Strange Weekend...

It's been a kinda strange weekend so far.

Slade left Thursday morning to go out of town for work. That was the night Randall threw up.

Friday, Randall said he felt fine all day, but ate hardly anything. That night was the crop night at my friend, Jennifer's. Since Randall had been fine, I took Christy up on her offer to watch the kids while I scrapped. She offered to keep them all night! That was easier for both of us, rather than me coming in around midnight to get them. She was planning to bring all 4 kids to me so she could go to one of Rebecca's jewelry shows and then put in a few hours at work.
So, last night, I scrapbooked from about 7 (I got there at 6, but just chatted and dilly-dallied until 7) to about 11:30 or so. As I was getting ready to leave, my friend, Christy, said, "I don't want to jinx you, but are you going to be okay by yourself?" I hadn't even thought about the fact that I would be completely alone in a dark house. Yikes.

But, she didn't jinx me because it just gave me time on the drive home to pray for God's peace and reminders that my overly active imagination is not from Him. It was very strange having the house completely to myself. A very good strange, but still strange. It might be many moons before that ever happens again.

I played on the computer a little and was in bed around 12:20. I had a few times of irrational fears, but I just prayed and reminded myself that they were just that, irrational. And, God was good. I fell asleep pretty quickly and slept wonderfully.

As I was laying in bed, before falling asleep, I was just thinking about how blessed we are. We have a huge (in comparison to other countries... and even to many in America) house and lots of JUNK to fill it. We don't have to cram into a one-room shack or sleep bundled under piles of blankets to stay warm or anything. It made me very thankful for all we have.

Then, when I woke up at 6:15--what was that?!--I was able to be lazy in bed and I even fell back asleep until about 8. The phone ringing actually woke me up, but I needed to be up anyway.

As I was getting ready (in a quiet house with no one needing help with anything!), I called Christy and offered to come get the kids since I was planning to go to the scrapbook store (which is on her side of town) for their garage sale. So, I picked up all four kids (Kyle had to work this morning, too, and then he's coming to get the kids for Josh's soccer game shortly) and we headed to the scrapbook store.

None of the kids wanted to play in the play area, so I warned them that they would have to stand near me and not run around or rough house while I shopped. Unfortunately, there wasn't really anything good left. I bought a baggie of unmounted stamps for .75, but that was it. I"m not sure if I'll even like them because it's hard to tell without the actual image. We'll see. Then it took about 30 minutes to stand in line just for them to ring up what I had. Then we had to go to the register and stand in line to pay. Grrr. There has to be a better way. Oh, well.

I do think I sold most of the stuff I had in the garage sale, which means lots of store credit. Woo hoo!

I also bought a big paper rack to help organize my abundance of paper. I'm hoping to get a table when next I go to IKEA so I'll have a workspace and I'll put the paper rack on it. Fun stuff!

So, now Randall (who was whiney and cranky at the scrapbook store) is taking a nap and the other three are playing outside until Kyle comes. Russell has had really pink cheeks and red ears all day and he mentioned at lunch time that his ears and cheeks really itch. I don't know what that could possibly be, but I gave him some Benadryl and he said the itching has stopped. He's still rosy, but not feverish, so I'm assuming he's okay. I hope so, at least.

Before small group, I have to bathe kids and then run to Wal-Mart for supplies. I got everything I signed up for when I went shopping earlier this week, but there's always a few other things that are needed. I just didn't want to brave Wal-Mart with Randall acting as he was this morning!

Then we have small group and Slade has to miss it. One of the other guys, Joe, will probably be leading it. I'll probably try to leave a little early, or at least just as soon as it's over, because I have to drive our babysitter, Bracie, home and I want to get kids in bed on time. I have to be at church at 8 and I'm not sure how I'm going to do that with the kiddos, but it'll work out.

Whew. I'm tired just remembering and typing everything. This single parenting isn't for wimps! I'm thankful I don't have to do it on a regular basis. And, I miss Slade... Hopefully, he'll get to head home tonight, but he's not sure still.

Well, I'd better get Josh dressed in his soccer uniform. Later!