On the count-down

Well, we are less than 24 hours from leaving our house! Today I had a to-do list about a mile long. In the morning James got a great headstart on his school work for the day. Our main babysitter came over and we discussed many of the details. I finally ate breakfast about 11:30 am.

Then we jumped in the car to tackle the many items on the list: Stop at the bank to leave off loan-application papers. Stop at another bank to get crispy, unmarked cash. Stop at the office supply store to make photocopies of our passports to put in our suitcases. Go to the doctor's office to pick up written prescriptions. Stop at the pharmacy to leave off the prescriptions. Stop at the gas station to fill the suburban for the babysitter's use in transporting our kids. Head to WalMart to pick up a color book, a sticker book, Uno, Play-Doh, foam stickers for our visits with Abby as well as jerky, and Neutragena hand lotion. Scurry back to the doctor's office to pick up forms for parents and school teachers for Billy's med follow-up. I notice the forms look different but I take them anyway and am almost to the parking lot when I realize these are the forms used to aid in initial diagnosis. Back into the doc's office to nab the correct forms. Return to the pharmacy to pick up prescriptions. It is 3:14. No way I can pick up Caleb and Steven by 3:15. Call high school to get a message to Scheri to pick little boys up by the buses. Get to high school about 3:30--there's Scheri but no boys. She tells me they weren't at the bus. So I send her back down to the elementary to find them while I head on to the high school to take care of hot lunch money, note telling school my kids may be riding the bus while I'm gone, and the form teachers need to fill out for Billy whose appointment is the first school day after our trip. The school office is already closed so I slide my papers under the door. By this time my Dad is parked beside me in the parking lot with Scheri and both little guys in tow. I had failed to let the elementary school know Scheri was picking them up--so the secretary called Papa.

We come home and I help Caleb with his homework while Teresa assists Steven. I find Caleb's list of classmates for the Valentine Party in his back pack and Teresa offers to fill out the Valentines. I try to finish up papers for babysitters: temporary guardianship papers, list of medications, permission to get medical treatment, list of phone numbers. Bible Study and Youth Group are at 7:00. It was a very good study but I was so, so tired.

Now it's after midnight and I'm getting down toward the end of the paperwork I hope. Hopefully during daylight hours I can get the house cleaned.