Day 5

We are on day 5, but it seems more like 10. These days have been passing so incredibly slow, and we still have 8 more to go.

Sunday I got all the kids up and ready for church by 9. We sat in the very back of the gym. It was our old Stake President's (and his wife's) mission report, so there were a lot of people in our Sacrament meeting. I chose to sit in the back so we wouldn't be disruptive to everyone else. And the kids did fairly well, but there was the usual whispering and fighting. Halfway through, the couple sitting in front of us actually got up and moved. They didn't move to a better seat, they moved 5 rows back. They just wanted to get away from us. Hint taken. Next week we won't be going to Sacrament meeting.

Monday the kids had school. After school was piano and gymnastics. The girls usually ride their bikes to piano lessons (it's in our neighborhood), but it was raining, so I had to drive them. I left Savannah in charge while I drove Sara to piano at 5:00 (I was only gone 5 minutes). Then I came home and made dinner--pancakes. I fed everyone, then left Josh in charge while I ran Savannah to piano and picked up Sara at 5:30 (once again, I was just gone 5 minutes). I got home and Josh was feeling pretty confident. He'd taken Owen upstairs to play and had the gate up. Upstairs is the one place in our house where everything is totally kid safe. I fixed a pancake for Sara and got her started eating, then loaded up Aaron and Nate to run them to gymnastics. I told Josh I'd be back in 15 minutes and asked if he thought he could handle things. He assured me he could. I figured with Sara there to help, the two of them would be perfectly fine. So, I ran Aaron and Nate to gymnastics at 6 and picked up Savannah on my way back into the neighborhood. Then we went home and picked up Sara, Josh, and Owen, and we all headed back to gymnastics. The little boys' class goes from 6-7 and the girls have a dance/gymnastics class from 6:30-7:30. With piano getting done at 6, we have to take the little boys, drop them off, then come back for the girls--something that is done a lot easier with Scott home. It makes for a lot of running around and kid shuffling when it's just me.

We got home from our night of gymnastics just before 8 and had a quick Home Evening of putting up Halloween decorations. Scott called at bedtime and was able to say goodnight to each of the kids. I found my head spinning from the craziness of our Monday evening activities, and all I could think was that I was going to have to do it all again by myself next Monday. 13 days is a long time to be on your own.

And yet, 13 days is so short compared to past years. We really are getting off light this year. In past years, he's been gone for the whole month of October. This year, he's doing two weeks in October and saving the rest for November (and maybe another week in December if he has to). It's nice to have it a little more spread out, but it's still hard. We'll get through this October trip just to have to turn around and do it again in November. I can't decide if I'd like to have it all at once or spread out. It's no fun anyway you look at it.

So I keep reminding myself that it's only two weeks, and that I've made it on my own a whole lot longer before. But it's two whole weeks without my husband--and that is a long time.