clear blue sky

Oh, the allure of that clear blue sky....my favorite weather, springtime, 55-60 degrees, calm, and sunny. Jonathan, Charlotte, and I enjoyed some time outside after Camille was tucked into her nap. The entry to our house that we use is up a full flight of stairs (the front entry is level, go in and either go up 6 or down 6 steps). Charlotte thinks stairs are fun, Mommy freaks out...after following her up and down the stairs a few times, I decide enough we are staying on the deck for now....so I barricade the deck gate with a table, and run into the kitchen for some cloths to wipe down the Little Tikes table from its winter dirt....I was quick, but not quick enough. The little rascal escaped the deck, Jon was still sitting there trying to put more air in Sonja's bike tire, and the gate was wide open. I went down into the yard, and looked for her. No sign. I went around the back, where the swingset is, she's not there....I go back around the front, and she's just not there. What I felt at that point was terror. I yelled for Jon to go get Aaron, who stayed home from school today, and he was looking out back....I yelled that she was really gone, and to check the little creek.....Aaron was telling me not to panic, right! I started calling her name again, and heard a little laugh. The little bum was sitting in the double jogging stroller in the side yard, trying to buckle herself in. Now, only about 2-3 minutes elapsed from when I found she was gone to finding her, but I do not ever want to feel that scared again. She is just so sneaky. I was relieved, to say the least. We went back up to the deck, and I put my chair against the gate. Next time I go in, she goes with me. We have to keep our inside door closed at all times, so she stays in. The thing is, she is just so little and cute.

If it seems like I'm always going somewhere, its's because I'm always going somewhere. Today, to Wal-Mart to pick up Molly's glasses. She was so anxious to get them. Molly, Camille, and I went with my sister. My sister and I together are the very definition of the term "dawdle"....Oh yeah, we're hurrying. I only need 3 things in Wal-Mart.....ha. My sister and I have the " enjoy everything along the way" syndrome, inherited from our mother. That's why our kids are so lucky. Her youngest is 14 now, but her seven girls and my older kids grew up together....and boy did we stop to smell the roses. We took those kids everywhere. Now her girls are the best cousins to my little ones. Her oldest is going to Grandparents and Special Friends Day at school tomorrow for Suzanne and Sonja.

Well, don't stop and smell the roses around our yard right now. The little red warning light on our septic pump was on...sure enough, the pump isn't working. Paul is working on it, but I think we'll call someone tomorrow to help.....yes, it is always something. Tonight, he took 6 kids to the library while the older kids were at the youth meeting. Then home for stories, school folders, some conversation, and bedtime....Charlotte Claire in one room, and Kathryn, Evelyn, Suzanne, Sonja, and Jon in another....(and of course Paul and I and Camille in our room, and the other 9 kids in 5 rooms downstairs....)Kathryn officially moved downstairs with Mariel and Margaret, but likes rooming with the little girls better, so her bedding is becoming a fixture on their floor, between the bunkbeds. Anyway, getting them settled down is not easy. Drinka water, gotta go pee, my pull-up ripped, I need my library book tomorrow, she threw a Barbie at me, Suzanne has my pillow, I forgot to pray for Gwen, Jonny won't stop it, turn the hall light off/on...5 or six trips into their room, and they finally fall asleep. Then the youth kids troop in, loud and refreshed. And usually hungry. Charlotte Claire was still up because she had a mega-nap. So now, she is in bed, Camille is in bed, all the big kids are in bed, and Paul just said goodnight. Sweet sweet quiet......

Oh, one more thing: Big Lots had the rest of their Easter junk for 90% off....I got some things for prizes for Sonja's birthday, and some chocolate bunny-pops, 3 for 9 cents...my sister and I bought them all, so don't go there looking....