When dad's away............

...........there's NO time to play, and mom goes NUTS!! Jeff has been gone since Sunday to a worship conference near Pittsburgh, PA. While I am thankful that he had the opportunity to go, and I know he had a great time, I'm also thankful that I'm not a single mom! I don't know how single parents do it! My hat's off to you!

Since Sunday afternoon, when Jeff left, my life has included the following: searching to the ends of the earth (with the help of a dear friend) to find a babysitter for the younger kids so I could enjoy our Home Group ladies' night and Brooke could attend youth group; collecting and taking out the weekly trash and recycleables (with Payton's help! He takes his role as "acting man of the house" very seriously when Jeff is gone!); researching giant waterbugs for a fourth grade science report; tracking down twenty pictures for Sawyer's "I am special!" report; chasing down library books for a report on the bubonic plague; supervising and overseeing a video project for Brooke's French 2 class; yawning through a pee wee baseball practice (do you know how MANY pitches they give those poor kids?); dealing with a long and lovely (not!) outburst of teenage attitude and rebellion; running one kid to piano and another to drama team practice; trying to help Sydney with her math homework and finally giving up and asking Payton for help (this would be one good reason we do NOT homeschool our children!); taking deep breaths when Sydney (11) informed me that yes, she had indeed shaved her legs for the very first time; and last but not least, dealing with the exterminator because we seem to have some pesky critters that like our house almost as much as we do!

Throw in one day off school with all four kids at home (Columbus Day), nine loads of laundry, grocery shopping, school carpooling, crying children who miss their dad (probably because mom is beginning to act like something out of a horror movie!), and of course, work, and it's been a "JIM-DANDY" three days!

However, there are two very important "up sides" to having Jeff gone. First, the nutrition factor around here takes a serious nosedive. While Jeff is hardly a picky eater, he does like to have a decent meal every night. So, when he's not here, we take advantage of that fact: last night was KFC and tonight was subs and lunchables (there goes my "mom of the year" award again!) Secondly, I get the remote control all to myself, which basically means I haven't watched the NFL Network at all!

All this to say-I am so thankful for my wonderful and very helpful husband. I am blessed to have Jeff, who is always willing to rearrange his schedule, help with homework, comb hair, fix dinner, whatever! Of course, all this is preferable to hauling the children to visit me at the local looney bin!

So, while I will be so happy to see Jeff tonight so he can help with homework, deal with bugs, and share in the never-ending discipline, I will be most happy to have someone to keep me warm in bed! We love you Jeff!