We had to take a whirlwind trip to the Valley this weekend to do some registration at the college there where Zach wants to attend.  Alex was headed to Louisiana to a Catholic Youth Conference.  Thursday night we dropped the dog off at the kennel, picked up Alex from the CSI (inner city mission trip) event, came home, washed laundry, repacked suitcases. Friday morning we said prayers and goodbyes and got on the road about 6:30am.  The kids did great in the car (really enjoy that Suburban...esp on long road trips!) and when we got there hugs, kisses and food awaited!  Saturday morning hubby and Zach got up very early to be at the school at 8am for his 3 hour test and lots of paperwork.  Isaac and I slept in at the hotel, got up to a nice continental breakfast then headed out to the pool for some quiet swim time.  Cameron has spent the night at cousin's house of course.  Around noon, Xavier came back to the hotel to pick us up.  Not only did Zach finish his test, he is already registered, his classes assigned, part of tuition has been paid, a dorm room deposit paid and room assigned!  He starts classes on August 25!  He and Xavier and the boys will be making a few trips back and forth between now and then to take care of things like student loans and stuff.  I will remain here with Isaac. 

We got up early to go to Mass this morning.  Xavier's dad who has been too ill to go to church for months actually was able to go today!  He was in a lot of pain, and I'm sure our whirlwind family visit tired him out, but he really did enjoy it.  After church we went to breakfast and then we visited for a few minutes during which Isaac started having stomach problems (at one point we had to strip him in the front yard and just hose him off.....) Cameron had been feeling ill at church....and our family rarely gets stomach bugs and when we do it is usually during or after a visit to the Valley.....nothing we can't handle...  Then we loaded everyone back up and left for the return trip.  We missed getting the dog from the kennel by 30 mintues so I'll have to make a return trip there right after VBS in the morning.  Alex arrived home around the same time as us (THANKS David!) and was all excited about his trip!  I'm pretty sure his finger is really broken but he's handling the pain well so we just splinted it.  He'll have to unsplint it to play drums this week but we'll make it work

This week in the mornings it's VBS and in the evenings its Drivers Ed. Then next Friday we leave again for MY family for Shannon's babyshower......and on and on and on...

I'm sure at some point this summer we'll get to rest.....won't we?