I *MUST* be crazy

I usually have Holden and Dante from Friday evening through Saturday night and then again on either Tuesday or Wendesday from 8:30 am till sometime between 7 and 9pm. I have Linda's boys Monday through Friday from 830ish am until 6ish pm.

I must be getting used to it, because things are feeling a little easier and slightly less hectic!

I've got the boys tonight and I'm keeping them till tomorrow. It seems 3 days a week is not enough time with them. So I'm thinking about asking for Tuesday evenings though Wednesday nights (or Monday evenings through Tuesday nights, whichever works out).

As hard as it is with so many kids here, I miss them when they're gone. And Holden cries sometimes when I take him back home, it breaks my heart :( Their mother wants me to have joint custody... I have the petition filled out for family court, I just have to take it down there. We had gone through Accord (dispute resolution) and something went wrong, it didn't get filed within the 30 days and so we would have had to go back to get it done again. I decided it would just be better to go straight to the source with no middle man involved. I'm taking the petition in to family court next Monday after my doctor's appointment. The joint custody will make me feel so much better, like my relationship with the boys is safe because no one could keep them from me with the order in place. No one has ever kept them from me... but, just in case... it'll be better for all parties involved.

I'm sure the weather cooperating is helping. Or should I say, making me feel more brave? When the kids can play outside, it makes it sooo much easier to have more kids here!!

Our backyard has been such an unbelievable blessing. Fully fenced in, with swingset, climbers, trampoline, and now a sandbox (which means they don't play in the dirt as much!!!)!! It's exciting for *me* for the kids to have a nice backyard, I can't believe how exciting it must be for them!

I had been thinking about and talking about only watching Linda's kids 3 days a week, instead of 5, once they get their house done. But even that has gotten easier. I think I'll talk to her and see if 4 days a week would work... it would give me one more day a week with only 3 kids. If I watch her kids Monday through Thursday, I have Friday to get stuff done, go grocery shopping and whatnot, then I have the boys that evening through Saturday night, and then Sunday would be just for me +3.

The days around here are crazy. Many days, I'm ready to rip my hair out looong before bedtime.

Life is crazy. I *must* be crazy.

But, I wouldn't have it any other way :)