I can't remember the last time I skipped an entire blog week, and think I even wrote a quick note the first week I had both kids home from the hospital. But boy are we in the thick of things at the moment, and moving at warp speed. Last week, after five days of drinking from a fire hose in the new job, I left both kids for the first time since I had Ford. The weeklong SJA Course in Charlottesville was both mandatory and helpful- a rare thing in the Army- and a sort of "welcome to the big leagues" announcement by way of "a whole lot of information you really, really need to have if you don't want to get yourself or your boss fired immediately." So I drank way less beer and took way more notes than I'm accustomed to when at the JAG school.
I did get in a couple earlllyyy morning (class started at 0730) trail runs in one of my favorite places, though, and on my one night with no mandatory evening social event, Nicole drove up from Raleigh to have dinner and a glass (or two) of wine at my favorite South African restaurant. I was thrilled to get to see her, and our Residence Inn sleepover (she drove back the next day) was the absolute best part of the trip.
It was really, really hard to leave F+F though, and I would've been beside myself if I hadn't known they were having a great time with Ana & Ata. (Also, Seth would've had a pretty rough week.) This is the four amigos doing the wave as I valiantly fought off tears backing out of the driveway.
But the tiny terrorists had a much better week than I did, and from what I could tell didn't miss me at all.
I got back just in time to ruin bedtime Friday night, after a loonnnggggg drive home, and made the giant mistake of giving Finley the "working Mom guilt" present she requested:
Worst. Idea. Ever. She loves them but they're a real death trap.
Mom and Dad stuck around Saturday so I got to see a little bit of them. Mom and I snuck in a quick hike up Poplopen Torne, and they spent the rest of the day helping us get ready to tackle a crazy week ahead after we realized that we leave for France on Friday! (I'm so overwhelmed with all things related to the new office plus our transition to a two-real-job-household that I haven't even considered packing. It is likely that we'll show up in Europe with a couple of toothbrushes, a coloring book, and the wrong sized diapers.)
Because "why not?"... Saturday also included an ER trip for Ford (who is fine, just a little under the weather). But what a welcome home. Being a working Mom is hard, y'all.
So with all of those balls in the air, naturally Sunday- after the very sad morning departure of Ana & Ata- we ended up hosting a Father's Day BBQ for 16. Seth cooked absurd amounts of meat, and the unusually warm evening devolved into one of makeshift water slides, naked kids, lots of clothing changes, plenty of hilarity, more than a few tears, and a ton of beer. Kind of a perfect way to celebrate father's day. I'm beyond thankful for my Dad, who always comes through for us even when it means a long and painful cross country drive, and for Seth, who revels in the chaos and belly laughs that is parenting our twounderthree. And for good friends in the trenches with us.
That photo is a real keeper. Two other faves are this screenshot of a cousin facetime, with Finley- who had to wear a Sheriff Callie costume to dinner- telling Tyler to "look at my tail!"
And of a gleeful "sword" fight on Sunday morning.
Now here goes nothing! on a quick and crazy short week before we head across the pond.
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