Alright, people. This is not the promised craft post. I’ll mention a few crafts, but you’ll just have to keep standing around waiting to see said crafts.

Again I’m going to give you two weigh-ins at once. Last week I didn’t hit 153.3 like I wanted, but 154 was pretty close. Yay!

Then I delivered the baby shower and it was fantastic. The craft post I keep teasing you about will show you some of that. Until then, check out Keri’s post. Yes, Keri decorated the bottom of the Hershey’s Kisses. She’s awesome.

Then I did our taxes. Yes, I know that it’s past April 15. It’s quite a long, involved story involving Keelah not having a social security number, me being years behind on financial paperwork and finding out that my driver’s license had been expired for six months. Some other things about the adoption tax credit are involved as well. Who really cares about that. (Nerds like me, but it was a rhetorical question.)

I enjoyed having the taxes off of my plate for about an hour and then realized that we were LEAVING FOR OHIO IN FIVE DAYS. We’re driving there. We have four kids. Ohio is far away. I had done nothing to prepare. No, it’s really far away. Like 2,500 miles or something ridiculous like that.

As a side note, I was chatting with a friend whose family is also heading to Ohio the day after we leave. I mentioned that I had no idea when I was going to get around to packing. She then mentioned that she was done packing. Last month.

Every time I relate that story I get stuck pondering that statement. I never really come to any resolution, I just ponder.

So, then I had another weigh-in. This time I was truly astonished to see 152. Let’s just say I was not tremendously focused on weight loss this week.

Then I made some back-of-the-van-seat organizers for all the fun we’re packing on our way to Wooster. And I shopped for some of that fun. And we had our van fixed. Twice. In fact, I’m pretty sure it needs a third fix, but we’re just gonna go with it, dinging oil light and all.

Packing, you ask?

I’ll get back to you on that. I’m hoping to be at least partially packed by the time we leave on Monday. Well, that’s not fair, I did already hang up the seat organizers and put the coloring books in them. So I guess I am packed a little. But I did renovate the booster and car seats to avoid the numb-butt syndrome that’s been floating around our children after just a couple of hours of riding in the van. And I took tonsil girl to the doctor as it’s becoming apparent that we are mere days away from full blown tonsillitis (again)…probably arriving just about the middle of South Dakota. So now we’ll be packin’ some Zithromax heat.

Okay, that’s it for now. Need something really great to read? This would be it. Think you don’t need something really great to read? You’re wrong. Read it. Seriously. Rachel is consistently really good on all this parenting stuff, but this kind of reminder is the kind that is needed frequently. I was reminded of the overwhelming (potential) strength we are bringing up in the Higgins oxen. God has blessed us with more life in these four littles than we can handle. That’s not supposed to be easy. Or, more to the point for my current temptations to impatience, that’s not supposed to be quiet. That kind of life is deafening. That post is helping me be excited to take our ear-splitting tent of rejoicing on the road.

If I could just get us packed.

Mo Higgins @hobbsandbean