Wow - it was a busy weekend. A crazy weekend. A good weekend. A sad weekend. All rolled into one. A weekend wished for - to relax and enjoy, and a weekend dreaded because it meant the beginning of the end, and the start of the goodbyes.
Still trying to recover from my illness - (whatever it may be....I'm going back to the doctor again today.) I was excited to be able to sleep in on Saturday. Well, that was the plan. But Carissa's alarm didn't go off, and it was her first day of work for her internship.
(At Oak Park Festival Theater.)
The job is about 50 minutes away and it was now 40 minutes before she was supposed to be there. So, being the mom, I jumped up, threw on a pair of dirty jeans and a t-shirt, ran a comb through my horribly dirty hair, ran a washcloth over my face, grabbed my keys and headed for the car. That way I could drive and she could get ready in the car. Plus, she didn't know exactly where she was going.
Of course there was traffic. Of course we got stopped by trains. Of course the place was hard to find. But fortunately her boss was forgiving. Way to make a great first impression. ;)
I did have presence of mind to grab a book as I ran out the door, so I was able to sit in a beautiful wild flower garden in
Oak Park and think and read while she was in her meeting. After about an hour I got cold and moved to a lovely bench in the sun. Mmmmmm. After awhile the meeting was over and they went right to work. Apparently she would be working all day. I was hungry, I had to use the bathroom.....and I was in Oak Park. I couldn't just walk into a restaurant looking as awful as I did......
SOS to Kim. Please bring the other car out here and rescue me. Please. By now I was out of quarters for the meter, and also getting a bit too much sun. After about an hour he arrived, we left a car for Carissa and headed on home. And lunch. And a bathroom. :)
Where I had to catch up on the stuff I planned to do that day.......
Sunday. Normal Sunday routine. Up and out the door by 9 to drive to Yorkville. No problem. I didn't even forget the food, or the gifts for the party. April's parents were in town visiting, and it was so nice to meet them! After church we had our routine lunch out as a group - which is always fun. Then we headed back to Mike and Julie's for the baby shower/going away party. I pretty much staked out a place on the couch - since this whole breathing thing still isn't going so well. But we had a great time. We had typical party games, food, gifts - for the baby shower; and we made a scrapbook for Steve, Wendy and Liam for their going away gift.
It's hard to say goodbye to people that have become your family. Especially when they are moving so far away. They are the first to go from our little flock. And we will really miss them. I am grateful for the time we had together and all the good times we shared.
Jen called around the time the party was winding down. She was home from Michigan and her marathon.
And she was hungry! So the girls and I took off for home. Of course, then no one could decide where to eat. We are pathetic. I did decide I was really hungry for a burger - no clue why. Which is problematic cuz Jen is a vegetarian. LOL. Fortunately, we have a
Red Robin close by and I could get my yummy hamburger and Jen could get a boca burger version. Problem solved.
We had a good meal, and headed home. How could the evening be passing so quickly? Jen was leaving in the morning for Kansas City by way of Minneapolis.
Where has all the time gone? Two goodbyes in one weekend is just not fair! How did we celebrate our last evening? By piling in my bed (yes, with the dog) and watching
Forrest Gump. :)
Morning came - it always does. And it was time for even harder good byes. But we managed - after a rather humorous episode of trying to cram even more stuff in the back of her jeep wrangler, and figure out how Jake (who she had just met the night before when he crashed on our floor, and would be traveling with her -) tried to fold his 6 foot something skinny frame into the front seat of her wrangler where some days I barely fit. I miss Jen.
Kim and Carissa headed out to do some shopping. That is an understatement. They went to Carmax to find another car. One that Carissa can take back to school in the fall. Apparently Carissa has daddy wrapped around her little finger. They came home with a loaded, six year old Mini Cooper. With GPS and a sunroof.
Me, I hacked away at the ground trying to get more of it ready for planting, and I hacked away half my lungs as I did it. But by the late afternoon I did have 8 tomato plants, 8 pepper plants, and all my herbs planted. (The melons, cucumbers, and squash went in on Saturday.) All I have left to go are the beans, and Kim will have to get the ground ready for them. And let me tell you, it was hot and really, really muggy yesterday. I felt like I was breathing soup. Well....when I could breathe. I finally gave up, took a shower, and went for a spin in the Mini Cooper. It's been 22 years since I drove a stick, but it was great fun.
Now we have 5 cars to juggle in our driveway every day. Let me tell you - that takes creativity and planning.
This morning I woke up to hear Kelsey talking to someone. Before 7. She's never up before 7 if she's not going to classes. Puzzled I asked her what was up - and apparently, maybe, possibly Julie is in labor and Kelsey was headed to Yorkville to watch Emma. Hopefully all is well there. The baby would be early, but he is good sized. And Julie has been so sick she needs to deliver this child. I hope it's not a false alarm for her sake, yet part of me wants it to be for the babies sake......
So, now I'm at work, still coughing, and tired as heck. But I only have to work another hour because I'm going to the doctor (yes - again) today to see if I am any better.......
So, that was my weekend. Not written in a very polished form, just bare bones. Cuz that is where I am right now. Just the facts. Minus wittiness or humor. Or depth.
Now you know.
UPDATE: Well, Julie is still pregnant.....good for the baby, hard on Julie. And frustrating.
C'est la vie......
