People like to say absence makes the heart grow fonder.  I've found this to be true....and false.   While I find myself so often thinking about how Peerless feels about the possibility that football for him is over I had the chance to sit and think today of how I felt about it.  It was during one of those VERY RARE moments when there's no one but me in the house, AND I get a chance to sit down and listen to silence.  It was during that time that I realized, for myself, that this is the time of year when I'm usually packing myself and my kids up to go where ever our season would have us for that particular year. It's this time of year when I'm fitfully running back and forth to the airport to catch Peerless on those coveted days off from camp for a little, ahem, adult time.  It's this time of year when I see all the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice my husband has made through the year come to fruition.  It was during this time that I realized I hadn't had a chance to MISS Peerless this year. I didn't have to say goodbye as he went to mini camps or OTA's.  I didn't have to go through what I've so fondly gotten used to calling "the July blues" as training camp nears.  I didn't get a chance to let the absence let my heart grow fonder.

It was also during this time that I realized that Peerless' presence at home means so much more to me than it ever has.  It means that I have a husband who can go to the gym with me; a husband who's able to pick two beautiful little girls up and twirl them around (not to mention picking up one BIG 31 year old and giving her a twirl of her own every now and then LOL); a husband who--as it stands right now--doesn't have to worry about taking a wrong hit or making a wrong move and ending up being carted off of a field, never to walk again.  I realized that while we didn't separate this offseason, I separated what's real from what is fake; what's important from what's not; what makes everything alright from what messes things up.  I realized that the absence I may feel in my heart when Peerless leaves for camp can never be underestimated. I can rest at ease that my husband is not living in a political world (football) where his 31 years is looked at as damn near senior citizen status.  

Absence does make the heart grow fonder, but I promise you all that presence--of mind--makes the heart grow stronger.

Introducing the cast...

Well....I'm now hip to the whole "blogging" world.  I thought this would be a great way to keep everyone updated on Caeden and Kai as they grow up....not to mention the fact that  my good friend, Dawn, has shown me how to ventCONSTRUCTIVELY and humorously.  So, here goes my attempts at blogging.

I don' t know exactly how I plan on keeping this thing updated.  Between the constant "Mommie, Mommie, Mommie" I hear, time really gets away.  Luckily enough right now Caeden is at Sylvan getting her math tutoring on, and Kai is shopping at Wal-mart with Mimi for Mimi's new house.  We are so excited Mimi moved down here, and while I'm SOOO sad she's no longer upstairs, I'm SOOOO happy she has her house and can let loose and enjoy her very own space.  To say she is enjoying decorating is a gross understatement.  She's giving Niecey Nash a true run for her money in her "DIY" projects!!!

Now, updates on the other members of the tribe.  Peerless:  aka "the Boy", "P", "the baby's daddy".  We are having such an interesting dynamic in our house right now.  Understand, for the past ten years, this time of year has been when P puts on his "football season face" and gears up for training camp.  This year that didn't, and I believe isn't gong to, happen.  His surgery last season was supposed to be "season ending."  Thank GOD his surgery went well, and the area which was operated on is completely recovered.  My Boo, however, stands a greater chance of injury if he plays football than the other 52 men on a team.   While I know in my heart he still has football deep down inside of his heart, I want him to be able to walk, run, and play with those two Priceless Princesses of ours 10 years from now.  As of yet, he's not gone to play anywhere, however he also hadn't turned in his retirement papers....I'll keep y'all posted.

Caeden (the drama queen) is enjoying the end of her summer.  She enters into the 3rd (WOW) grade at Lakeview this fall.  She's SUPER excited about that, and I'm sure she'll excel!!  She has spent the last week in  a dance workshop ALL day honing her dance skills (she gets it from her mama!)  I'm sure as we get more into blogging I will have SOOOOOO many Caeden stories to tell.  

Kai Baby (That little one) is just being Kai: mean mugging everyone and trying to say more and more words.  We went to look at a school for her today.  I think it would be a good idea to put Kai in school two or three mornings a week, so she can start playing with other kids and listening to directions better.  Her daddy? Not so much.  We really liked the school, but we have another appointment at another place on Monday, so until we go there we can't commit. Well, I'll attach a couple photos, in case I didn't send them to some of you.  Enjoy, and check back for some updates.  Lots of love.