Home again...but still busy

I just got home 30 minutes ago...Ken had opened up the garage, turned on the light and was sitting on the steps into the house waiting for us...aaaah...thanks, Ken. I was hoping you'd be there to help unload the car. And yes, he and the kids unloaded the car while I came in and started organizing things. (What's going to work? Teamwork!)

As the first load of dirty clothes is going around in the washing machine, I am chowing down on a bowl of E's bday Lucky Charms. I needed something sweet and this was it.

Backing up to Wednesday. It was also Evan's bday...so he was happy to get a bowl of Lucky Charms in "cot." Since he was sleeping on a cot. (And we should all sleep on cots b/c they are so easy to vaccum under! haha) My dad and I got Mom situated in the car. He ran in to shut/lock the doors...and to answer a ringing phone. Then he got into the car to say that Mom was going to be having surgery on that arm. Who knows why we had to take her in...but we did. The surgery will be tomorrow (Friday).

During the appointment, I took the kids to a near by craft store to browse around. E got a package of silly putty which made him over joyed. He wanted to buy it with is own money that was left at home. But I said I"d buy it. And it took him a while to understand. He kept saying, "I don't want you to waste your money, Mom." That's a sign of the sad state of MI employment!! I was really good and only bought some much needed daubers and stickles.

After the appointment, Dad raced back to work (b/c some employers won't let husbands take time to tend to their injured wives!) After getting mom situated again in bed, she treated us to a movie called "Ponya" which was the weridest movie I ever saw. Guess I was on the tired side and don't watch Japanese cartoons! But the kids loved it. It was really a wholesome, if not odd, movie. After a dinner of corn on the cob, steak, broccoli salad, fresh cukes and tomatoes, we headed off to the beach. E* thinks that b/c he is now 6 that he could swim very far away from the beach...and I had to repeatedly call him back to shore.

After that, we scampered home to enjoy sprinkled cupcakes for dessert!

Today I woke up and got everyone ready to take Granny back to the doctor's office so her ankle could be examined. Again, while she had the xray and exam, a friend of hers waited with her and I took the kids to Stamplicity, a local stamp store. Unfortunately they were out of clear stamp cleaner AND black versafine...and I really couldn't decide which size acrylic block I needed. So I bought nothing. But I did chat with the really super sales lady about buying some products from the companies I work for and selling it in the store. So...a win, win for sure!

I took Niko to get his nails clipped and got some lunch. But after days of tending to the house, mom, the kids, driving and trying to get as much done as I possibly could in so short of time, staying up late and then sleeping on the couch so I could keep Mom company and getting up early with Dad....I was bushed. I decided that by 2:30pm, leaving in a bit would only mean that I would hit Detroit at rush hour. So I packed up the van....and napped for a bit while the kids played Wii. (Yep, my parents are hip!!) Then, a terrific storm blew in. Gushing rain and fercious winds. So nope...I wasn't leaving at 5pm either! Some of Mom and Dad's friends even called to see if I had left in the storm...worried that I would be in danger. A tornade was spotted or touched down in Amherst, near by where I pick up the turnpike.

I was able to get a few more things done, dinner, dishes, remade the beds, visit with Dad....and then left shortly after 6:30pm. But boy, was there a lot of foilage, trees, branches everywhere. Police in abundance and downed power lines.

Through it all, I'm so grateful for the little things. Grateful that I was too tired to drive into a storm. Grateful the weather was clear sailing while I did drive. Grateful that Mom and Dad have so many friends who constantly call and drop by to visit, ususally with food or bread or treats in hand. Grateful for Ken who didn't mind that I left him to take care of my parents. Grateful for Kids who were so patient and sweet and quiet and obedient for nearly the entire trip. (Hey, no one is perfect and being 6 can be hard!) And grateful that Mom broke her left ankle and wrist. B/c the toilet and sink are on the right side of the bathroom. Everything would have been a lot harder had she broken those bones on the right.

Now...to get some shut eye, and rush to the store for C*'s bday party tomorrow night. And I have to speak in church on Sunday. Yes, this is going to be quite the end of the week too.