Suite Life

Another Monday, another 4:30 dinner.  Tonight's game is a playoff game therefore could be the last, could be the second to last.

We've fallen into a routine that really isn't very routine.  Daddy's living the "suite life" (a theme song playing On Demand a lot in our house) and a certain 7 year old has been having a very hard time with his absence these last few weeks.  We all miss him, of course.  We just don't all dissolve into tears at each departure.  She is a new girl upon his return.  Up before everyone else, excitedly animated--telling him all of the details of life in the second grade.  They all have to catch him up.  We've added morning phone updates whenever possible.

She's still wearing the cast, but minus the meltdown last night over none of her clean long-sleeved pajamas fitting over it, she's been totally fine.  I did laundry today hoping to avoid a repeat performance.  She gets to go see how well this cast thing is working on Wednesday morning.  She has mixed feelings about it coming off after I mistakenly showed her a youtube video of cast removal.  I had no idea.  Must have been absent that day in nursing school.

Today was about trying to get to school on time.  Last week the official earlier start time was made more official--they were technically going into the classroom at start time instead of starting at start time.  We haven't made the outside line up since.  Add to that, picture day today and we were still late.  Had to check Nathan's ears out today--he's had mild to moderate hearing loss for over a month now.  The plan for now is to just wait and see if the fluid causing the problem resolves on its own.  Let me just say that it is incredibly frustrating to have a 10 year old boy who does NOT hear and not wonder if he might be choosing not to hear.  We've offered him money under our breath just to check.  He can't hear. 

Some how I never finished documenting July, missed all of August and now most of September...

Here is my first catch-up attempt...

Where it all began, Epic Road Trip 2012...Mile Zero.

First stop, Nashville.  One of my best friends from childhood, Jill, opened up her house to our crazy family.  She will always be one of my favorite people.  Love her parents and her sister.  Love her stories and the memories.  I also love that when I share those memories with my kids now, they have a face to go with The Mitchells.  So many stories to tell.

Love her children and that we met each other's kids for the first time.  I feel like I already know them because she also has a blog (a much more timely and organized one--she took this picture of the kids on July 26th...her update was on July 27th).  She has the organization I want to have. :)  It was a quick stop, but I am so thankful they were home and available for a sleep over.

We had a blast!

Stop 2 will wait for that play off game I mentioned...and a pharmacy visit...and the rest of dinner...etc. 
Maybe I'll be caught up by Christmas.