Big things happened while I was gone!

I went to Nashville on Friday for needlework market. I spent about an hour and a half parked on I-40 just before the Forrest City/Wynne exits thanks to some nasty ice on the bridges that I don't think anyone was expecting. I fishtailed on several bridges - and I was driving very carefully. It was a little nerve-wracking and I was glad to get across the Mississippi River where things weren't bad at all.

Then, about an hour-and-a-half outside Nashville my mobile phone rang. Caller ID showed it was someone I work with. My heart stopped and in the second it took me to get the phone to my ear, a million scenarios ran through my mind - had I forgotten to mark myself off work? Ack! Was she going to say, "Don't bother coming back on Tuesday"? I'm always a little paranoid about work stuff - not a guilty conscience, but I've spent enough time in the corporate world to be a little leery. She was just letting me know that another coworker had given notice (second one in as many days) so I wouldn't be shocked when I got home and read my email. I was floored. I called Brad and talked to him for a little while after I talked to D. Got to Nashville and all was well. I didn't realize how stressed I was until Friday night when some typical physical signs of stress showed up. Oh well.

Talked with Brad on Sunday morning about how Saturday had gone. The girls had a sitter, a sweet teenage friend from church. I knew Nin wouldn't have any issues interacting with her; and, I knew Annie would be fine. I was worried that Elizabeth would be very shy with her. Brad told me it went well, M wants to babysit for us again -- and get this -- she took my girls to the Homeschool Basketball Championships! Okay, *I* would not take my girls to basketball games -- but my sitter will?! I was cracking up! How scary is it that she's braver than I am? Of course, since the majority of our church homeschools, I know she had a lot of help at the games. I'm glad they went. Oh, and while E was at the birthday party she had on Saturday afternoon -- M took Nin and Annie to Starbucks!!!! Elizabeth told me she really liked "Miss M" and "I want her to babysit me again. She said she wanted to!" Brad talked to her mom on Sunday and her mom confirmed that yes, M does want to babysit for us again. We completely trust her with our kids - which I think she appreciated. I just can't believe she's the same 11-year-old I was painting with on a rooftop seven years ago!!!!!

Annie has apparently decided that crawling is for babies. She's walking everywhere and is so cute! It is that arms-in-the-air thing that they do at that age. So stinking cute!!!