Less Than a Week!

This is either the best or the worst idea I have ever had.  There's so much I'm going to miss while away from Boston...Maple Magic Day, our youth minister's ordination, among other things, but there are so many things I hope to do in New Mexico too.

Friends stopped by and checked out the NM house and found it to be intact...but full of smoke.  Although I'd said not to rent to any smokers we found yet another reason we needed to fire the property manager.  Hopefully we can get the smell out without repainting everything, because home renovation was not on the to do list.

I'm not sure what we will end up doing with the house.  We will leave it set up at least until May when we return for another friend's wedding.  After her wedding we've debated renting as a holiday or furnished house, but after our last bout with a property manager...well, I guess we will see.  I'm trying to convince a friend who lives in Boston that she really wants to transfer to the acupuncture school there and stay in our house.  It could save her between $30,000- $70,000, but I'm not sure she'll go for it.  It's a big change, and pretty far from home.

We have a huge list of things to do while in Albuquerque.  The list includes:

(biweekly with friends while I hire a babysitter or Gerd watches the kids)
Flying Star coffee and cake
Pedicures with friends
Betty's Bath hot tub and massage
Game night with friends

(once while there)
Restaurant week
A night of music

Wednesdays with Gerd & Kids (he will schedule his day to work into the evening after the kids are in bed)
Explora
The Art Museum
The Atomic Museum
The Aquarium/Botanical Gardens
The Zoo
The Natural History Museum

(Saturdays)
Ski Sandia (or Santa Fe if the snow is bad)
Hike Tent Rocks
Los Golandrinas (closed for winter)
Ojito Wilderness?
Ski Sipapu

(Sundays)
a walk along the Bosque/Rio Grande
A walk along Old Town
A walk along the Petroglyphs
Quarai
Walk the trails by my house

It's a lot.  Like, a lot a lot, but we might as well enjoy the experience if we're going to go through this enormous effort. Hopefully we fit it all in.  I feel that it's busy, but not completely over-scheduled.  I'm debating writing the events on popsicle sticks and pulling one out each event day to determine what we do

Praying that the flight on Monday goes well.  3 people, 2 babies, and 2 cats on an 8 hour flight.

oh boy.  I need to look at that list again to remind me why I'm doing this...

Love Them

Driving back from our doctor's office yesterday I was again reminded of how much we love her.  During the visit I used the time to grill her on all kinds of questions about health, behaviors, the typical stuff a first time mother always wonders about.  She patiently answered all of my questions, releasing all of my fears, and then she gave her typical disclaimer...

Doctor's don't really know anything.  Well, they know about the functions of the body and medicines, and troubleshooting, but the cause of many problems is still an enigma to everyone.  The AMA is constantly changing their mind about the best treatment practice, etc., and then she got to my favorite part.

The only thing that is 100% proven and agreed upon is that children need love.  Give them love and they're going to be okay.

Of course there are serious medical conditions that this would not apply to.  She is not a Christian Scientist.  But basically, the heart of the matter is this...just do the best that you can.  As with most things in life, if you act out of love, everything will eventually turn out alright.  But always remember to love.

And a simple reminder like that is why we love our doctor.  Just what I needed to hear :)