things that make me cry....

1. Hearing newborn babies cry. It doesn't necessarily make me sad, it just strikes something in me, a longing I guess.

2. Reading about a Blawk Hawk helicopter going down in Afghanistan, killing 4 U.S. soldiers. Having Benjamin over there brings home the reality that even when it isn't MY child, it is someone's child...someone's husband, someone's daddy.

3. When I remember, in the midst of thinking of something really funny to tell my mom, that she no longer walks this earth.

4. When Suzanne tells me about a boy in her class who has had the same sneakers for two years, and he wears old dirty clothes and needs a haircut and the kids are mean to him.

5. The thought of sending Camille to school. (Although I second guess this decision all the time, I think it would be good for her to be only one year behind Char...and she is SO smart, and sociable...I don't know.)

6. The news that Paul's job is very likely morphing into a traveling position, meaning he might be gone two weeks for every one week he is here. wah.

7. Feeling like I am not needed, or wanted, or appreciated sometimes. Oh poor me. I do not agree with giving in to feeling like this, but it makes me cry on occasion nonetheless.

8. My laundry room floor. Or the floor I am assuming is still under all those clothes.

9. The way that Jonathan is so attached to his toys that when one gets broken, he is so very sad.

10. Two of my girls bought $16 sunglasses with their own money. They will get broken, and I will cry.

Excellent! Only ten things that I can think of this morning, not bad. It is gorgeously sunny out, it will be eighty degrees today before the rain comes in for the weekend. I WAS going to clean the girls' room today...yesterday I cleaned out the hall closet. I threw away old Christmas dresses and bedskirts and broken hangers and a PollyFlinders outfit that no one would wear these days, even if it wasn't stained. It is nice to have the closet all cleaned out. I hate when I do a job like that though, and then still have to catch up on everything else. But, the bonus side of being so...so Un-organized, is that when you actually organize something, it is so much fun! I keep opening that closet door and looking in at the beautiful neatness of it! I showed all the kids when they got home from school...

The weeks are flying by. Jonathan was amazed that it is Friday again already. I was so tempted to keep them home from school today to enjoy the nice spring weather! The grass is so green, and the leaves are that tender green color. Paul is going to try to come home a bit early and pick them up from school. He hasn't seen them much this week because he has been working late, had a few meetings, ect.

I grilled chicken last night for dinner. I marinated it in orange ginger sauce first, and it was yummy. Served with broccoli and sliced Vienna bread, which was buy one loaf get two free at Price Chopper (three for $2.49). I do not eat bread. But somehow I had a half a piece. Then the other half, with butter. Then I finished Camille's piece. Fresh bread with that chewy crust, real butter...why can't it be super healthy?

Then Mirielle decided to bake cookies for Benjamin. I have not heard from him since last week, and he hadn't gotten any boxes yet. So he will probably get a whole bunch at the same time, and the whole platoon can have a party! Anyway, she made a double batch of chocolate chip cookie dough, started baking them, and I took over when she went in for a shower...I tasted the dough. And again. I love cookie dough. One cookie was overbaked. I love the crispy crunchy ones. So I broke it in half and oh so good...I gave the other half to Sonja so I wouldn't eat it too. Mirielle wrapped most of them up for Ben. The rest, I wrapped up separately and gave them to kids for later, put some in lunches, and now the plate is empty in the sink. Phew. I survived another Cookie Baking with minimal damage.

So another box is heading to Ben. We also put some pens in there, and some SlimJims, and a big bag of beef jerky, and some baggies in case he wants to take just a bit with him when he goes out on patrol.

I dreamed last night that I was in Afghanistan. I was over there with all of my 18 years and older kids, at war. We were all so scared, and kept thinking we were going to get shot. I explained to someone that I had seven of my kids fighting with me, and 9 left at home. How can I do math in my dreams?

I have to go take some bedding out of the wash and hang it outside to dry, and put in a load of socks. Then perhaps do some exercising, then tackle those dishes...just from breakfast and after dinner last night, the sink is overflowing onto the counter. And these floors that got swept and vacuumed yesterday...ha. Rosie needs to go out again, and I need to wash my long tangly hair. But I am not complaining. I enjoy my life. And, it's Friday!!! Date night, weekend, yay! And, I already know what we are having for dinner, which is a huge bonus! Burgers on the grill....