The last few days

-One day this week I had a little something that required a quick trip to the doctor.  We have a nurse practitioner at Kroger right around the corner from our house.  I thought I could just swing in before I had to take Andrew to preschool.  He was very disappointed when we left the house and did not head to school.  He said, "Can't you just take me to preschool, give me a hug and THEN go to the doctor?!?"
-I was asking Jack the other day about friends at school.  He said, "There are some boys in my class that I thought I might be friends with, but then I noticed they kept getting bad conduct grades.  So, I decided to stay away from them."  Yes sir Jack, yes sir.  I explained to him that while we love all people it is a good idea to identify those that might lead us in a wrong direction and set the example for them instead of following.  Yahoo...maybe he has been listening?
-Clayton is trying out for honor choir today.  At some point this weekend he reminded me that he needed to learn this piece of music from memory.  We do not have a CD player in the house so we found ourselves sitting in the garage in the car practicing this song.  It was a good time.  I am happy to report that he knows the song and should be prepared for the audition.  I'm also happy to report that I know the song, A Dream Within a Dream, as well and would be ready for my audition.  Ha!
Along the lines of this audition...middle school has brought about all new territory for us.  Take this try out for instance.  I know nothing, except that he had an extra rehearsal and that he stays after school today.  He sings alto and he is supposed to sing with a soprano and a baritone.  Is this group assigned?  Does he need to enlist the services of people outside of middle school?  Can Fred and I audition with him?  I don't know.  That's why I sent his teacher an email asking those questions.  I offered the services of Fred and myself to help with the audition.  What sixth grade boy would not love to have his parents audition with him?!?  His teacher laughed and assured me that he would help all the students get in their groups.  But then he added at the end that he would welcome Fred and me to audition with Clayton.  If I didn't think it would scar Clayton for life I would totally call his teacher's bluff.  Would that not be awesome if Fred and I auditioned with him???
-We said goodbye to Fred's brother and his family.  I'm going to miss those guys.  Sniff, sniff.  When they come back our crew will be 13 (8th grade, finishing up middle school...yikes!),  10 (5th grade, finishing up elementary school...mercy!) and 7 (2nd grade...I can't even talk about it!!)
While we will miss them terribly I am so excited for what God has in store for their family.  I know He will accomplish great things through them!
-Fred ran the Chick Fil A 5K Labor Day morning.  He said there were over 1000 people there.  (Hello Memphis runners...so different from the running scene in Paris, where a crowd at a 5K would be 150.)  He came in 6th in his age division.  Such a good runner.  Grin.
Once Fred got home we loaded up and headed to Shelby Farms to ride bikes on the Green Line.  We told the boys that we would get gelato at the halfway point.  It was a good time.  Andrew got to ride in the trailer.  I think next time I may switch with him.  If only...
All in all we rode about 11 miles.

 It was about at this point that the boys were done.  Sure, they are smiling, but it was only moments before that there was a semi meltdown over water.  Fred managed to get a smile out of them and we carried on.  This picture still makes me shake my head.

After we finished riding we let Andrew play on the playground and then we grabbed dinner with Fred and Renee.  Good times.
-I walk in the mornings for about an hour before anyone gets up at my house.  It really is my favorite time of day.  It is so peaceful.  There's just something about the sun coming up that is relaxing.  It's just such a reminder to me that I'm not in control.  Anywho...this morning it was just beautiful coming up over the trees behind my house.  So pretty in fact that I took a picture.  I paused outside briefly to take in the moment.

It's a good thing I did because as soon as I stepped in the door Jack was standing there, in his underwear with a thermometer in his mouth saying, "I just threw up."  Awesome...not really.  But, at least I get to spend a little extra time with my sweet Jack.  Now, we're keeping our fingers crossed that no one else gets it.  Here's to hoping.