Don't Leave...Please

This has been a tough week. Not quite sure why, but I suspect it is the nearing of summer's end, Alex away at college, and the beginning of a near empty and quiet abode during the daytime hours while the kids are at school. And with no homeschoolers this year, it will be a lonely place with only Tubby and the baby here....lonely for all three of us! I really dislike seeing my kids go off to school, and wish they could just stay home forever....and ever....and ever.....right here, all of them.

We have done lots of fun things, and been with some of our bestest (this really SHOULD be a word with how often we use it) friends in the past two weeks. In fact, we hung out with some of our favorite people who live in town today. I forgot my camera (that should be the first clue that something just isn't right), so I have no proof that we actually do have friends here....real live friends. But we do, honest! And though the kids have been so shy with each other in the past, they played wonderfully the other day. We could hear them whispering and giggling in the hallways as they developed their plans in some kind of boy vs. girl game they were conjuring up. I have no idea who won, but it sure was cute listening to them play!

These friends just so happen to have 8 kiddos also, who all are similar in ages to our brood. It is refreshing to be able to converse with someone else who has an idea of the blessings and challenges of many dynamics put into play all under one roof. It was fun to talk about their growing business which will ideally provide them with free time at home and a break from corporate world restraints. I am excited to continue watching them and cheering them on as they travel down this road!

Our highlight of the day was coming home from our visit and finding Alex at home! He was greeted by many little hugs and squeals, and lots and lots of smiles. I think he had missed us too, as he had packed up all his things from Grandma's house in order to begin commuting from home a week earlier than planned. Methinks he likes all these little people after all! And we are all happy to have him back, and I will NEVER suggest he leave again, even if it does decrease his driving time by nearly 2 hours everyday.