I’m at odds with myself over whether I need to post all the details of this weekend. I think perhaps my depression is trying to grab me again (shock! surprise!) and it’s whispering in my ear that nobody really wants to hear about stuff like this.

So, I’ll keep it short, mostly for the exercise of writing and seeing what happens, and y’all let me know if you need more info. Okay? Cool.

Lessee…

Friday I took off work early, we piled the van full of kids and luggage and other stuff, and we took off for the Dallas area.

After four hours trapped in the car, what could be better than taking the kids to a restaurant? I can’t think of anything, either. So we went.

We went to a place called Mudd’s, in Bartonville. Quit giggling, they used to be in Krum so this is a good thing. The wait staff all had shirts that said “Dig In” and “Why eat dirt when you can have Mudd?” and such. Very good eats. And the poor girl that waited on us? It was her second day. Since we met our outlaws there, there were a dozen of us (only four that are officially “adults”, though) and only one of her, and she still did a bang up job and near as I can tell did not quit or run screaming into the night.

Then we went back to their house and watched the kids run wild for a bit. My wife and I took the baby and drove to Super Target to get some last minute supplies. See, this “busy weekend” has baptisms (2) and birthdays (5, depending on how you count them) so we needed a few things.

Saturday morning we managed to get everyone ready and made it to the church on time. (“Church” in this case being a small facility that spread over about two time zones). The priest is the same one who married my wife and I nearly 20 years ago, only now he’s a Monsignor (on the outside. On the inside he’s still the guy we remember from high school) The baptism went great and I have exactly no pictures of it since we were so busy smiling and being happy and all that.

We went back to the in-laws and had lots of food and drink and laughing and even some swimming and caught up with folks that we haven’t seen since around Christmas (some of them) or Mothers Day (others). My mom’s birthday was Saturday, my son turns 5 on Monday so we celebrated that, my daughter turned 2 back in June, my niece just turned 8, my sister had a birthday in June, her new son we met for the first time, etc.

After the food and drink and swimming and more food we were kinda tired, and decided to stay the night.

Oops.

Well, we managed to overstay our welcome in a way that only a family with three ADHD and/or bi-polar children can. So Sunday morning we threw everything in the car and hit the road back home. At home there was laundry, and some errands to run, and some swimming, and dogs to pet, and cats to feed, and sleep to, erm, sleep.

And this morning we went and picked up my car at the shop and then back at work, making my list of things to get done this week so that the kids are ready to start school next Tuesday.

And if you’re still here? Thanks.