sigh of relief

I'm sitting here, warm and cozy on my couch. It's already been a long weekend, and tomorrow will be a big, busy day as well. My retreat was fabulous but not at all luxurious. We were at a real camp, so real that the bathroom floor was always wet (and was so even before anyone showered), and we slept in bunk beds (made up with our own linens from home). No one short-sheeted anyone's bed or covered the toilet in saran wrap, but we did play plenty of fun games. And I wasn't the only one having fun and games--Dennis went to TWO back-to-back birthday parties at Chuck E. Cheese. Then he went toy shopping and back to Chloe's house for outdoor play followed by a "brief rest period" (rather than a nap). Tonight we went to an event at her school where he played some more, in the classrooms and on the playgrounds. He came home with a new Transformer toy and a new package of Transformer underwear (both from his shopping today). I met them all at the school tonight to pick him up, and he gave me a reluctant hug, saying "we're going inside, right?". I assured him we were staying for the party and then asked him about his day. He told me "I can't tell you--it's a secret. I'll tell you after we eat and I get to play." I presume he was bribing me to stay with the promise of revealing information if I'd let him do so! Dave started to tell me about what they did and Dennis said "STOP--that's a secret, too!". He had such a good day, played so hard, that he fell asleep on the on-ramp to I-65 South! I don't even think he knows he's home!

I can't wait to sleep in my own bed tonight!