weekend!

Camille and Charlotte Claire at Open House at school last night....

Having only two kids in elementary school and visiting only two classrooms was new and different! Camille had to show me every single nook and cranny of her classroom, she loves school. I whispered to her teacher that she IS my youngest, and well, she's a bit spoiled. She laughed and said it was okay. Charlotte Claire has a nice teacher too, and really likes school.

I am picking them up early today to go on an adventure! Sonja K. has to get an immunization this afternoon, so I am taking the princesses and Jonny too, then we are going to do something fun. I don't know what yet, perhaps a movie or the mall or out to dinner somewhere. The little girls both slept in my bed with me and Jonathan on the floor. Did I want to wake them up this morning for school? Um, no. I wanted to let them sleep, I wanted to stay there and cuddle with them. Oh, they are so funny. I told them a goodnight story last night about a little girl who won the lottery. I described the house she had her daddy build for her family, complete with a huge indoor rollerblading rink (my kids love when I look the other way and let them rollerblade around the circle from the living room to the kitchen, until I just can't stand it anymore...)anyway, she built a tremendous house with an elevator and a waterfall and a huge built in pool in the back yard. Then she gave the rest of the money away to her friend Dani and her brother Ben. Camille burst into tears....she said she hated the story because the little girl didn't have any more money....

So we have two dogs now. It isn't much different than having one dog, but my heart breaks for old Duke. He IS old. I don't like falling in love with an old dog. I don't want to see him slow down and suffer. He is content to go outside and pee on everything, walking around and wagging his tail, while Suri runs wild, fetching the stick and wanting me to chase her. He likes to tussle with Suri a bit, then take another nap. Last night they behaved again, no garbage on the floor, no surprise piles, no barking in the night. He comes back so willingly when we call him, and is a champ on the leash. He really isn't any trouble at all, and I love that my heart has room for him. I feel this protective feeling of him, like I want to take good care of him. Suri is put out about him sometimes, she just seems a bit sad, yet she really likes him. I think it's good for her, and after a while she will be so used to him she won't even remember what it was like to be the Only Dog.

I hope Paul likes him. I hope he doesn't turn into a huge expense as he ages.

I still can't believe I actually got another dog.

What a week.

My brother and his wife welcomed their third grandchild into the world last night. Emmett was born early, but seems to be doing fine. He is beautiful, and I can't wait to meet him.

Tomorrow...Paul comes home. Have I mentioned that I can't wait to see him? Seriously, if I ever complain about anything ever again, remind me how lucky I am to have Paul.