Babies, Brownies and Blessings

As I was walking to pick BigBoy #1 up from school the other day I found myself about 10 feet behind another woman. In a matter of moments I caught this delightful whiff of...something... She smelled great and I'm not sure if it was perfume or her shampoo or what. All I know is I was impressed that at 3:40 in the afternoon she left behind a delightful waft that made me feel I was walking through a field of flowers... After enjoying the scent for a few yards I got to thinking, what must I smell like? Would someone behind me be considering what perfume I was wearing or want to find out where I buy my hair products? Pretty sure not. In fact, I'm guessing they would look something like this:  Because halfway through my day all I know for sure is I've been inundated with the most unsavory sights, sounds and most certainly, smells. I'm guessing you'd describe my "perfume" as earthy with a touch of boy-sweat, baby milk spit and a hint of grease with und...

For the better part of the last 7 years, over half our marriage and all of our parenting years, Brian has worked the evening shift. This particular shift is some 8 hour variation of 3pm to 11pm (3:30pm-midnight, etc.). As a nurse, I'm not stranger to shift work, and to be quite honest, this schedule didn't bother me too much. ...Until lately. Slowly over the last couple years I have tired of doing the bedtime routine alone with 3 little ones. I miss being a family when something fun comes up on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday or Friday evening. Now before I make it sound like this is all hardship for me and peachy-keen for Bri I will explain what he has been missing out on all these years. Family meals, impromptu picnics, grabbing a beer with the guys, Bible studies or small groups, and the list goes one. And he's had to listen to me complain. Something I'm not proud of.... Enter the school year of 2011. BigBoy #1 is a kindergartene...