why the tears?

We are leaving in less than two weeks.



And there is still much to do.

Very Much.

Tonight I pulled together an Excel spreadsheet and this is what it looks like...

(I'm JL. Charlie is WC. Jose is our gardener. LP are our Little People.)

Paint Garage Door WC June 26
Paint Front Door WC June 26
Paint Window Trims WC June 26
Wash Windows Inside JL & LP June 26
Wash Windows Outside JL & LP June 26
Wash Screens JL & LP June 26
Clean off Spiderwebs Fence/House LP June 27
Concrete Patch Front Step WC June 27
Paint Step Face Plates WC June 27
Repair Back Patio / Concrete Seal JL June 27
Stain A/C Cover JL June 27
Move Furniture from House > Garage WC / JL June 27
Reduce Closets WC / JL June 27
Reduce Drawers WC / JL June 27
Reduce Cabinets WC / JL June 27
Move Furniture from WC's office > home WC June 27
Shred huge stack of unnecessary paperwork LP ( JL supervise) June 28
JL Blood work June 28
Dentist Appointments LP June 28
Re-Install Door Stops WC June 28
Fix Wall in Laundry Room WC June 28
Remove Hooks / Repair Walls WC June 28
Replace Wood Piece next to Pantry WC June 29
Truck in Shop WC June 29
Replace Caulking in Bathroom WC June 30
Fix Fireplace Handles WC June 30
Replace Closet Track in Boys Room WC June 30
Van in Shop WC June 30
JL Blood work July 1
Paint Baseboards WC / JL July 1 - 3
Paint Walls WC / JL July 3 - 5
Replace Face Covers on Walls WC July 3 - 5
Celebrate LP4's 3rd birthday July 4
Steam Clean Grout TBS July 5
JL Blood work July 5
Replace Cabinets / Paint Under Island WC July 6
Reorganize Garage > Goodwill WC / JL July 6
Jose to Lay Down Bark July 6
Jose to Prune Plants / Palms July 6
Jose to Adjust Sprinklers for Front July 6
Plants in Back Yard JL & LP / July 6
Clean out fridge / pantries JL & LP July 6
Cancel utilities JL / July 7
PACK, Load Car JL / WC July 7
JL Blood work July 8 ... pending results ...
Leave July 8

That list is just a sampling of the things we still have to do. Not shown are the numerous close friends and neighbors that we need to see to say goodbye. I had started to plan a party, but then felt totally overwhelmed when the guest list reached 80.

We've been working SO MUCH it's difficult to believe there is still that much to do. I should probably also make a list of what we've done so I feel a little better about all that we've accomplished.

So the primary reason for the tears streaming down the face of my five-year-old daughter really has nothing to do with all that we have left to do before we leave.

Alas, last night when I was flossing her teeth, I recognized that she has a slightly loose tooth. I told her. She burst in to tears. And me, being the thoughtful mother that I am, took a break from consoling her to grab my camera and document the moment. For I know that one day, she will really appreciate seeing how distraught she was upon learning that she'll be losing her very first tooth.

I'm not sure which makes ME more prone to weep?



The fact that we'll be in need of a windfall to cover the tooth fairy's allowance for three children, losing teeth at approximately the same time?

Or, the fact that this is just one more hard line of evidence that time is indeed clipping past and my babies are growing up, lightening fast?

I definitely tend toward the latter.

Because wasn't this toothless wonder her ...



Just yesterday?