Soli Deo Gloria

Yesterday was a bit crazy. I was trying to get ready to go out of town, which you know as a mom, packing is the LEAST of your concerns. I was trying to get EVERYONE ELSE ready for me to be gone... THEN pack. I also had 2 guys come out to give me estimates. One for carpentry work and the other for sheetrock. The carpenter gave us a quote based on us getting the supplies. He could get them, but of course it would save us some $ if we got them ourselves. So, David borrowed a truck to pick up the stuff so the guy could get started this week Yeah, while I'm gone... so on top of getting everything ready... I had to do ALL the laundry and get it ALL put away so that the laundry closet was cleared so he can do some work on the cabinets. I needed to get it put away before the kids got in bed and it was 9:15... I was still folding. Got it done at 9:30 and the kids in bed... and then called David back whose 2 phone calls I had ignored trying to get the laundry done (I was supposed to leave early this morning). WELL David was stuck with an overheated car. He said he was walking home. I told him I'd call my awesome neighbor Jill to see if she could come over since all the kids were in bed. She came, I went and took 3 gallons of water. We had to wait for a cop to show up b/c David heard and saw a pack of coyotes. Now, we have learned that coyotes don't bother you. But he didn't know that and didn't care to get mauled :) So we waited. He had a 10pm deadline with the Wall Street Journal and it was 9:50pm. He was slightly stressed. Cop got there, he put the water in but then his car was dead from the hazards flashing so long... and it wouldn't jump. Took about 15 minutes to get it started. I know Jill was dead tired when we finally got home (at 10:45). THANK YOU JILL!!!
So, didn't think I'd be coming to my choir director clinic in Hot Springs. But David said the car was ok and I could drive it, but he'd follow me in the van in case it broke down. I don't need a car while here. The clinic is at my hotel and my best friend is here. If the internet here wasn't so slow I'd link to her blog :) They drove me here, which was SUPER nice. I missed the first session since we weren't real sure what we were going to do, and David had ANOTHER deadline for another column this morning. We went to the Pancake House and then they dropped me off. I hated that goodbye. I've been away from Elijah one night, one time when I had the All State music clinic in February. He was so sweet kissing and kissing and kissing me and waving/saying "bye". SO CUTE. he'd also say "HUG" and repeatedly hug me. So sweet but break my heart! The other kids were troopers and didn't make a big deal about me leaving to make it easier on him, but I could tell they were sad too. I miss all of them :(
BUT I'm here :) and had a great day. I learned a lot in one session in particular. I love getting new teaching ideas and I got more than usual today. Tomorrow's sessions should be good too. I love coming here b/c it always gets me psyched up for school. Without it, I don't think I'd look forward to the new year as much.
After the sessions, we went to dinner, and then, of course, went shopping. I just tagged along really. I wasn't looking for anything... Except lookie what I found at TJ Maxx...

Yes, I just ordered fabric to make a carseat cover, but when this was staring right at me, already made, for $20... I knew I had to get it. I can use the fabric for other (easier, less time consuming) things.