"Matt is in Africa! FOR. REAL."

While I've said that phrase several times and keep having this crazy 'Ah-ha!' moment -which I'm sure pales in comparison to that realization running through his own head- the kids and I have stayed busy.

So, what have we done while Dad is away?

Gone swimming.
Sleepovers with Grandparents.
Ordered pizzas and watched movies.
Lots of mommy snuggles.

Reading Harry Potter with my boy.
Reading Anne of Green Gables with my girl.
(If that isn't enough to give you literary whiplash, I don't know what is! With all of Anne's imaginings, I'm certain she never would've imagined Hogwart's!)

Toss Up. My son brutally beat us. He's vicious.
Make Welcome Home cards when Dad had only been gone for one day. No procrastinating here.
A magical lunch in the land of the stone fairies.

Ate peaches while the juice ran down our chins.
Learned to Skype. An essential when dear hubby is on the other side of the Earth.
Laundry.

African tea.
Wear earrings: made in Africa.
Geography lesson. Traced his path on the globe and let the kids repeat it.

Read.
Write.
Pray.

Read blogs and Facebook updates just to catch a dust particle of his experiences.
Eat ice cream. (Shhh! Don't tell anyone!)
Nap-trap.

Teach kids how to trim their own nails. (One more responsibility for them. One less for me.)
Sold stuff on ebay. Bought stuff on ebay. It balances out. ;)
Stay busy.

Sing silly songs and hear my kids laugh.
Remind them to stop laughing twenty minutes later. ;)
Let my 7 year old vacuum with the big vacuum just because she wants to try.

Pseudo make up my bed. (Matt usually does it, he's particular. I'm not. Don't judge.)
Chase my dog (in my socks) because he is hard-headed.
Lowe's Build and Grow.

Visit family I haven't seen in ten years. (Yep, it'll probably be ten more.)
Watch my kids pet calves and snarl their little noses at the smell of manure.
Spend time with my sissy-poo.

Olive Garden.
Barnes & Noble.
Library.

Witness a miracle for a friend. Cry. A lot. Happy, sloppy tears.
Feel love from friends just checking on us.
Dream.

Make clay minions.
Rent the first Despicable Me. (We watched the new one with Dad before he left.)
Eat Brussel Sprouts as a late night snack.

Live. Laugh. Love.

Countdown.
Six days from tomorrow.
Smile.

:) donnamusing