I couldn't bear to take him to Target this way. I told him to get dressed and he put on shorts and snow boots. So I made him change his socks and shoes. Isn't he handsome?

911

Today is Day 7. Aaron has been gone 7 days and comes home today. You would think I would have everything under control by now.

We went to church this morning (the 8:45 service, mind you) and got home without a hitch. The moment I walked through the door Aaron called to tell me he's out of gas in Iowa and could I please see if there is a Roadside Assistance number.

I left the boys playing on their bikes in the garage and tried to weed through the too-much-information-highway to find what doesn't exist- Roadside Assistance in Iowa. When I heard screaming in the garage I finally pulled the boys in the house and sat them down to watch t.v.

I continued my search until Asher crawled on my lap in the office- then put him upstairs with a snack. After LOTS of commotion from the kitchen, and after yelling Owen's name 50 times, I found Asher standing on the kitchen table and Pringles scattered and smashed all over the kitchen. I found Owen (hiding outside) and explained that his Papa had somehow run out of gas and needed my help, so could he please behave while I helped him. Owen went to the window to look outside for Papa, proving to me that he had no idea what I'd just said.

As I spoke to the one live person in Iowa who knew anything about Motorist Assist, I heard Asher crying upstairs. Asher's cries can mean many things- Owen hit me, I fell down, I need food, or I'm bored. So I ignored it. Nonchalantly, Owen shows up to say, "Asher fell and he's bleeding on his face."

So I hung up on the not-helpful woman and tended to Asher, who had a bloody, fat lip. Then I stuck him in his crib, Owen in his room and told them Mom needed a time -out before she blew her stack.

So I made lunch in peace, set the table and called them. Owen was using the restroom. AFter Asher and I had been eating a few minutes, I went to find Owen, who had a LOT of toilet paper unraveled and was wrapping it around his hands. "You're in trouble again," I said simply and went back to lunch. Since he knows not to put too much toilet paper in the toilet, imagine my surprise when he sauntered in a few minutes later, completely naked, and said, "The water's coming out onto the floor!" Now imagine him saying this in the same tone of voice you would use to say, "The flowers are blooming." Kind of happy, filled with wonder, but with no anxiety whatsoever.

Yes, another mess to clean. But this time, it was Owen's turn.

So, I'm pondering what constitutes a 911 emergency. I was told Aaron should call 911 for Roadside Assistance. Is it really an emergency that my husband can not allocate the correct amount of gas to travel between points A and B? If so, then I should be able to call 911 at any point in my day to come and rescue me with some kind of fuel to keep me going- such as nannies, chocolate, diet Coke and Jesus. Doesn't that make sense?

Weather

March 10: Owen is sledding at Aunt Sherah's house...


...while Asher learned how to throw a snowball with his bare hands!

Mid-March: the snow melt in the backyard creates a pond that has to be pumped out.

April 11 (Otherwise known as spring-time): we get more snow!