Are We There Yet?!

The paper chain is getting shorter!  And in our house, that can mean only one thing:  Daddy is coming home soon!  Groceries have been purchased and meals have been planned for Zach's first week of "real food" this year.  The frige is stocked with Z's favorite beverages.  The "Welcome Home" banner has been made and hung proudly above the garage.  Signs have been made and miniature American flags have been bought for the children to hold and wave as they anxiously await his arrival at the base.  I have purchased his "Homecoming Gift" and it has been delivered with care to the house.  (The kids are sworn to secrecy, and it appears that they may just be able to keep this one!) The house is scheduled to be cleaned; I have bought Zach's favorite "mandles" (a term borrowed from our friends, the Baker's, short for 'Man Candles'), Mommy is scheduled for some grooming appointments to make myself look presentable after months of not caring what I look like, the lawn has been mowed, trimmed, fertilized, thatched, and aerated; and flowers have been planted.  We. Are. Ready!

The only glitch, all three kiddos are sick!  WHAT?!  After months of everyone being well, I have made two trips to Urgent Care in the last three days.  Coughs, sore throats, stuffy noses, goopy eyes (I am pretty sure that is the technical name for it!), and overall lousy feeling little ones!  Story of my life!  Fortunately, no one has been running fevers and throat cultures were negative for strep throat.  All three kids have a prescription for eye drops and they appear to be "on the mend."  Francesca seems to have been struck the worse, waking with eyes "mattered" closed and nostrils crusted over each time she wakes from a rest.  Poor baby!  I am hoping and praying that we are all back to "normal" for the big day.  Lord knows I don't want to drag three sick kids to welcome home their daddy.  But, in the end, in sickness and/or in health, we will just be happy to be together again!