Why do you love the mountains?

Thursday
7:30 am: Crawled out of bed...hit ground running.
8:15 am: dropped kids off at school
8:45 am: packed lunch and bags for the day
9:15 am: dropped Reagan off at the sitter
9:32-1:08pm: cleaned a house (not my own...sob)
1:12-1:56pm: went grocery shopping
2:12: picked up Reagan
2:30-3pm: unloaded groceries
3:09pm: picked up kids and took to another sitter
3:15-3:44: work @ store
3:45-4pm: parent/teacher confrences
4:04-5:22: work @ store
5:23-5:25: ran home for snacks and movies
5:27: picked up kids
5:35-7:07: worked @ store
7:11-8:37: fed kids dinner, cleaned up a bit, did some laundry
8:47: swept van out
9:09-10:17: put kids to bed
10:18-12am: did laundry, cleaned up, packed
12:02-12:06am took bath
12:06-12:45am: laid in bed exhausted screaming at myself to SLEEP!
12:45-2:22 slept
2:23 am: woke up. Crawled out of bed, bones creaking.
2:24-3:07am: drank coffee, unloaded dishwasher, reloaded dishwasher, packed van.
3:08-3:18am: loaded kids in van
3:22 am: left home for kids' grandparents in West Virginia
3:22-8:31am: drove south and arrived safely!

Needless to say, Thursday was a tad bit hectic.  Like pull your hair out, brain is muddled, stomach spinning hectic.  But it was worth it.  Worth it to have my children see the grandparents they haven't seen in such a terribly long time.  So worth it to see them jump out of the van and leap onto the porch and into their arms.  So wonderful to see them reconnect with them as if time stood still and there hadn't been a gap of 18 months.  So amazing to see the deep bond they share with one another.  As only family can have.

I shared a cup of coffee with them and then went back into the bedroom and crawled into bed.  I was exhausted. Bone weary, sick to my stomach, muscle twitching exhausted.  I knew I had come to a place of rest and rejuvination.  I slept for a few hours before getting up to spend some time with Uncle Steve.

Uncle Steve is a bear of a man.  As in a teddy bear of a man.  He loves his nephews and niece with such a fierce love and esteem that it melts my heart to see them interact with him.  Before he left, he slipped me some money "to buy some things for those kids".  I know his heart aches for them as he said good-bye with a tender love.  My children are truly blessed to have him for an uncle.

Later in the afternoon the children's grandma, myself and the kiddos went to town to get a few things for the kids.  She bought them bags! of clothes and each a few pairs of shoes.  I was able to buy some rainboots and some clothes for the children with the money from Uncle Steve.  God truly does provide.  He provides our every need as well as wonderful people in our lives to help us through the difficult times.

Tonight when I tucked Reagan in, his last sleepy words summed it up.  "Mommy, do you know why I love the mountains?" "No, Reaggie. Why do you love the mountains?"  "Because grandma and grandpa live in them"  And he drifted off to sleep...with a smile of contentment on his face.

On Sunday night when we make it home I will be tired.  Maybe as tired as I left.  But I will have gained an inner joy and peace in knowing that I gave my children something that is worth the tiredness.  I gave them the gift of time.  Time with the people they love and who love them back.  It will be worth it all.