At my older sister's urging, I am finally doing a post, this time with lots of pictures. Please be sure to also see Jack at his finest in the video blog I just posted below.

The one of Chloe and Tucker in front of our van was taken on their first day of preschool last Monday. Tucker is going to the New Boston Central preschool three mornings a week to get help with his speech, and Chloe is going to the four-year-old program affiliated with our church three mornings a week. I think that considering everything, the first week went well. I think I can truthfully say, though, that it was the busiest week of my life to date as a mom. The mornings consisted of getting everybody dressed and out the door by 7:45 (or at least three of the mornings) to get Tucker to school by 8:00. Then rush home to deliver Chloe to her preschool around 8:15. When we got home I would either do a few chores, feed the baby, or get Jed started on school, or all of the above. Try to pack as many of Jed's subjects into a small window of time as possible (while not rushing him or sacrificing quality, of course!), then rush off to pick Tucker up at 10:35. Come back home, do a few chores, and pick up Chloe at 11:15. The afternoons were full with grocery shopping, weekly library trip, Chloe's gymnastics, etc. And Jed starts up Drama Kids this Tuesday. ARGH!

Thankfully, I won't have to pick up Tucker every day, just drop him off. For the first two days I picked him up and then on the third day a little kiddie bus brought him home (another story in itself for another time!), but then a friend of mine who picks up her daughter from kindergarten at the same time and comes right up to the church offered to get him each day. I am so much happier with this arrangement!

At the end of each day I would collapse into bed, thinking of the piles of laundry that still didn't get folded, the e-mails that didn't get written, and the bathroom that desperately needs cleaning. But happy in the knowledge that my kids are getting a great education and are secure in their mommy's love for them because they know they're more important to me than a perfect house. Though perfection is nice. It would be nice to enjoy order and spotlessness for more than five minutes at a time! I wonder, do moms ever get used to never being caught up? Even now it's almost 8:30 p.m. and the kitchen still hasn't been cleaned up because Evan was doing youth group and usually he takes care of bedtime while I do dishes. Since the bedtime ritual fell to me (man, am I glad that's usually his job!) the kitchen is showing it. But I wanted to get this blog done TODAY, so the stinkin' dishes can wait!

The sweet-looking girl in the picture with me is the one I've mentioned several times that I keep running into at different stores (always the same stores!). She came for dinner several weeks ago. We had a great time with her. The kids fell in love with her; she speaks their language and, best of all, she jumps on the trampoline with them! She and I really hit it off, and we talked till 9:30 I think. So good to have another heart friend.

Maybe next time I'll write about something a little more interesting than "oh my word I'm SOO busy." One can always hope.