I was just thinking about my birth experiences.

With Leesha, I had a 5 hour labor. I knew it was the worst pain I'd ever experienced, I remember the difficulty sitting afterwards.

On our way in to the hospital to have Jack, I remember telling Jeffry that it was a good thing we forget the pain. I wanted to remember more with Jack since I don't recall a lot from Leesha's birth. So I tried to be more cognizant of what was going on. I also had the benefit of having someone I loved with me throughout the entire process, someone who hadn't been through it before and was looking to me for direction. I don't know that I gave Jeffry a lot of direction, but he survived the 4 hour process.

I expected Maggie to come in weighing 10 lbs or more in 3 hours. She surprised me on both accounts. Although I could have been in "labor" longer, I'm only counting the 1hr 42min of the real stuff since I hadn't really had much pain nor regular contractions before they broke my water. And she was just over 8lbs. I think it was the last 15 minutes or so before she arrived that were most intense and painful.

Now as I look back, I wonder if I've forgotten the pain with Maggie the fastest. Ah, who am I kidding, I still remember the pain.

Maggie smiled at Jeffry yesterday morning. She still sleeps in a laundry basket on our dresser. He was getting ready for work and him using the drawers made her open her eyes and then she smiled. She smiled for Grandma Darlene this morning too.

The last two nights, Jack has fallen asleep on his floor. He hasn't fought bedtime for a little while, but will stay awake for a long time. He has figured out that the can peek out under his doors and that's where he falls asleep - watching for and talking to us. Sunday night, it was the repeated; "I need to go potty." Sometimes with mom, dad or again attached to the end. He also overheard Leesha coming home and said something to her. When her dad left, he asked; "Where Joe go?" That stemming from Friday evening when Jeremy picked her up. Since it was the opening night of G.I. Joe, Jeffry came upstairs to greet Jeremy and said; "Yo! Joe." Now, Jack thinks Jeremy's name is Joe.

On Monday, I talked to a friend of mine who moved to Florida a couple of years ago, and also just had her third child. He was born on Jack's birthday. She was having a tough morning and said talking to me was a big help. I miss her, and can only hope I was an encouragement to her.

Today, I get to spend some time with my old friend and former neighbor who is visiting from Pennsylvania.

Just moments ago... Jack was playing with one of Caryn's old toys called "The Sunshine Family". One of the chairs comes apart and he pulled it apart, then came to me saying; "I ac-sha-ly (actually) broke it. I broke a chair momma. It's pieces."

That was mostly written on Tuesday, now it's Wednesday ...

At Small Group last night, we were keeping Jack entertained by allowing him to watch some of The Empire Strikes Back. Much of the way home and many times today, he's asked; "Why dinosaur die?" I keep telling him it's because Han Solo sliced it open with a light saber, and that it's a Tauntaun.

I survived a trip to the dentist with all three kids! Maggie fell asleep in the car, so she stayed in her "bucket" with Leesha out in the lobby. Jack went in with me and got to watch part of Finding Nemo.

Leesha was such a big help yesterday and today. During Small Group, she helped with digging window wells. That made me realize that modifying our basement to give us another legal room might not be as far fetched as I thought.

This afternoon, Jack was in his room for his "rest" (I'm trying to not use the word nap). He said something about muckers or yucky, so I went in to investigate. He'd pooped, so I took care of that. While he was out and about, he told me; "I need-a go to Boundary Waters." Later, it was; "I need to go to work."

Last, but very important, we got a letter yesterday stating that Leesha may still get half of her scholarship!