Cassidy

Let me start out by saying that I love my niece. I love having her over, too. She's a pretty cool kid to have around. Today was interesting, though.

It really isn't totally Cassidy's fault, but when she comes over, the noise level in my house goes up really high. This makes Micah really agitated. He spent his morning trying to get everyone to be quiet, and telling me, "bye Cassidy!"

There were arguments over toys, laughing and running up and down the hallway, screaming on the potty (the word flush is really funny), and just general joyful shouts. Now, the kids know that I want "inside voices," but they get excited and forget...a lot. Micah eventually went to his room and closed the door and started chanting, "no more babies! No more babies!"

Then it came time to pick up Becca. In order to get out some energy and take up time, we walked there and back. Her school is about a 15 minute walk, as long a everyone is cooperating. So off we went. Of course, I had the stroller, and I strapped one of the twins to my back (I thought about letting them walk, but I wanted to get there on time. Their leashes only work so much.

Just being outside means you can use your outside voice, right? I think every person in every house along the way heard us walk by. They not only noticed everything outside, they yelled about it. "Water!" "Birds!" "Tree!" "Cat!" This was fine for the kids in the stroller, but I had Zoe on my back screaming in my ear. At least they were happy screams.

We got Becca and Carrie met us on the way back and took Cassidy. Micah was so happy. He just kept telling her bye over and over. It was so weird, though. After she left, the only one talking was Becca. We went through lunch without anyone saying anything but, "more, please?" And now, the twins are napping, Becca just finished her homework and is working on her chores, and Micah is sitting and relaxing. It is so quiet.

That was weird. Becca just ran to the bathroom and started making burping noises over the toilet. I asked her if she was okay, and she said, "yeah, I'm just pretending" then went back to putting away the dishes again.

I want to enjoy the quiet a bit more, but I have laundry to do. Here's a verse:

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27