My stepdaughter got on an airplane to head back to her mom's today.  Logically, that should mean I will have no more eight day gaps between blog entries.  I just had my hands so very full with 3 kids!  If you think about it, that's a fifty percent increase in number of children!  No wonder I've been completely wiped out for a solid month!
    We had a great time.  The biggest issue I had to overcome was either the bickering between the two older girls or the I'm-ten-now-so-no-one's-gonna-tell-me-what-to-do attitude.  I lost my cool (and my voice along with it) on several occasions.  I even became afraid for the first time in nine years that I might be in over my head.  But I wouldn't trade it for anything.  The giant bone-crushing hug I got at 5:00 this morning as she was leaving was evidence enough that she knew I did everything out of love for her-- even the lectures.
    Speaking of lectures, when did I get so old that I would give a speech to a child based on the theory that disregard for authority now leads to jail time later?  Wow.  Yeah.  I actually went there.  I even think it might have had the desired effect...
    I realized during the last 24 hours or so of her visit that she had really blossomed in the month she was here.  I feel like she really thrived on the structure and high expectations.  She rose to every challenge at one point or another.  Just when I hit the point that I was maybe ready for a break, it was almost time for her to go-- and I didn't want her to.  Every time she leaves, I spend about a week wondering why her mom won't just move back here and let us offer lots of support and stability on a regular basis.  But that is a futile path to follow...
    So all is quiet; maybe even too quiet.

CL