Written last night on 2/25/15

Michael will return from his most recent Chicago trip in approximately 30 minutes and 20 seconds.  Not that I’m counting the minutes… or seconds.  After this last trip, my children’s tributes at my funeral will not include them never remembering me raising my voice at them.  At least they’ll still be able to say that I loved them like crazy.  He is coming home to freshly ground wheat homemade bread and a key-lime pie.  I couldn’t justify spending almost $4.00 per loaf for the best-tasting whole wheat bread at the store so homemade bread it is.  The pie is a peace-offering to the kids for having to deal with their overwhelmed mom the last few days.

Last night was Jonathan’s Scout Court of Honor.  He earned his Wolf merit badge and is advancing to Bear-woohoo!  I figured it was important enough to be there that I’d brave it with the younger kids who have just gotten over being sick.  As soon as the meeting started, Gracie, who hadn’t coughed all day, had a coughing fit lasting throughout the whole pledge of allegiance as well as a few before and after for good measure.  We continued the meeting with James on my right side, Ryan on my lap and Gracie hugging me on the left.  About five minutes after that Gracie and Ryan started their little “I’m tired and must have mom’s lap and no one else can share it” phase which I really thought they (at least Gracie) had grown out of.  I picked one up in each arm (every so often that weight lifting pays off), took them out before causing a scene and we spent the rest of the meeting in the car while Jonathan and James had fun.  I missed getting my mother’s pin for the same reason I missed it when he got his Bob Cat.  Maybe next time Michael will be home to help with the younger ones and Jonathan will get the chance to award me a pin at a Court of Honor. 

I took Ryan with me tonight to get the mail.  He gave me a hug and told me he loved me.  We looked at the moon and counted stars and I had one of those sweet moments where I realized what a special little guy he is and how good it felt to just hold him tight.  We got the mail and headed back only to run into James who was being a ghost and scaring us by running after us down the cul-de-sac and into the house.  Jonathan was working on a Power Point about Jupiter.  I made him go to bed because the other boys wouldn’t go to bed without him and he was a good sport.  I held Gracie in the rocking chair, cuddled with her in bed (one of my favorite things to do because she’s naturally a great cuddler) and told her a princess story.  The boys got a J1 and J2 story.  Ryan got the Boom Dee-ada song which he loves to sing.  He kept getting out of his bed, jumping around the room, opening the door and any other mischief he could get into.  I threatened him with the lonely, cold bed downstairs and started to take him away when James, feeling bad for Ryan’s impending doom, insisted on giving him a hug good-bye.  The hug must have made Ryan realize this was serious stuff and he promptly told me in his sweetest voice that he was ready to “be nice”.

Gracie says she wears herself out by chasing the boys so much and insists on being held a lot.  Since she isn’t a baby anymore it seems like it is getting to be a little much.  She also doesn’t eat very much.  Since she has a slight heart murmer, I wanted to verify it isn’t a heart issue that is making her less energetic than the boys so we saw a Cardiologist in San Diego today.  Ryan joined us to be a “helper”.  She told the staff all about her little brother and his likes and dislikes as any good older sister would.  She was really sweet and such a little doll while Ryan kept me on my toes.