Is there a word for worse than crazy?

So I just got a minute to sit down in peace and needed something to destress. I thought this might work.

Well, summer was nuts. I was sick most of it, and the schedule went totally crazy. I finally figured out that my "sickness" was eating too few calories. So I started trying to eat about 2200 calories a day, and all of a sudden I'm not sick any more! So that's good news. I've been living on slim fast type shakes, not to lose weight but to sneak in extra calories between meals.

Well, school started. That's fun. Hahaha. Mandy started Kindergarten, she's in morning. So we drop off 8 kids in American Fork. We have to be there about 7:50 while fighting rush hour traffic through a construction zone. One day Peter was 40 minutes late because all three of our possible roads were blocked.

Then there's the morning pick up; leave at 10:30, pick up two, then take 4 kids to whatever errand I have to do, come home and do lunch. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I then have to get Stephanie ready for pre-school and drop her off by 1. Then it's a few minutes to switch laundry, fold laundry, do dishes, clean the kitchen, etc. At 2:20 we're back in the car with my three kids plus Tanner (I have him three days a week) to pick up the kids who are out at 2:30. Load 7 into the car, and get back on the freeway for another fun drive.

Back home at 3 PM hopefully (assuming traffic goes well, it doesn't always cooperate though!) and pick up Stephanie at 3:30.

I keep all of the kids until 3:30 when Brent comes with Sara and picks up his kids plus a neighbor kid we're shuttling around with all of ours.

I had a three day week to slowly transition to the schedule, then a full week of school to really figure out what our week looks like, then this week pre-school started. So at least I didn't have to do it all at once.

So last night I got a call. Let me back up. Peter and I have been feeling that we should go back on active status for foster care (we've been on hold while Lisa got a little older). I met with my RFC last week to talk about what we were willing to take, let her get to know us, see the house, etc.

So then last night I got a call from a frantic foster mom asking me to take her foster kid. She's 18 and goes by Ali. She has two kids, a boy age 3 and a girl age 1. Peter and I had about half hour to decide. We talked to each other, the kids, and prayed. We decided to do it.

She's awesome! They dropped her off about half hour after we decided to take her. We put her in the guest room with a pack and play. Her boy sleeps with her. She loves the guest room, loves the house, the space, the peace (if you can call it that! she thinks so anyway) and has asked if I'll keep her. We'll work out the details Tuesday at the family team meeting. I don't have a problem with keeping her, but her Therapist wants her to go back. She says absolutely no way. So we'll see what happens. Turns out most foster families won't take her because they don't want the kids. They're her kids though. She does all of the parenting. I don't have to do anything. Actually, I don't get to do anything. They're hers and she's the only one who's allowed to parent them. Fine with me!

So we had a fun morning hanging out over breakfast, in the van, at Costco (side note; Costco with 6 kids 5 and under is interesting!). We get along well.

One fun side note is that she's Catholic. She hasn't been active for about 5 years, and wants to get back into it. Hmmm. I just happen to sing in the choir, know the people there, etc. Interesting. God has his mysterious ways, doesn't he?

So we'll see how it goes. In the mean time, I'm tired!

Well, back to laundry.

PS want to de-stress? Sara found a fantastic choir I listen to on YouTube when I can. They're called Libera and they're a boy's choir. Phenomenal sound, plus very soothing.