Leadbetter surprise visit

Sara sells Rodan & Fields. She used to live in Virginia. One of her friends, Megan, who still lives in Virginia, just signed on to sell Rodan & Fields with Sara. Megan was having a business launch party and Sara wanted to be able to come to Virginia- without kids- to help and support her with this party. But airline ticket prices were outrageous.

Fast forward a month or so... now we know Brian is deploying and Sara hopes to be at Megan's party on Thursday 5/14. We are talking on the phone and it dawns on me- Brian will be gone! I beg her to drive down from CT, with her two oldest boys, let me keep them overnight on Thursday, so she can go to Megan's party alone, and then we can spend the rest of the weekend together. She says yes!

I decide to keep this a secret from my kids, and am thrilled that I won't be alone for my first weekend "alone."

Then I get a call from Brian saying he will get the weekend off in NJ, and do the kids and I want to drive up Friday and go to NYC with him for the weekend? Ummmmm, yes of course!

So I call the ever flexible Sara, explain this to her, but still insist that she bring me the kids Thursday night for a sleepover. She agrees. All is good in my world again.

This is so important because the Leadbetter boys really do make my kids happy. And it's been a tough week with Brian gone and the deployment cloud hanging over our heads. AND, Tate just happens to be pitching his first baseball game ever Thursday night- so how awesome to have your best friend in the stands to root you on, right?

So Thursday afternoon, Sara and I met in a random high school parking lot, on the side of the freeway, 45 minutes from my house, at almost exactly the same time (God is so good to us!) and I grabbed Nick and Shane from her. We had just enough time to get home and surprise Tate and Macy right off the bus!

We did make a little pit stop so they could each choose a little after school candy snack for them and their buddies- 

Nick created the surprise. He asked what Tate and Macy do first when they come home? (Smart kid) When I said they go right into the bathroom to wash their hands, he decided that he and Shane would hide out in the bathroom...

My kids had no clue. Although they should have, since I was video taping them as soon as they walked in the door! Tate went into the bathroom and within seconds noticed Shane crunched down hiding. He said he then felt the door move a bit, and looked behind it to find Nick. Oh the excitement!!!

Together again-

After a little play time, we headed out for Tate's big game! Here is his pitching-

 I hated that Brian didn't get to see it... But I did get some video for him. Overall, Tate did well. Exactly how he should have. He struck out 2 players, so he was satisfied and really wanted to pitch again! I was just so thankful that he wasn't nervous, or all the pressure didn't turn him off from wanting to pitch again.

While he was pitching, Macy and Shane were wrestling around together, but not Nick. That kid sat at the fence line and watched every ball Tate threw. Maybe it's because he loves every single minute of all sports, or maybe it's because it was his best friend pitching, I'll never know. But it sure did make my heart happy.

After Tate's game, we all went over to the big fields, under the lights, where the teenagers play. We caught the end of an exciting game, had hotdogs and chips for dinner in the stands, and then headed home. 

I let them all stay up until 11pm. I was getting tired myself! They all had a slumber party in Tate's room and within minutes, were happily asleep.

Friday everyone skipped school, I packed our weekend bags for NYC and we headed out to meet up with Sara for lunch. Those almost 2 hours with her over lunch were exactly what I needed to kick off this deployment. She has a unique way of making you feel so supported, encouraged, loved and I just wish I could get more of that on a regular basis!

The kids sat together for the almost 2 hour lunch, with no screens. I had some random crayons in my purse, and they occupied themselves wonderfully-

They really do just get along so well together. No one was left out, no one complained or had their feelings hurt. They are 4 nice, kind kids. Having 4 kids felt EASY! Not kidding.

Funny looking back, Sara and I didn't even get a picture together, which we usually do. I had told her that while I was sad to not get a ton of time with her this visit, I felt so thrilled that this visit was for my kids, not for me. Usually their happiness is a by-product of my happiness when I am with my friends. But not this time. It was all about them. And boy did that make this mama feel good!