ShenanINGRAMS

209 Days is how long I went without a Dr. Pepper. I had one yesterday and it was wonderful. The girls had their first soda in almost as long (they started the fast a couple of weeks after I did), and they were equally excited. Don't get concerned, Dad, this is not going to be a habit. It was just a treat for one day. :) Joey has cooked 2 fabulous breakfastsys (that's how Josh used to say it) and we're having steak for dinner! Josh started running a 102.7 fever yesterday, just out of the clear blue, but it's down to 100.7 this morning. He woke me up at 630 making himself some chocolate milk. I guess when you have a fever you feel a certain sense of entitlement. He beat me in checkers last night. One dumb move and a triple jump on his part, and I was done, but I beat Caylea in chess. That was fun. I still stink at chess, but she stinks worse. I have no idea if any of us will ever take the $100 that my Dad took from my Mom to give to anyone who could beat him,

Chloe walked into the bathroom yesterday and said, "It smells like Daddy in here." See? Smell is one of those fabulous senses that God gives us to associate good (and bad) memories. I did stand there smelling him for a long time. I fell asleep on his chest and I don't care if any of you think that is sappy. It was wonderful. He has lost a significant amount of weight, so his chest was just the right height. :) He also doesn't snore any more. I woke up several times throughout the night to put my hand on his chest and make sure he was still breathing. Likewise, he kept reaching over to pat me throughout the night. He's in there cooking breakfast while singing and the kids love it. We're taking him grocery shopping today. He has missed out on lots of little things, like fried eggs (not the egg beaters that they serve at chow halls across the world), real bacon, and driving. Yesterday he kept telling me to slow down but I wasn't even going to spee

1,000 Dr. Peppers couldn't make me this jittery. I am finding things to clean just to keep myself from going nuts. 4 more hours. At some point I'm going to take a shower, but I am trying to hold myself off so I'm not sitting here at the house, ready to go, 2 hours early. The house is sparkling. The kids put on clothes that look decent, including Josh, and I already made my bed. I cooked a "BIG breakfast." I cleaned the kitchen really well. I used a toothpick on the cracks. I used oven cleaner on the stove top. Seriously, I am finding things to do. I dusted. I swept. I vacuumed. I mopped. All of that I did yesterday after running 3 miles and I still feel like I have more energy than I know what to do with. It took forever to fall asleep last night but I had a great moment of clarity while reading C.S. Lewis' "Mere Christianity." It was a laugh out loud moment which, from a scholar like him, was unexpected. I giggled for a good while.

I am so excited I can hardly contain myself. I'm teaching piano while daydreaming, cleaning things while getting utterly distracted by the thought of having him home again. I can't even begin to describe the flutterbys in my stomach. I'm having trouble sleeping, eating, and talking. By this time tomorrow, and I can't believe I'm typing this, I will have him home again!!!! I told the kids that they can hug him first. They each get 30 seconds and then I will shove them out of my way if they don't willingly move. They all grinned and said, "Okay, Mom." I think I must've had my serious face on when I said it. Before any of you ask, NO, I did NOT stock up on Dr. Pepper. That is not very high on my list of priorities, to be honest. I told Joe that I just want to stand there and smell him. I don't care if you laugh or think I'm gross. I miss his smell, among other things. He wants to eat at his favorite restaurant here in Germany to