If she had the proper words to say,

So today (yesterday? It's after midnight now...) involved a lot of running around right at the beginning of the day. Philip had a dentist appointment this morning at 7:30, and we had to drop him off at the base hospital so that I'd be able to get A.J. to school at 8 o'clock. In between dropping Philip off and taking A.J., I took a quick shower. Of course, there wasn't even time to dry my hair, so I'm sure I looked like a complete goober driving to A.J.'s school with my hair still wrapped up in a towel turban!

As soon as A.J. was out of the car, we continued on to the hospital to pick up Philip, me still sporting my cool 'do. I traded places with him so he could drive back home, as it was actually a bit difficult to turn my head to see properly without bumping the turban on the roof of the van. He got Jack dressed for the day while I dried my hair, and in just a bit, we were ready for him to drop us both off for my Parents at Home meeting.

And then there was a change in plans.

Some backstory: each week when I attend my Parents at Home meeting, Jack spends time with other children in the church's care program. For the past two years, that has meant being in the nursery. This year, however, the care has been segregated a little bit: separating the older, preschool-aged kids from the toddlers and babies. That was fine and dandy with him for many of the meetings at the beginning of the year. In recent weeks though, there haven't been enough volunteers for the nursery, and so all the kids have needed to be kept together in one spot. And Jack really misses being in just the older group - he's tired of the nursery and the fussiness of the younger kids and babies.

He's asked me a few times if he could come along with me to my "mom's group," but I keep telling him that it would be so boring for him, and that I'm sure he has more fun with the other kids. He doesn't believe me, though. Our Parents at Home group meets in the youth center, and I think he envisions all us moms playing foozball and air hockey (there are a few game tables in the youth room) instead. Last week, he even shed a few tears as soon as we arrived and were told that the older kids would be in the nursery again, and I felt bad - he never cries, and the poor volunteers thought it was because he didn't want to be left; not the real reason at all.

So we were all ready to go, and then Jack started sobbing. He climbed up in my lap and covered my shirt in tears. He absolutely did not want to go to "the baby room," and I felt bad for him. Even though I'd been looking forward to hearing our librarian speaker today for a few weeks, I couldn't make him go. Instantly, we needed a change of plans, but I was starving too (there is usually refreshments/breakfast stuff at the group). So we all decided on breakfast out together, and Jack picked Vidlak's for the place.

And we had a good meal together, just the three of us. We all ate a ton, and we lounged around and giggled some. We got back home in time for me to change into my uniform for work, and then Philip and Jack dropped me off at Runza.

And we were BUSY today. Due to scheduling conflicts, there's only three of us on Thursdays for now, and it is hard to keep up. At one point, I had a piercing headache strike within a minute's time, and it lasted for about ten minutes. When it finally disappeared, it did so just as quickly as the pain had hit. I admit - that worries me just a bit. Then again, I'm just so glad it went away, because it would have been very painful to continue an entire shift with a headache like that. I didn't mention it to anyone else at the time, either.

Philip and I swapped places at 2pm, and then I came home. We received Jack's lamp in the mail today, so he and I set that up in his room. It makes a very cool nightlight, too. Then it was time to pick up A.J. from school, and the boys played a little X-Box 360 afterwards. I worked on a few pictures and then laid down for a short nap.

I do love that my boys are perfectly able to entertain and care for themselves when I take a nap. They are so wonderful sometimes. :-)

I had planned grilled chicken salad for dinner, but Philip finished off the tomatoes without my realizing it. Also, the boys and I arrived to pick him up from Runza at 7pm, but I had been wrong in looking at the schedule, and he didn't actually get off until 7:30. While we waited, my tummy took to rumbling fiercely, and when he finally got in the car, we decided to just grab a quick bite somewhere instead. We also stopped and filled up with gas before coming back home, happy to find that the rate at the Shoppette on base was still only $1.91/gallon (most of the other gas stations around had shot up $.18/gallon overnight).

The boys had a quick shower and then settled in for bed. Philip headed out to Jammer's with the guys, and I snuggled in on the couch to watch The Beach. Lots of eye candy, my friends - lots. Mmmmm, Leo. ;-)

Oh, and we have a date for Philip's departure now...

Now I'm getting pretty tired, and Philip should be home shortly. He called just after midnight to tell me he'd be home about 1am, and I'm thinking I can stay up until then. Oh, but then I'm going to be very ready for bed. :-D

In other news, this is my 3000th post. Watch out for clumpy confetti!

*confetti rocks all around*

Earlier today, my dear friend beanpop left me something very special - my 25,000th comment!

Oh, how she made my day! And not only does she have my happiness and gratitude, but I've got a little something for her as well! :-D

*dances in the confetti*

I'm proud to announce that I have just given away a very special gift of mine to a very special man.

(Not THAT gift, people - git yer minds outta the gutter!)

jjustj has just been awarded my 15,000th comment. Come hither, all ye good folks, and congratulate him!

(Or, you know... congratulate ME - for being such the LJ spaz that I am!)

So, Philip and Ryan have been at it again tonight with the X-Box. For the first time even, I actually sat and watched them play three games against one another. Lessons learned:

• Philip is mean


• Ryan is not


• Philip's playing is hindered by my talking *grin*


• Ryan's is not


• When Philip takes a cheap shot, Ryan gets him back... and HOW

Halo 2. I surprised myself by finding it halfway interesting.

Shawna walked her kids over Thursday night because they wanted to see the "Christmas lights" up close. I didn't mind, and all of our Halloween lights were already on for the night. The boys came out to play, and we all stayed in the backyard and played on the swingset until almost 8:30pm. She was supposed to go in this morning to be induced for her fourth baby... I don't suppose I'll find out for a few more days about the delivery, but I hope it went well today.

Philip got up this morning and took A.J. to school. Then he came home, snuggled back in bed for another twenty minutes or so, and then he got up again and took Jack to preschool. He let me continue to sleep in! After he dropped off Jack, he came back home and snuggled back into bed again... but not much sleeping occurred then. ;-) And then we both got up and took a shower together - it's so nice to have your back scrubbed by someone else in the shower, especially when you don't have to worry about kids knocking down the door. :-)

A.J. had an early dismissal at school today, and he earned himself some extra time on the computer this afternoon with another 100% on his weekly spelling test. I went grocery-shopping this afternoon, and Jack surprised me by asking if he could come along. He was more well-behaved today at the commissary than I think he has ever been anywhere! He pushed the cart for the first six aisles, and he wouldn't allow me to touch it at all. As we rounded the corner of Aisle Four, I rested my pinkie finger on the end of the cart to "help" steer it around a candy bar display... but it was too late, and though I tried to catch the falling candy, I missed them all. Two very nice young airmen rushed up to help Jack and I put the display back together, but I told them not to worry about it - I knew that Jack would have an absolute blast sorting all of the candy back into the display. I built the display again and then sure enough, Jack enjoyed counting every single bar as he put them back into it. :-) He continued to help me all throughout the store, and he didn't run away from me or ask me for anything... not even a candy bar as he was sorting them. I was so proud.

At the end of our shopping (two carts full, and it only totalled $104!), I told him he could pick out a drink for being such a good helper with me. He ran off to the coolers, and the cashier leaned forward to ask me if he would be bringing back one or two drinks. I told her I was sure he'd only bring back one, but as soon as I said it, Jack rounded the corner, two drinks in his hands. Our cashier, plus another one that had been looking over, both started to "Awwww!" but stopped short as Jack said, "Mom! I got me a drink *AND* I got Daddy one, too!" Then they just laughed and laughed. I laughed too, and then I told him, "Don't I get a drink too, Jack? I was a good helper, and I'm kinda thirsty, too." He looked at me for a second, and then I saw the realization spread across his face, and he held out a drink to me and said, "Okay, Mama. You can have my drink (hands me a drink), and Daddy can have this one."

*melt*

I hugged him, and then noticed that the drink he was offering me was a Coke with lime (ew!), so I told him that we'd go pick out another drink so that we could each have one (and then I snagged a regular Coke). Such a sweetheart, he is. :-)

I can't think of much else tonight. Oh, but before I forget...

this is my 2000th entry!

*throws confetti all around*