An Adventure in the Fall

Yesterday was a typical fall day in our house.

We had a football game to get our cheerleader to at 8:30am.

Then raced home.

Made a nutritious lunch of top ramen (blech!) and packed up daddy for his big cross country adventure in concrete.

Then divided up and carpooled with fantastic new neighbors who happen to have a cheerleader and football player that line up perfectly with our cheerleader and football player.

So we girls headed off to cheer game number two, with a little boy with a wiggly tooth in tow, dropped of the cheerleaders, then Mr. Wiggly-Tooth at a friend's house to hitch a ride to one of his best little buddy's birthday party.

Then back to watch the cute little girls cheer their hearts out on a sunny fall day.

Next we packed it up and zipped out to the middle of nowhere (aka Yelm) to watch the boys play football.

Then race back to Lacey to pick up the newly front toothless little boy from the birthday party.

Yep, he lost his tooth in the pool and couldn't find it.

But don't worry, he dictated a note to the tooth fairy explaining the circumstances.

Off to grandma's to a delicious steak dinner with aunty and cousins.

My kids never get steak, so they gobbled up that big old platter of meat in no time.  

Then asked for more "chicken" please.  

Poor kids, never get anything good.

I even heard my daughter say, "It's nice to not have noodles or pizza for dinner."

Ouch.

I need to put that crock pot to use more on these crazy football days.

I just have to find recipes the kids will like, and actually eat...

Mission impossible, I know.

After dinner I ran to the pharmacy to get ambien for that big cross country trip while daddy oversaw bath time.

Then loaded the kids up to take daddy to the airport, all fresh and clean in their pjs, watching Herbie movies on the way.

Charlie started the waterworks first.

Actually, Sarina had been turning them off and on all day leading up to the departure.

But Charlie really wailed, "don't go don't go, don't GO daddy!"  

Over and over- and over again.

It was a little like torture.

6 days is forever in their little minds.

By the time we got to the airport they were all crying.  

Charlie pouring his heart into his wailing, 

Carl sitting their quietly with tears streaming down his face, 

Sarina trying to hold it together alternating with wallowing in her sorrow, 

and Elsa just trying to keep up.

Quite a send off for a poor guy just trying to head out to learn from the best in the industry so that he can come home and grow a thriving business- for the family.

I know both mama and daddy had a lump in our throats too.

As I pulled away I was kind of wondering if someone told the kids that daddy was being deployed to war...

But truly, I'm so proud of my husband.

He's researched, and researched, and researched to find the best person to learn from.

Yes, he could do trial and error while he starts doing these concrete counter tops.

That's what he's done so far, but we both know that's not quick enough for us.

He wants to make sure that if people are paying him for a product, that he provides the best he can possibly provide.

I know he's going to do well.

He has that perfect combination of self confidence, pride in his work, and connections to make this successful.

I believe wholeheartedly in him.

Plus he has a fantastic support system and two jobs lined up for when he gets home with the promise of another.

We have a good life, there's no doubt how very blessed we are.