The Fullness of Life

It's been a long week.  I am tired in a way I haven't been for awhile.

Today should be kind of like the finale though, and I'm looking forward to the end of this show.

Mr. Smith is at work this morning.  Six day work weeks are hard.  Families need the weekend to recover and reconnect, and cutting into the first half of it really takes away from that.

Once the kids are up, we'll be go, go, go until this evening.  A track meet, two soccer games, baseball practice for two, a birthday party....speaking of the birthday party, it's my 5-year-old who is going, his friend from soccer is turning five.  It's a couple of hours at an indoor play place.  Simple and fun enough, right up his alley.  Except that the Mr. and I have to be at a gazillion different places during that time.  No way to even go drop him off.  The mom offered to take him with her, and since the boys have a soccer game together shortly after, she's going to keep him right up til game time and bring him up there for us.

Quite helpful, seemingly, on this crazy day of destinations.  So why am I nervous?

Well, for starters, he's never been away from me for that long.  It should be about 5 hours total.  I understand there's probably some snickering going on right now, after that line.  He's not an infant, and even if he was, the average kid is away from his mom for that long by the time he's a month old.  That's not how we operate.  Also, Oliver has severe food allergies.  They'll be eating pizza, cake, and ice cream at the party.  He can't have any of those things.  Period.  Not a single bite.  I'm packing him a lunch, with a sandwich and chips, and oreo cookies for dessert.  Not exactly the same thing.  I'm hoping he handles it well, since this will be the first time I'm not there to cushion the blow of being on the outside of things.

Do I trust the parents?  Absolutely.  They're sweet, level-headed, doting, Christian parents.  A doctor and a nurse to boot.  Yeah, he'll be in good hands.  Still shooting extra prayers toward his guardian angel though.

The track meet today is the last one for the year.  Truthfully, this sport has been fun, rewarding, and a definite growth experience for Blake, but it's been the most taxing on our family life.  Weeknight dinners have been compromised, and Saturdays have been swallowed up whole with meets.  I'm proud of his accomplishments.  I'm also glad it ends today.

My mother-in-law has been in town all week.  That's made for extra outings, more activity, and more cleaning for company (although, admittedly, not nearly enough of the cleaning).  She heads home today.  Another step toward normalcy.

We have a new niece!  My sister-in-law went into labor early in the day on Thursday, and we waited anxiously by our phones all day for news.  She was born late that evening, and I got to go see her yesterday.  Oh, the blessing of a newborn...so precious.  One down, one to go - my sister is due in eight days now.

Mr. Smith has suggested that we order some pizza tonight, when all is said and done, and sit down and chill out, and... chill out.  I couldn't agree more.