i am alive and, look, i have a blog. 

okay, now that we’ve established those two pretty important facts we’ll move on to where in the world i’ve been.

last friday we did the full shopping trip like last time.  ran back to the in-laws, picked up our children, ran home put away groceries, and started the clean-up i should’ve done earlier in the week for company.  that company came in and proceeded to help me clean.  oh, the shame.  my husband ran for the hills (went to his friend’s house to have man time) and we welcomed the other half of our company.  after babies were all put to bed we stayed up and girl-talked until 2 in the morning.

with the sunrise came children.  and doggies!  we had three grownups, 1 six year old, 1 five year old, 1 three year old, 1 almost three year old, and 2 one year olds.  plus, two very cute and very active doggies.

we went to a kids’ fest (where my oldest climbed a 40 foot rockwall to the top and pushed the i-did-it! buzzer!), slid down a huge slide while holding a 2 year old and a one year old, resisted the urge to buy a hamster and stop at 3 different garage sales.  we got fancy ice cream from the ice cream truck and played at the park.  we started a build-a-bear birthday tradition with my sister (dropped the 5 year old off with her) and took the rest of the kiddos to a playland, picked up the 5 year old and his new stuffed bunny, thanked the sister profusely, and went to the zoo.  for 3 hours.  we rode a camel.  saw a baby gorilla and a baby camel.  learned more than we ever wanted to know about reptiles (my boy children’s newest fav exhibit) and insects.  picked up hot-n-ready pizza (oh, little ceasar’s what would we do without thee?) and ran home for dinner, baths, and bedtimes. 

i got sick, lost my voice, and found it again.  my daughter got the croup and i fitted in a doctor’s visit and steroids.  we watched doggies fight and play and have the time of their lives.  we had fits, fall-outs, and crying jags.  we watched babies walk, crawl, fall, cry and giggle.  we felt the burn of baby-wearing while pushing double strollers up hills both ways.  we heard kiddos fight, play, and laugh.  we soothed tears, fears, and woes.  we celebrated their accomplishments. we gave and accepted wife and motherly advice.  we watched as our friend crocheted a beautiful blanket for other friends just beginning their baby adventure.  and my children learned about crocheting, undivided attention, and gentleness from the most patient and loving woman on the planet.  we watched our wonderful friend find her way with 2 little ones in the same place i once was.  and she taught us laughter, endurance, and exuberance.  we loved on a very bothered daisy cat.  we talked politics, the pope, and poop.  we laughed, cried, prayed, and wished we lived closer.  we packed up, hugged, and waved goodbye. 

and we sat in the quiet and missed them.