Seriously.

This is my highway.

This was my highway today.

I got the kids up early from their nap/quiet time so that we could get down to Pixie's ophthalmology appointment in Ventura (approx. 40 minutes away). We "sluked in" (as Wombles would say) just in the nick of time, and I woke up Wombles from his car nap run in-- only to find out that her doctor wasn't in that office today. For some reason our appointment had been scheduled at another of their offices...another 25 minutes down the road. But they could still see us! Great.

We found the new office with only very slight confusion. After checking in, someone from behind the desk started discussing our "problem" in a loud voice across a crowded room--I won't go into the nitty gritty, but basically Pixie could not see the doc. As I was trying to figure out what she was talking about (and why we might not have been let in on this prior to our excursion), the boys started going wild. I turned around in time to hear Wombles announce to everyone and no-one in particular, "I am NOT going to behave myself ANY MORE!"

And boy, did he mean it!

It makes me laugh, now, but at the time I was just exasperated. We went outside. I called the kids' primary care office. Turns out, the reasons I had been given were off--but the result was the same. It would have been nice for to be let in on it, though. The good news is that Pixie can now see an ophthalmologist in the town where we live, an option that was not available when we moved here. The bad news is that I'm afraid the same thing is going to happen with her other doctor in LA--you know, the one I've been working on getting an appointment with since last July? And she finally has one next week? I just close my eyes at this point. We'll find out soon enough.

It is God's mercy that I can smile as I recall stage 3 of our trip, a little errand-running into Target. Hey, when we're near a big box store, we have to seize the opportunity--plus I'd told a friend I'd return a sweater for her. The boys yelled and delightedly kicked each other the whole time. I was that woman--the one with two out-of-control kids (plus a well-mannered one) and another hoodlum on the way. Best to just grin at people when in that situation!

And wish that I were not nine months pregnant, so that I could have a Red Dirt Girl when I got home. Instead, chocolate--but it's not quite the same thing.

I hope your day was less stressful--but I don't hope it was less interesting!

Off to have a kalamata olive,

And to fold the laundry I never got to last night,
H