things are looking up.

I can't remember if I've mentioned this small, unimportant tidbit of information before or not, but my four oldest are attending a new charter school this year.  and while I absolutely love the school and all it has to offer, there is, however, one minor slash slightly major drawback: there is no transportation service.

I know, right?  such a hassle.

because this means that every Monday through Friday, Gary and I are responsible for bringing the kids to school and picking them up.  since they have to be to school by some unearthly hour 7:20, Gary does the morning drop off before heading to work.  that leaves me to do the afternoon pickup at 4:00.

and to be honest, I absolutely despise this chore.  especially when it involves packing up three pre-schoolers.

actually, I didn't mind it as much before Finley was born, because it was just Rowan and Scarlett I was dealing with.  and for the most part, Rowan is pretty much self-sufficient-- he can climb in the van and buckle himself into his own carseat.  but then, add an unpredictable, time-consuming newborn to the equation, along with winter weather and subsequent bundling, and suddenly we're talking WORST THING EVER.

to give you a better idea of the kind of torture I have to endure on a daily basis, picture the following scenario.

it's approaching 3:30 in the afternoon, time to start getting ready to head out the door.  but drat, both Scarlett and Finley are napping.
  
I nudge the two of them awake out of dead sleep.  immediately, Finley starts wailing, crabby that his nap was cut short, and hungry and in need of a diaper change to boot.  I change his diaper and sit down to feed him.  meanwhile, Scarlett poops.  I burp Finley, buckle him in the carseat and start in on Scarlett's diaper.  while changing her, I holler at Rowan to get on his jacket and shoes.  chances are ninety-nine in a hundred that he doesn't listen to me, and so, after bundling up Scarlett, I have to wrestle him into his duds because at that very moment he decides to pull out the "I am going to play dead" card.  and have you ever tried to dress a dead person?  exactly.  they're not much help.
  
I then whisk a half-fed, still wailing Finley into the van.  in the 45 seconds it takes me to do that, Scarlett has taken her jacket and shoes off.  about to tear my hair out, I redress her, haul her into the van and attempt to buckle her in while she kicks and screams, arching her back in protest. 

by now, Rowan has made his way into the garage.  as I lift him into the van, I get a sudden whiff of number two.  heaving a great sigh, I head back inside to change him.  by the time I make a bottle, grab the diaper bag off the hook, and jump in the van, a good half-hour or more has elapsed.  and I'm spitting enormous, sharp tacks.

and then, after arriving at the school, my kids have the nerve to ask why I'm never on time, OF ALL THINGS.

well, a couple weeks ago, I finally cracked.  it had been a particularly rough day contending with the littles, and I was ready to explode.  I told Gary it was either a.) put the kids back in the public schools where bussing is provided, or b.) he could pick them up.  besides, it wasn't fair to the kids that I was continuously in a grouchy mood.  

that's when the idea of taking the city bus came up.  after researching this option, we discovered that not only were there bus stops located near our development and the school, coming and going at the right times, but also, we'd be saving $60 a month in gas!  I mean, that's a couple pairs of shoes!  I was all for it.

so anyway, last week was their first adventure as city bus-goers.  aside from having to cozy up with a few harmless town bums, and the bus smelling like rotten grilled cheese (according to Myra), the kids said it went great!  of course I was concerned about their safety, but I was told that the bus drivers are pretty strict, and anyone who doesn't abide by their rules and regs is immediately kicked off the bus, bum or not.  so, whew.  Flagstaff is a relatively small town with a lot of pedestrian traffic, and as long as they stick together, I'm confident the kids will be fine.  heck, I might even hop on for a ride!

and look who's in underwear!  LOOK!

things are definitely looking up!

you can now all breathe a sigh of relief.

-jessica