It’s been a good week.  The ridiculous degree of craziness of the past few months is tapering off into a more sustainable level of busy, and I feel as though I can breathe again.  And make lists.  Lots of lists.  Because we all know that a week too busy for list-making (and I suppose list-doing) is a dark, dark week indeed.

A few anecdotes from our week…

One morning, while Carson was at school and Mary Grace spent the morning with Matt’s mom, Elizabeth and I headed to Panera for a coffee date.  I decided to join the bandwagon and order my first pumpkin spice latte, and Elizabeth swiped the second half for herself.  I don’t blame her.  Not at all.  I love these sweet one on one times with the kids and try to steal them any chance I can.

But before this coffee date, I lost her.  Yes, I lost Elizabeth.  After loading up the car for the day, I turned around to hoist Elizabeth up into her carseat, and she was straight up missing.  We were already running late, so I was a bit more frantic than I would have been with just the run-of-the-mill missing child situation.  (Oh you grandparents, I kid.)  But seriously, you guys, she was nowhere.  Until I saw this…

…the leaf pile.  Of course.  Disaster averted once again.

We’ve also ridden bikes.

And we’ve ridden bikes in skirts.

We’ve celebrated the glorious return of basketball season.

And at long last, the first baby tooth came out today.  The excitement was palpable this morning, you guys.  Few things are more thrilling to a five year old.

Oh yeah, and then there was the time God showed up at Sweet Frog.  Kind of.  It was yesterday, and I was with the three kids after a particularly hairy morning.  I had survived one four year old check up, five shots between two kids, and the experience of keeping the girls (post shots, mind you) still and quiet throughout Carson’s elementary school awards assembly.  Things were touch and go all morning, and I was totally frazzled.  However, I had promised the kids a trip to Sweet Frog (because we rock bribery so well) if they did well with their shots/errands/assembly.  So, I did my best to rally, and into Sweet Frog we marched.  Mary Grace immediately spotted a familiar face and yelled, “hey! I know you from school!”, and I proceeded to make small talk with the child’s mother for a few moments.  As she headed out with her own little brood, she turned to me and said, “I just wanted you to know that you do a really good job with your kids.  I see you picking the girls up on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and I can tell you have your hands full.  But you’re a good mom to them.”  And with that, she left.  I couldn’t decide if I wanted to run out to awkwardly hug her or if I should just cry right there in Sweet Frog.  I did neither.  Instead, I proceeded to kill my cup of frozen yogurt while wiping faces and making potty trips and cleaning up messes and doing the things we moms do…. but with an encouraged spirit that maybe we will all make it out intact.

So, yes, it’s been a good week indeed.

And, hey God, you’re welcome to show up in Sweet Frog any old time you want.  K?