Active day

Yesterday was a fun, yet busy day for the kids and myself. We had planned on going with our MOPS group to visit the Gilbert House in Salem, and so I started early with packing lunches, getting everyone up and ready (including making coffee and lunch for my sweet husband before he was off to work), and then finally getting myself a shower. That's how mommy business goes, I suppose...everyone else gets taken care of before yourself. But that works the best for me...(several kids/parents together to Left:)
We knew there would be a few groups there along with us, but somehow the staff neglected to tell us that FIVE schools would be bringing buses of kids to this one location. It was over 300 kids!! And school-age...bigger kids than our little pre-school aged ones. There were fun things for the kids to see and interact with, but by lunch time, the place was packed, the kids were tired, and it was not worth staying any longer to "get our money's worth." (Me & Alex in the "bubble room" to right:)
So my friend and I, with our total of 5 kids, left and took another couple of excursions to visit our Daddies. First, we stopped by Dan's work, where we got to take our friends on a tour to the top of the building and see the "golden man" up close. Then we all went and visited Allana and Alex's friends' daddy at the fire station. They got to sit in the fire truck and even wear the firemen's headsets! Great fun...got to take home a complimentary fireman hat, too. Allana was also very interested in the ambulance. She asked what the stretcher was for inside, and we explained that it was where the sick people lay while they get taken care of. (Inside the ambulance:)
Later on at home that evening, Allana had her pen a paper...she was "making a list". Of what, I asked. "A list of sick people, so I can take care of them." Wow. She is so nurturing, and bright. This isn't the first instance that has made me think she may follow in my footsteps one day and become a nurse! I would be so proud! I promise, I haven't even pushed it on her at all...it is all on her own! :-)
For all the busy activities in the day, despite good naps later, they were still pretty tired and a bit grumpy, actually. I had a meeting later in the evening, and Dan stayed home with the kids. I must confess, I did a very poor job in discussing my plans with him ahead of time, and it was one of those times where just about the worst case scenario for bad plans happened. I left with a friend, and walked to another friend's house (a block and a half away), and forgot my cell phone. Then I didn't call to check in with him. And he didn't know where I was at. And then my meeting went much later than I hoped it would (wasn't watching the clock). I was hoping for the best case scenario (=kids going to bed quietly and easily since they're tired) and discovered to my shame (for not providing more support) that he had a very tough evening. Alex screamed for hours...and got his hand slammed in the door...all while I was chatting with ladies and eating crumpets .(or at least truffle dessert things). Poor guy...poor kids. I felt really bad.
So, now I"m tired today...and I think I will go find a book to read, and pray that the kids sleep awhile longer and catch up from yesterday.