July-where did it go?

Wow-I can't believe summer is almost over. I think there are only 4 weeks until school starts. But with the shock of Gayla being gone, I've lost a whole month...and I'm still not ready to come back.

I feel guilty because all of the things I had planned for the kids this summer aren't going to happen, but I know I can't just forget about her and move on. I feel like I should be doing more, but I just don't have the energy.

Thank God for my Mom, who somehow knows that she is doing exactly what I need right now! Which I also feel guilty about, because she has been going 24/7 since the beginning of June. My mom and dad went on a cruise through Europe and were gone for 3 weeks. The night they got home was the night Gayla died. So, when I found out the next day, I was hysterical and she wanted me to just pack up the kids and head over there; which we did the next day. (Gayla died in the early hours of July 4.) So mom and dad got one good night's sleep, then I show up with the 3 hyperactive monkeys that are my children. People, you need more than one good night's sleep to deal with this crew! And I know they were worn out from that trip!

When we left on Sunday, my mom insisted on keeping Ethan for a week. (Insert big, bulging eyes of disbelief look here. lol!) But it was what I needed...some time with no fighting. All you have to do is remove Claire or Ethan from the situation, and it's like Heaven here! But, put them in a house together, and it becomes the clashing of two universes! So that was a nice quiet week with just the girls.

She brought Ethan home on Friday, then went back home on Saturday. Then she did have a week to herself before she got the girls last Sunday. And this week with just Ethan home is so nice! He's so quiet when he is alone, nobody is pushing his buttons, little sisters aren't around and he can just play and do whatever he wants. We got him a big pad of really big paper and a brand new roll of duct tape, and I think we've only exchanged about a dozen sentences so far all week! lol! It never fails...give that boy some paper, markers or crayons, Lego's and tape and he is good to go! Ethan and I would make good roommates...we just want to be left alone to do what we want to do. I can't go get the girls until Tuesday, so this weekend we are going to take Ethan to see Harry Potter and just hang around doing whatever.

So this is exactly what I have needed...if I could just get rid of this tightness in my chest that makes it hard to breathe, and the knot in my stomach that will only accept Strawberry Pop-Tarts and Dr Pepper.

Sorry there is no craftiness in this post. The whole ArtSmith summer has been very non-crafty. Hopefully it'll pick up soon.