Crazy week so far...

I haven't had a lot of time near the computer this week.  A few ups and downs of our week...

We actually had a very calm Monday... nothing on the calendar but FHE.  The kids and I ran errands all morning.  Quayd needed his glasses changed from tinted lenses to normal because they don't "untint" very quickly and he looked like a gangster walking into the chapel from outside.  Thankfully, that was covered in the plan, if they needed to be changed.  Zee had an ortho appointment.  She should have her braces off before school. Quayd confessed that he's lost his retainer at the missionaries apartment and has yet to find it. $190!!!  No amused.  We're not ordering a new one until he's searched again and I've offered a reward for it.  Doug gave a little lesson from Steven Covey's principles and we had a cookout on the patio for dinner.  Short and sweet evening. 

At 8PM, Alan and Jill arrive with their trailer and we drove over the mountain to Honeyville, I think it's called, to buy a nice leather sectional for the cabin.  It was after 10 when we got back, but it was a fun way to spend our evening... gabbing about everything under the sun with two of our favorite people. 

Having lived on his own for a bit and then coming home to "Clean your room" and "Lights Out" when you are 18 and about to go out on your own isn't always fun.  Let's just say that we realize that this last three weeks is going to be full of emotional ups and downs... he's anxious, excited, nervous, anticipating and feeling every emotion under the sun.  We are excited for him, but worried "Did we teach him all that he needs to know?  Is he really ready?  What more can we do/squeeze into this last 20 days?" 

We are physically prepared, but emotions are flying high around here.  One minute, I'm excited and proud and confident.  The next, I'm wondering, "Have I totally failed?" One minute, he's my little boy and the next, he's a man and the next, and the next he's like a total stranger! There's a lot of emotion happening around here! 

Tuesday...Doug informed me that we were responsible for feeding 100 YSA kids hotdogs for dinner the next night!  We planned and organized our thoughts.  We had a fun night with visits from Bishop and his wife, Denise, Layne and Julie and Grace's LTC leader.  The whole night was a swinging door at the Corbridges.  Good times!

Wednesday... Quayd was my angel!  He spent the day helping his mother!  He loaded and unloaded and lifted and followed every direction as we prepared for the YSA Hotdog Cookout.  He worked his heart out for me.  He even picked out the biggest watermelons he could find and I mean, he was tossing those babies around to get just the right ones.  Then, he pushed all eight of them around for me all day!

  Apparently, the High Councilor who usually is in charge of this activity was out of town and they asked Doug to take over this time.  I made lists and Quayd and I hit the town running to grab what we needed then he loaded everything up, took it to the park, set things up and helped get prepared.  Doug cooked the dogs.  I sliced the watermelons.  YSA are very easy to please... they grab the food, eat and play! And they always say thank you! They played softball and volleyball until dark. 

 

It was so great to see some of our old friends from the ward he served in the bishopric.  There were hugs and handshakes all around!  Thankfully, there was a beautiful cloud-cover that appeared just as we were starting, which cooled things off immensely!  We ended up feeding 82 students.  A great night!  I was wasted when we got home!  The guys unloaded and then we made a quick run over to check on Carol, who had knee surgery earlier in the day.

I had to snap a shot of Zulu.  I've been asked a lot if he misses GoGo.  He definitely does.  He walks to GoGo's grave quite often and sniffs around, which is so odd because he never went into that ground cover area before. Never. He also will jump up and look for him under the bed if he hears his name.  However, I think that he is getting a bit used to being an "only child".  ZJ spoils him constantly.  I went into her room and found him up on her dresser, on a pillow, covered with a blanket.  Can you say spoiled?

Today has been pretty tame.  Denise and I went out for a very early lunch, then I stopped over at Carol's for a while.  She is A.MAZ.ING!!!!  She's doing so well.  She'd hop up to grab something and I'd say, "STOP THAT!"  She was doing super!  A total answer to our prayers.  She has so much on her plate for the remainder of summer and I was so worried that she'd struggle through it like I had a few years ago.

All sorts of things happening... just busy work and silly things that still need to be done, but we are almost there.  Quayd is nervous and excited and every emotion imaginable.  I think that he's not the only one.  One minute we are all excited, one minute we can't wait for him to go the next minute, I want to cry and say, "Don't leave your mommy!  My little boy is walking out the door and will never be my little boy again."  However, it's what the Lord wants, it's what he wants, it's absolutely what we want.  This is what's supposed to be happening.  It's a wonderful time.

Life is good!