(((
Harmony))) (((BIG HUGS))) This would be a HUGE committment and a HUGE energy drain if you were at 110% of good health. In your present situation, you really, really are going above and beyond the call of duty... but I know exactly how you feel, and I'd be trying to do the same thing if I were you. Idea about teen from church is a great idea. If you don't really feel you have the freedom to just leave one of them totally in charge, w/out dd's "permission," then could you have one come over and help dh take charge while you (a) got out of the house for awhile or (b) hid out in the master bedroom for a nap for awhile?
This babysitting thing is really on my mind a lot lately anyway, as y'all know... I'm in one of those obsession cycles about it. For example, tomorrow, I/we expect ddil to bring dgs over pretty early -- b/c she may need some nap time before working the night shift tomorrow night. I slept at least two hours on the way home from ballgame, and dh said, "Go ahead and sleep, b/c if she brings him over early tomorrow, you're going to have to take him somewhere and let ME get a nap. I just can't do the driving all weekend and everything without some time to catch up."
And I'm concerned about NEXT weekend b/c dgs will need to spend the night with us Friday night, and then we will have to make the (longer) drive to college town Saturday. DH really needs me to help him w/that drive, usually, and I'm usually okay for the first half of the trip going... but after dgs has spent the night? I don't know...
And of course, I'm concerned about NEXT fall... and the only person I can think of to even ask to help out with the babysitting, who might even let dgs spend the night, is my first cousin. But she has a swimming pool, and dgs will be walking by then... and ooohhh... I just don't know. DH says I have to just get OVER that... that dcousin has babysat for her niece and hasn't let her drown yet, LOL! And dh says ds & ddil just HAVE to have SOMEBODY in reserve besides us being on-call 24/7, you know? We haven't even mentioned this to ds/ddil, either. They might just say, no way is dcousin keeping him. Ddil might not get into nursing school. ALL of this might come to NOTHING.
But tomorrow and Friday... now those are pretty much certainties.
And y'all KNOW how much we LOVE to have dgs here... but back to
Harmony's situation... having a baby in the house IS very tiring. That is for certain!
Twins, the rockers and "table" sound GREAT!!! Big WTG on getting this done.
Helia -- I was thinking like
Harriet, I think, who mentioned the terrible lack of privacy w/the conference method you described. I can't imagine our school doing that. Our parent conference day is pretty much "come whenever you want" and sometimes people do have to wait out in the hall, but we all just stay in our classrooms and meet parents there. (They can schedule a specific time, if they wish, but almost no one does.) We have a VERY low turnout, too. I only had about six parents this year, I think. But then, I only have one student failing, since I basically teach all advanced classes this year.
I also weighed in with my humble opinion on the book thread, but my opinion is worth nothing, b/c I've not read the book.
(((
Dee))) Sounds like a night alone to rest would do you good.
Elly -- I absolutely HATE to shop w/dh. I can't even shop if he is waiting in the car, TELLING me to take my time.
Of course, I don't really like to shop, period. Hate to spend the money... can never find anything that fits/doesn't look like a teenager/doesn't look like my grandmother... can never make decisions. I am NOT a good shopper.
Waving to
NANCY, if she checks in! We all miss you!!!
Sooo glad
LO is feeling better!!!
And (((
OKay))) and ((
DBRO)))... I am sooo sorry to hear about his shoulder surgery and what he will be facing... such a terribly difficult adjustment he will be facing, I know. I'm thinking, when God closes a door, He always opens a window, and He certainly seems to be slamming this particular door shut on your dbro... but I hope he can keep the faith that somewhere, somehow, there WILL be a window sliding open somewhere down the road.
Sounds like
Kathryn is having a great trip!
Waving to
Harriet...
Ivy...
MT...
Scattered... and
EVERYONE else I may be missing. When I get here past a couple of pages, I have to confine myself to replies to what I can see in topic review. (And sometimes not even that much!

)
We -- obviously -- have returned from another thrilling (NOT) day of Auburn football. We are so bad it is almost somewhat comical and very interesting to see how this season will pan out in the end. Will they fire the coach who gave us our 2nd National Championship ever only two years ago??? Will they just continue to let the program drift further and further into despair? Each Saturday is a new adventure.
And thanks again for the happy anniversary wishes and kind words. I know I complain about dh a lot on here, and y'all can tell that sometimes I put up with stuff that some of you might not, (ballgames, lack of Sunday dinner-outings, etc.) but I figure everybody gets the husband they can deal with, LOL. (I mean, if they stay married any length of time, that is.) I mean, a lot of people who know my dad think he is such a wonderful, wonderful, guy... and in some ways, he is. But in other ways, I do not see how my mother has kept from killing him in these 51+ years! He is perpetually late to every event they ever attend... he is extremely high maintenance in matters of care & feeding... I could go on and on. But dmom has been relatively happily married to him for 51+ years.
Anyway... dh's faults are many, but so are mine... and what it boils down to is, he has been my best friend, I guess since I was 15 years old. 99% of the time, if I'm having one of my panic meltdowns, he knows how to calm me down and make me laugh. When HE is having a meltdown, usually I can see the forest for the trees and help him calm down. We agree on most all the big stuff about morality and life and religion and how the world ought to operate... and we pretty much live in our own little world, like the song says, and we're really happiest that way.
Sometimes I wonder if we're TOO insulated, too hermit-like, you know, b/c when/if something happens to one of us, neither of us have a huge network of outside people we pal around with. But I guess we'll just cross that bridge when we come to it. We have each other, ds, ddil, dgs, our parents & extended family... and we're okay with that. I have several IRL friends I talk to a lot, especially at school, but my panic disorder keeps me from "socializing" with others much... and dh plays golf w/a few guys, but mostly, he prefers to be alone or with me/ds/ddil/dgs.
Oh my... I am making up for my absence all week in one single post. Good gracious. I'm sorry. I better go call dmom & report on our safe return!