) had surgery on his foot on the 25th and WOW what an adventure.  Two days afterwards we were back at the ER for pain.  Then another ER visit on day 5 in an ice storm.  Fun times.  (I'd post pictures, but it wouldn't be right.)

He's MUCH better, now.  Still has a pin from the end of his toe into the middle of his foot.  It's like having our very own circus side show.  Lots of visits from friends that first week just to see the bizarreness of the whole thing.  But he's back at school, "heel walking" as they say, all caught up on school work (Who does that?  Misses a week and catches up in a couple of days?), and making us all laugh, once again.

Son (#1) leaves on a Spring Break mission trip to Mexico on Wednesday.  Even though technically,  Spring Break isn't until NEXT week.  The Coach has a little trip to Virginia this week, as well.  And Daughter's (#6) 11th birthday on Friday.  And the boys' shower is being torn out on Monday (Probably time to make a decision on tile choices.).  With volleyball tournaments this weekend and next.  Sprinkle in eight dentist appointments, another trip back to the surgeon for Son (#3), an ear appointment for Daughter (#2), two field trips, a talent show at school on Friday (the three little girls are participating), and a postponed 5 mile race from February and hopefully an early morning at the DMV to get Son's (#3) permit.  Throw in a LOT of laundry, a few ongoing organizing projects, grocery shopping way too often, and cooking dinner every night and. . .

Blogging is pretty far down on the list.

However.  In spite of my lack of writing, this blog IS a chronicle of life at the troops.  And there's been a LOT of life going on.  I don't want to miss one second.

I love football and basketball seasons - from August through March.  But I am VERY much enjoying having my Coach around more now that it's his "off" season!  He's my favorite.

Son (#1) will head off in the Fall.  Leaving fewer troops around the table every night.  Which makes me sad.  And excited.  For him and for the grocery budget.  He's not only headed to Mexico this week, he's also headed to California in April (for my sweet cousin's wedding!), Boston in May (Senior Trip), Colorado in June (with all of us for vacation) and Alaska in July (more missions).  Which means he'll be gone almost as much as he's here between now and August.  (sniff)

So no more blinking.  No whining allowed.  And as much time as possible spent enjoying these amazing eight that have my heart.

Happy Monday!
(And if I don't get myself to the grocery store, we won't be having dinner tonight.)