rainy night

and I love it...the window open, hearing the rain fall...it sounds so comfy. Today, I had to get bloodwork done again, so Kathryn came with me. If you ever need excellent company, innocent, intelligent, funny, naive, and so totally not-beggy ( is there a better way to say that?), then take Kathryn with you. After the lab we went to Walmart, and the only thing she really insisted on was the hand sanitizer. She really likes that stuff, and all the scary stuff they are hearing in school about the flu-previously-known-as-swine-flu doesn't help.

Well, we got bagels (the large Lenders 6 packs, $1!), cheese, milk, and some drinks and snacks....then we did something special: we ordered pizza and chicken wings from the place Ben works at. If you like really good chicken wings, and you are ever in Auburn, NY, go to Gaetano's pizza. Excellent. Suzanne ate a whole pile of them. The big kids were all out with their youth group, so it was only Paul and I and the seven youngest ones home. We actually had pizza leftover, which I carefully baggied (is that a word?) up and put in the 'fridge.

Tomorrow is a big day - May conference! All the other fellowships in the area come together for a conference, so we get to see friends, and have really encouraging meetings. Friends from Canada, Ohio, Delaware, Connecticut, Michigan.....it is a really special and blessed time. Our local church runs the grill/candy store, which is a highlight for a lot of the children. I like working there and getting to know the kids. We go in the morning, and we stay until the kids can't keep their eyes open...they protest they want to stay, no matter how tired they are. The older kids stay past midnight, or for the whole weekend. Then Sunday, we go out there again....

Honestly, part of me is resistant to going. This miscarriage thing is hard, and when people ask how I'm doing, I feel sort of like a big liar when I say, "Fine!"....but also, it is awkward to bring it up when people don't REALLY want to know how I'm doing, they are just making conversation. How am I really doing? Well, I am happy, 75% happy. Tonight we had a special night with the younger kids, Paul brought home the game, "Kerplunk!".....(try playing that with Charlotte Claire, who does not yet get the concept of turns...and Camille who thinks marbles are yummy....)....the kids then decided they wanted to dance, so they turned on the music from "Enchanted"....and literally went wild. Paul finally suggested we watch a little of "Nanny 911", just to calm them down a little while he gave showers to some of them....it is hilarious, they watch how bad the kids are on that show, and they say things like, "I would never ever do that!!" Anyway, they are lots of fun, though I must say it is nice to have them all tucked in to bed. And the bigger ones are not home yet, so it is actually quiet in here.....


And I have things to do still to get ready for tomorrow....