OK, They Weren't the Best-Laid Plans

Things just haven't turned out quite as planned this week. OK, they weren't the best-laid plans, but they have certainly gone astray.

For the past couple weeks, The Man (TM) has been getting ready for and going to finals at school. It has been, to put it mildly, hard. I'm sure it's been no picnic for him, either. But in addition to the things I mentioned in my 13 yesterday, I've had to do things like drive twice as many miles as usual, take care of the kids on my own for several extra hours (no matter how bad my back hurt), get up early so we could all leave the house at 6:30 a.m., etc., etc., etc.... day after day after day. Which is completely OK, and I don't begrudge him his education, honest, and I'm trying to be the most supportive wife ever, but once finals were over (which they were on Wednesday), we were going to take a break. Thursday, he was going to take the kids, who've been missing him lately, and let me get some rest and maybe even get some writing done. And today we were planning a date and some 3rd-birthday festivities for the Punkin Boy.

Well, first, I got a call Wednesday evening from a guy I'd worked with through my last job. He asked if I'd be available to do a freelance project for him in the next week, and I said "Sure!" After all, my unemployment benefit (such as it is) is running out this month and we really need the money. So, no problem. That's something to do while TM has the kids.

Wrong. He woke up Thursday morning feeling rotten and by mid-morning, he was the one passed out on my side of the bed while I soothed, fed, chased, scolded, and in all other ways parented our two youngest. Took Pirate Boy to kindergarten, tried to persuade the Punkin to take a nap, squeezed in a phone conference with the freelance project guy, and looked through some of the materials before dashing off to pick up the oldest kids from school. By this time, I'd started feeling the symptoms coming on, and today I was sick too. Dangit. I've gotten very little done on my project, I had a minimal lunch date with TM though I could barely walk, and barely managed to get cake and presents done for the Punkin (who thankfully is still young enough not to care).

Some Punkin quotes from tonight's present-opening phase:
A picture atlas from Grandma and Grandpa: "Here's Texas! Right next to Oklahoma."
A calculator from #1 Son: "My own calculator-- ha ha ha (maniacal laughter)! Now I can do calculus!"
A wall map of Alabama from his great-grandma: "Wow!!!!! Alabama!"
A puzzle of the United States from Mama and Daddy: "(Gasp!) The states!"

My son will someday take over the world. And the world will be better off for it.