My Basis kids, Caleb and Savannah, have the whole week off. Believe me, they've earned it. They've done the work of an entire year in just nine weeks. And then some.
My other two, trudged reluctantly back to school today, as I pumped them full of promises of a couple more days off at the end of the week.
Minus David, we all spent the day yesterday playing round after round of Bang! and eating the weekend leftovers. This morning Caleb and Savannah slept blessedly late and then we played a few more hands and an opening match of Caleb's new game, Power Grid. Then we went for a late lunch and a lazy trip through Barnes and Noble, mostly just to browse. It was a near perfect way to spend the day, and I feel nothing but lucky to have them to myself for the week. Believe me, I've earned it too. As amazing as I am, chauffeuring and cheerleading and championing has worn me thin. It is not to much to say that for the past month, the thought of this glorious week in my future has been the only thing getting me out of bed in the morning.
Tonight my three oldest have gone to the temple. It's Savannah's first time inside. When I was ironing Caleb's shirt, I overheard Olivia reassuring Savannah not to worry, that she would show her what to do. And she will. David is on his way home from surgery committee. He had a terrible day, but I will cheer him up because I could not have had a better day. I even managed to wash and fold the laundry in between my turns on the game board. I was fun and efficient. A near impossible combination.
This morning as I was sorting laundry and doing dishes and picking up pens and highlighters and General Conference notes, I found a treasure: Ethan's careful summary of each talk. Succinct little sentences of what he heard. They were a revelation, sweet and tender and unaffected. Then under the notes from President Eyring's talk, Ethan had written:
President Henry B. Eyring talked about the temple and how you can't see Jesus Christ inside the temple.
Which probably wasn't quite the message President Eyring wanted to convey.
I smiled. And wondered if there were any talks that I had misinterpreted as well. What a job those men have!
Speaking of difficult jobs, mine was a very good one to have on a day like today.