Friday Night Leftovers (Doctors, Packing, Evaluation, & 1 month Version)

Hi Friday!  Hi Folks!

• I don't particularly like going to the doctor's office for myself.  You could actually say that I would prefer to take a stick in the eye.  Seriously... unless I'm on death's doorstep, I would rather not.  So imagine how painful it was to bring 3 children (2 of them being the patients for checkups) to the pediatrician's office today... which lasted 2 freak'in hours long.  Aughhhh.  PAINFUL for Mommy.  And to make it worse, Thomas & Marilyn both needed shots.  Not the best way to spend a Friday morning.
• The packing has begun.  The checklist is long.  Officially though there will be boxes everywhere beginning on Monday morning when the moving truck arrives.  It's been 5 years since we had to do any type of packing and moving... as you can guess... there is a lot of purging and cleaning out of crap necessary.  The upside to all of the moving madness will be a "cleansed" feeling.  Hopefully.
• Abby's word list is limited.  It has been this way for quite sometime.  Our pediatrician told us today that she would like Abby to be referred to a speech therapist for evaluation when we arrive in Anchorage.  I think deep down I knew that this was forthcoming.
• On a related Abby note... the NUK is practically gone.  They are only used at naptime and bedtime and even then... she usually ends up putting them on the edge of her dresser and not using them.  Yeah for Abbigail!!!! 
• I did a final cleanout of my classroom yesterday.  We are meeting Brian up at school today with the truck to pick up all of the boxes.  This is very bittersweet.  Even though I have done this packout before and even though I know we will be back eventually, it is still sad to say goodbye.  Not so much to my room, but rather to my dear girlfriends that I teach with (and who have been a constant source of support through everything) and the memories from my students over the years.
• It's wierd to think that someone else is going to be living in our house for the next 3 years.
• I've said this before - it's wierd to think that when we return, the kids will be 7, 5, and 3 years old respectively.  Wow... Marilyn will be 3?  I just gave birth to her.
• Speaking of... Happy 1-month birthday Marilyn!
• I'm so tired of saying, "Keep your hands to yourself!, Are your listening ears on?, Take turns with that toy!, No pinching/hitting/pushing PLEASE!"
• On most days, I can get Marilyn down for a nap at the same time as the others are sleeping.  Can I tell you how heavenly it is to have a quiet house all to myself?  It's blissful.