Lots of catching up to do

We're pretty simple folk who do best on a pretty predictable schedule. Especially these days when Amelia is still very "attached" to Momma and Elizabeth very much needs her Daddy. Things get crazy real quick when we are trying to do more than just get everyone fed, dressed, and rested with Daddy on a normal schedule (work 8-12, home for lunch 12-1, work 1-5).

Here's what the past week has looked like:

Tuesday: Transport, which means James leaves at 5:30am and doesn't get any of his own work done on the dorm. Also means Elizabeth is up by 6am because she has an internal sensor that doesn't let her sleep long once Daddy has left the house.
Wednesday: BYU Ballroom Dance activity, which means James leaves early in the evening and doesn't come back until late (it's an hour plus drive)
Thursday: Elizabeth is up early, which I'll post more about later. Branch activity that night which means I forgo cleaning in favor of making a casserole and Rice Crispie treats (one batch with strawberry marshmallows, one with cinnamon candies). Also means we're out all evening, which turns out to be a good thing because an inmate made it over the fence and work (all hands on deck) only called James at home, not his cell. But a late night.
Friday: James ends up spending most of the day in the hospital in Odessa with a youth having surgery for a broken jaw. Supposed to go into surgery at 2pm, ends up being 6pm. Got home very late, like midnight.
Saturday: Back up at the hospital early, see Tuesday for effect on Elizabeth. Home around 1pm and everyone took a 3 hour nap. Spent the evening (again, out late) at Wal-Mart in Odessa because the girls need diapers and we need groceries. Find out no early meetings for James this Sunday. (Yay!)
Sunday: No early meetings, but Elizabeth has gotten into the habit of waking up early. So we're up at 6am and all fall asleep in the living room about an hour later, waking up late and barely making it to church on time. Only take one vehicle, which means we have to wait for James to do tithing afterwards. That evening James gets a call from work and has to go to the hospital again, this time in Monahans. Home about midnight.
Monday: Presidents' Day! Maybe we can still salvage part of what was supposed to be a 3 day weekend! Fun morning, even took a family walk to the playground. But at lunchtime work calls AGAIN. James has to go back to the hospital from midnight to 8am...grrrrrr! The girls and I get a nap, but James is too stressed about needing to sleep. So the rest of the day is spent trying to keep the girls happy and quiet on my own while James tries (in vain) to sleep.
Tuesday: Up early again, but I figure it's ok because we're going to pick James up at 8am in Monahans and leave his car at the church because I don't want him driving home after working all night. Except that his relief never comes. And the girls are so tired they go down (note that I have to be with them or they wake up) for a nap an hour before their ECI appointment. Except that she's running ahead of schedule and comes a half hour early! Starts the appt with Amelia and Elizabeth wakes up and joins us, thinking that she's had her nap for the day. I'm not feeling so great and soon have to run to the bathroom several times. James sends a text that they are transporting the youth back to the facility and he'll be leaving his car and coming with, since that requires 2 staff. Elizabeth dismantles the screen door while watching for him. He doesn't come. Later I get an e-mail that a co-worker's mother had a heart attack and he has to finish up some of her work. Finally gets home at 5pm, having worked all night and then a regular day without a lunchbreak.

Of coure there's Mutual again tonight (and we'll have to drive him there so he can get his car), but other than that we're hoping for a "normal" day. Sigh.