T Minus 7 Days

The list is slowly getting shorter! I began this day changing all the beds. I want to come home from Africa and just 'BE'. I do not want to think about cleaning and dusting (like I ever do that - well, I guess I do do it on the surfaces that you can see. *grin*) and changing beds!

So there I was running sheets through the wash, and then I decided to set up the girls' extra bed in our room.
SO that turned into a room cleaning job. I can't just do one thing. It has to lead to another and another and before I know it, I have spring cleaned the whole house, including repairing and painting all chips in the walls. You think I am joking? Ha. *grin* I guess you don't know me. Well, actually that happens other times. This time I was too focussed to let that happen.

I had made a contact at our local airport and this very kind lady was going to ship our suitcases down early, as we are only allowed 50lb per person, and we have packed 100 lb each! I called her and she right away knew who I was. I love small towns! So I got busy carrying these big suitcases and the box of toy downstairs. Man, was I sweating by the time I was done!! Pretty picture? *grin*

I also was planning on dropping the little one's suitcase and bikes off at my friend's house. This would save me thinking about it on the day that I drop them off. Less stressful! I loaded the suitcases and bikes into the van.

And of course, Cassidy threw in his tent and his fishing rod. He figures he will sleep in his tent in the backyard (poor guy *grin*). Little does he know that he will be Mr. Mom while I am gone!

We got to the airport and the boys helped me drag the suitcases up the stairs and inside.

The lady knew who we were right away. She very kindly told us to take our time. We weighed each suitcase and each (except two) was between 43 and 46 lbs. Thank goodness. One was 48 lb and one was 35 lb. I was not willing to go over in Vancouver, so I took the time to open the suitcases then and switch. I threw some heavy granola bars from one suitcase into the lighter toy box and moved some light puzzles over to the heavy suitcase. Once we reweighed them it all balanced out.

I then sat with Austin and put luggage tags on them. We prayed over the luggage to get to its proper destination and then we were done! I was so relieved to have this done!!

I then went shopping for 'sweatshirt' for my husband and 'a pair of capri pants' for myself. How many of you have done this: gone into the store to buy a 'sweatshirt and a pair of capri pants' and come out with a shopping cart full of clothes?

Well, I couldn't resist!! The clothes were on sale and were so lightweight and cute styles that I had to buy myself some!! I will be repacking my hand luggage *grin*. Maybe I will wear a few extra layers (like Heidi - that's what I told my boys they could do. LOL!)



Then I went to get Ray a sweatshirt. By the time I was done he had a cart full of clothes.

When I got home I made him try them all on. I was *very* impressed with my buying and so was he. Where he started out rather disgruntled about having to try the clothes on, since he was going to make some business calls, by the time he was half way through you could see he was very pleased with my choices. And I made sure he knew how well I did, by telling him!! LOL!! He will look nice for his trip. *smile* Poor guy - before that he had about 5 tshirt and a pair of pants in his bag!! He lives at the jobsite and does not go shopping.

The last two things that made my day wonderful were this: http://www.audiblekids.com/ My dear friend, Denise, who *loves* to see me spend money *grin* showed me the most remarkable website. It is all audio books. In the kids section there are nearly 4000 titles, including the classics, myths, fantasy, fiction, history, science, you name it!!

I immediatley signed up and downloaded a 15 hour book for my boys for the trip!! I will be downloading about 6 more tomorrow. You can download to an IPOD, your computer, or discs! So cool!!!!


And now for my MOST liberating moment of the day!!!! I hired a housecleaning team to come in every two weeks for 2 hours!!!! Hallelujah, Hallelujah!!!! My hubby and I have been talking about this on and off for the last 6 years, but it has always been me having a problem spending the money on a job that I knew I could fit in, if I just worked a little harder or longer.






Well, this adoption did it for me. I want to have more time with my kids and especially with the girls coming home. I have told the ladies that my list will not be your typical list. I want all our beds changed, bathrooms done, floors washed, windows cleaned. My boys are amazing housecleaners, so they are coming in just so that I can step back and not have to worry about 'getting it all done'. We can slack a little, knowing we have back up.

It is the most wonderful feeling!!!

Two Little Guys Meds

My little guys appear to be doing better. Austin still has his mysterious rash, but I am putting on a antifungal cream. He says it doesn't itch as much. Cooper did not complain about his ears today. Briton was walking almost without a limp all day today. And as for his toes, his poor chewed toes, *smile*, they can withstand me giving them a good ole squeeze when I play This Little Piggy.

What is so sweet is when I play the game I always make up different places for each of the little piggies to go. As I say each toe he will interject his ideas. It is either 'home' or 'work'. I guess because those are the two main places his mummy and daddy and family are.

Thank you for praying and please do continue. Colt, Austin, Cooper, and Briton all still have a little mending to do. And Colt - I do not know how he was feeling today, but that boy needs sleep!!! I am thinking of asking the doctor for something to knock him out on the airplane - dont know if there is anything 'harmless' to do this. But he has had so little sleep for the last seven weeks, and needs to recover, as well as heading over 'how many?' time zones!!

That was my day and now I am off to bed in my room that has only got bags of handluggage all over it! Oh and one spare mattress. :o)