When Will It Be Saturday?

This week can pretty much be summed up by a quote from Kate. On Wednesday sometime in mid-morning Kate looked up at me and said, “Mom, when will it be Saturday so we can go get Dad from school?”. The only problem was that on Saturday Josh was at school again until late afternoon. Wharton is still in Pre-Term. Josh has been studying for and taking various placement exams for some classes and exams to waive other classes. Pretty much, he has been gone. The girls and I have been trying to keep busy, but we miss him nonetheless. I don’t know how it can get much worse in terms of absenteeism once the real term starts, but I have been assured by wives who have gone before me that it will. I guess we’ll just make the most of the time when he is around and make the most of the time when he isn’t. That’s the goal anyway as long as I can keep the grumpy neglect monsters within under control.

I actually managed to get out on my bike this week. I did a little research on the internet and found a group ride on Thursday evening at 6:00 with the Bicycling Club of Philadelphia. I left a message on Josh’s phone saying I would really like to participate in that ride if I could. Bless his heart he made it home and even helped me pump up my tires and lube my chain. I arrived at the gathering place and started to talk to a few people. There was a group of slightly overweight older guys and then there was a group of young, muscle rippling, head-to-toe matching outfit guys. I talked to both. The old guys nudged me toward the younger crowd. The younger crowd kept talking themselves up so much that by the time I was done chatting with them their average speed was 25 mph uphill. I decided, after a month of not riding, I would go with the older crowd. They were very friendly and it was a fun ride. They told me all about pre-schools and raising children and vacations to the West. The scenery was beautiful! I wish I knew where we went so I could go there again, but I have absolutely no idea. I loved riding again and am so thankful to Josh for making it happen.

Before we left Utah a friend of ours asked me what I was looking forward to the most about moving to Philadelphia. My answer was spending time with my girls full-time. Then he asked me what I was the most nervous about and my answer was the same. I was called as Relief Society president two weeks after Kate was born. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved that calling. I loved the sisters I served. And, I am so grateful I had that opportunity. However, I also feel like in many ways I have been a working mom ever since I became a mom. Now I pretty much don’t have anything to do but take care of my girls. I was nervous about that prospect and I was looking forward to it at the same time. Now, I am simply loving it. I love playing with them, going on adventures with them, cooking with them, reading to them, and tucking them in at night. We went to the zoo twice this week. We made cookies. We colored and played paper dolls. Of course every moment isn’t bliss. I still have to clean up pee trails down the hall and squished grapes off the floor. Believe me, there are no roses blooming beneath our feet, but all in all I love being a Mom.

One cute story to conclude: Trader Joe’s is again becoming one of our favorite grocery stores. Cheap milk, fun snacks, free samples, frozen fruit for smoothies...what’s not to like?! Kate and Jane have learned to love it too, mostly because they give kids free balloons at the check out stand. A week ago we stopped there for some emergency milk before the Sabbath and the girls both came home with a balloon tied around their wrist. They spent the next day bopping the balloons all over the house and had a grand giggling time. A day or two later Kate said, “Mom, can we go get another balloon from Joseph Smith’s?” I couldn’t correct her on that one. It was too cute.

So, again the invitation is yours to come visit us! We’ll take you to “Joseph Smith’s”. We’ll show you the cheetahs at the zoo and the birds that land on your arms. We’ll sweat it out in the humidity and then drink lemonade when we come home. If you are lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of Joshua on a Saturday night!