A visit to the Horn's

My sister's husband owns a construction company and is in Houston for several weeks working on reconstruction after the hurricanes. While he is gone I have come down to help Lynnae with carpooling and feeding the kids. I can honestly say that I don't know how she does this all the time. It is so completely draining. Their schedule alone would wear me out, but putting that together with meals and laundry, laundry, and laundry. Oh, and did I say laundry? I can't believe how many clothes these guys have. I have literally done 15 loads in just 2 days. Please tell me that is not normal! We don't have even close to that much laundry.

We have had so much fun though. Cailyn absolutely loves spending time with Becca, her best friend and cousin. And I can't forget how much Jessica loves Maycie and Keaton. They are so good with her and I wish I could capture the brightness in her eyes when they come home from school. I truly wish that I lived closer to Lynnae. We have become such good friends and I wish I could spend more time with her. But, even if I did live closer, I don't think I would fit into her schedule. They are so overwhelmingly busy.

Yesterday I did a tremendous amount of cleaning. I was amazed at how much I got done and was very pleased with the outcome. However, today I had very little ambition to clean and declutter. I did do a little, but decided to let the kids do a lot when they got home. They are pretty good workers if you give them specific jobs and remind often(that is normal, I remember having to be reminded a lot as a kid too). I still have about 2 more loads of laundry to do tonight, but then it will be caught up and easier to do just one or two a day instead of 12-15 all at once.

I will be here until Friday of this week and will return next week. I have gotten a little taste of what it is like to be excited to see the kids when they get home from school and having everything happen so fast at night. It feels like a race to get everything done and still spend a little time with them before the next day hits.

So far this week I have:
***gone to Bryan with Lynnae and found the clips I need to make my bows and had a Freebirds burrito, MMMMMMMMM!

***Seen one of Maycie's volleyball games(she was moved to the A team and did a great job)

***taken all the kids to one of Keaton's football practices

***helped do several pages of homework

***spelled about 20 different words while the kids are doing their homework

***taken all the kids to the park

***done 15 loads of laundry

***made dinner twice

***cleaned the kitchen 4 times

***vacuumed almost every room at least twice

***changed lots of diapers and given lots of loves & kisses


I am so happy to be here. Taking care of 4 kids and 2 teenagers is a great deal of work, but it helps me to sleep better. It has helped me to have some perspective on my own life. I feel for Lynnae working and having to take care of her family. I know that Doug helps a lot, and it is hard to change their normality while he is gone. I just feel for Lynnae and her schedule. I have always known that her kids are great, but I am learning and feeling that more being here in their home and watching what they do. They really do love each other and their mother. They wait to see her when she gets home from work and long for some individual time with her. I can't imagine juggling her responsibilities. She amazes me. She is an incredible person with abilities that way outweigh my own. I love her.

Most of all right now, I miss my sweet husband. I feel chaos right now, living in someone elses home and following their schedule instead of mine, and I am sure that he is bordering on boredom. OR, maybe he is cherishing the silence and the rare Jason time. Either way, I wish I could crawl into bed next to him and cuddle up close. I miss his unpredictable sense of humor and his smile that always shows up in his eyes first. I know the girls miss his kisses and cuddles, but most of all his games. He is such a wonderful person and I miss him terribly. I can't wait 'til Friday when I can see him again(and by the way we have a date planned( oh yeah) .

Tomorrow, hopefully I will post some pictures. I haven't taken many, but the ones I do have I will post. Lynnae will be home soon, so good night!