~ Grab my arm and yank ~

Just pull me where ever you need me to go, cause I ain't gettin' there on my own.

What a week!! and not in an "that was the best week of my whole gosh darn life".

NO!

"That was the most emotionally and physically draining week that has hit the charts yet!"

K, here's the run down.

And now that I'm thinking of it...it's been two weeks.

Nov 19...picked up the kids for their first sleep over at mom's house. We've been working up to this. Had a 'late over' the week before. My children have not done a lot of sleep overs. They live close to their grandparents, and are not allowed to sleep over at friends. It's a rule of mine, you can challenge me on it a different day. I don't have the energy today. So come over friday night for pizza and movie. Miss S had announced that she didn't want to sleep over. I didn't sweat it, I know how she is. She's just nervous about not being at her own house. So I didn't say anything. Unbeknownst to her...I had an ace up my sleeve. Waahaha. I've been preparing for the kids to come and stay for a bit. New toothbrushes, pj's and toys that stay at mom's house. No need to pack anything really...I gotcha covered. So they were pretty stocked about new stuff, every kid is right? Miss S love to design clothing and accessories. She is constantly making new dresses and outfits for her dolls and barbies. I found this Project Runway type dealy that you create the outfits for the paper dolls. It's more sophisticated than paper dolls...but whatever. You get the idea...I had new stuff for her to play with. She rocked it. It wasn't a bribe, just a means of helping her be comfortable in a new environment. So she designed....and Mr O built endless cars, trucks and buildings with Lego. JJ man...he played computer. Lego is a little above him, and he's just as happy to be on Nick Jr.

Bed time arrives. O is a super sleeper. Takes him about 2.5 seconds to hit the hay and saw the logs. Princess S does a lot of tossing and turning, but then knocks out like a fighter. JJ man however, he's terrible to get to sleep. Partly because if he's had any type of nap...even 10 minutes he's hit the second wind like I'd main lined him Red Bull.

So JJ man and I hit the Where's Waldo Tour. Even at 3 years old, he can pick that guy out of a Chinese intersection.

By this time I'm dying, can't keep my eyes open. Had already fallen asleep while they watched Ice Age 3. So Sista S and I put the JJ man between us, and we nod off. This works fine. At some point JJ fell asleep cause I was rudely awaken in the night with a head in my back, then a good swift kick...then the slap across the face as he's turning.

I remember at 4 am saying..."J, move over"....and Princess S replying from the other side of the bed..."He is over, I'm gonna fall off soon".

Needless to say, it was not a restful sleep fro the women. The little man though, he was primed for the day.

So...kids slept over.

Saturday, spent the morning and early afternoon with the rats...then dropped them at home so they could go to a birthday party.

Saturday night....Gerry Dee. So funny.

Sunday....spent the whole day trying to help our family/friends get through a very tough, emotional and confrontational time. 7 hours. It was very hard, took hours for us to come down off the stress after. I can't give details, they are not my details to give. But it was a lot.

Monday - FOCIS - Focus on Communication in Separation

This is another free class offered by the court systems. It was a two night opportunity to learn some new strategies to communicate with others, and especially the person we're trying to co-parent with.

Tuesday...our only night home. I think we even made real food rather than take out.

Wednesday - starts as a regular day. Work, the other half of the FOCIS class. THEN....oh yes...THEN. We get out of the class to find missed called, txt messages and emails. "Come now, emergency...warning, warning".

So we run home...well drove, cause Strathmore is very far to run. Pack a quick over night bag...and head out. Time check 10:06.

A few lessons learned in this little night of adventure.

1. If you drive too fast trying to achieve a destination, you will over heat your small car and break stuff.

2. If you break stuff on your car, you have to sit on the side of the highway.

3. If you sit on the highway at midnight, it gets cold.

4. If you can't fix your broken stuff, you have to drive/coast back to your home...and pick up the other vehicle.

5. Trying to achieve destination part 2 - Time Check 12:45 am.

All the while trying to talk, console, locate, reassure, joke, lecture, listen, cry...oh so many things that can happen with a cell phone.

Achieve Destination - Time Check 2:30 am.

Locate Emergency Victim - take away the alcohol. Send to bed.

What we thought would be a over night visit to help a situation, turned into a three days excursion. It was fine, we were needed, we stayed.

Friday night and Saturday - we were already planning to be in Lethbridge, so we just stayed. Spent an entire evening and next day making chocolates.

Did you think the adventures were over?!! Oh no, no no.

Drive home Saturday night, and start to pack. WE'RE SUPPOSED TO MOVE STILL!

The commuting is finally over, the long hours of driving, driving, driving. We made it. Three months of endless driving has finally come to an end.

Destination of New Habitation - Cochrane, or as I like to call it..."In the shadow of the rocky mountains". That's my new return address. Look for it on your Christmas cards.

Hours to pack truck 2

Trips to Cochrane to unload 2

Rad guys that helped us 2

Hours cut off commute everday - = 2!!

Does the adventure end now? oh...no no no.

Car is still broken, and stuck in Strathmore. Fortunately we are a two vehicle house hold...no big deal.

Everything is moved into the garage of new house...but the owners are staying for two more days. We are house sitting for 7 months for them. It's fine, no problem. We feeling like we're having a sleep over...but they'll leave eventually.

Wednesday - owners leave, finally have house to ourselves. It's 8 times the size of the apartment...we have decided. Not sure what to do with all the space.

It snows. Just to top off the adventure of a lifetime...it snows. We are shovelling the postal boxes again this year. So guess what we did last night? And will be doing again tonight? And likely Saturday evening as well...you guessed it.

AND....AND AND AND....this weekend marks the first of kids starting to come for the weekends.

My mailing address for your chocolates, tranquilizers and letters of condolences.

Tiffany
In the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.