In like a lion, out like a lamb

I know I have mentioned my intense dislike of Fridays before.I am not sure why Friday's seem so difficult. Possibly the culmination of a very busy week and the fact I am more then ready for Mark to be home with us. Our weekends go far too fast, are often far too busy and Monday comes far too quickly, but at least we are all together. Mark and I do errands together and we can also divide and conquer with kids to be more efficient or try and spend one on one time with who ever seems needing it most at the moment. Well, Friday started out wild. Morning craziness. Kids in all directions. Some to school, some to work, some to therapy. Joe had therapy 45 minutes away and to say he was less then a treat to drive with would be understating it.  He pulled a Mr. Hyde move and was more then charming for the therapist when we got there. I am convinced she probably believes I am totally off my rocker where Joe's behavior is concerned. He was agreeable, cooperative and very soft spoken. Give it a couple more sessions and I am sure he'll find himself feeling comfy and his alter ego will emerge. The session ran an hour and half, Zoey was perfectly content just watching the goings on. On the way home we had to stop off at our local hospital for Zoey's routine and one month over due blood work. I usually have Mark take her and call for results because it is the one aspect of all the things that she has going on that really makes me come apart at the seams. I had a pit in my stomach the whole drive. I kept thinking about this fever she has had lately and how she's been so tired and  a little off. Instead of logically thinking she has picked up what the boys have had and that she hasn't been sleeping due to teething, I went to worst case scenario. I don't think I will ever get comfortable with these draws. But I wanted it done before we went to UCLA and before the weekend so we would have results. It's not watching her having it drawn that bothers me,it's the fact that we have to have them done in the first place that I can't stand. So I sucked it up and took her myself. We were in and out of there really quick and the girl who has drawn her several times in the past was there.She is super sweet and she put a STAT order on it, took my cell phone number and called me within a half hour with the results. The results say ....... we are good for another 3 months. Relief. Sheer and utter relief. Finally got home at 1:55 after being gone since 9:45 , picked up Jake , Jacquie came for Zoey's therapy, and then we turned around and went back to Jake's school for a very fun carnival. Just me and my boys and Zoey. Two hours of watching  wide eyed , wonder filled, darling children running aimlessly from booth to booth, having the time of their lives. Jake was very proud, he won the cake walk. Joe , ticked off because he didn't. Zoey just kicking back enjoying the ride. Homeward bound and dinner, showers and one of our favorite movies, The Iron Giant. We topped it off with a piece of Jake's winning cake, cookie cake actually. As an added bonus Jess is home. See how that works when you have as many children as I do?Some leave at times but there's always someone coming back home. Caitlin went to San Diego, Taylor is out with her boyfriend but the one who lives away from home, came home. The boys were thrilled to see her. She did the night time book readings and said their prayers with them. One of the really beautiful things about having had these children so far apart is watching the interaction between them. It is absolutely priceless. So as crazy as the day began, at 8pm ,there are three little ones down for the count. Mark is on his way home and Jess and I get some quality time together, just us two. Well, right after I am done blogging. Down right calm around here. The weekend is packed full of a little of this and a lot of that. Graduation parties, sleepovers at big sisters house, lots of errands and all the planning and scheduling for when Zoey and I are gone next week at UCLA. The week has flown by but all in all I feel, despite the insanity, and maybe because of the insanity, I feel we are achieving some normalcy. Just in time to change it up again next week. But I feel ready. I feel that peace I having been longing for. I have been repeating a verse lately, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". If I can keep repeating that verse I think I can find my way through the days that lie ahead.