So, how do you get through four days and five nights alone with three small children?

It's simple, really. Junk food.

"What did you BUY for that amount of money?" Brian asked before he left (Brian, the Spender in our house, who never never heckles me about money). Cookies and bologna, of course. And Nutella, because I needed a little junk food, too.

"I like your special ice cream," Silas said, licking Cool Whip from his fingers one night. I know you do, buddy.

Novelty is the name of the game around here. Anything new! and interesting! and fun! to keep the train on the track. Actually, in many ways our house is running smoother than usual. Floors are mopped, groceries are stocked, clothes are folded. I've been waking up early enough to have my coffee before entering the fray, which makes me generally a more productive and pleasant person. I am On My Game, and life has been surprisingly un-overwhelming, despite Brian's absence.

We're also accepting any and all social invitations. Normally I am pretty guarded with our social time. Too many hours a week with a dozen little ones milling about, and two of the four of us get twitchy (can you guess which two? Hint: I'm one). Crowds are fun in moderation. But this week? Sign us up. In fact, we have three parties in four days on the books, and two play dates in between. Again, novelty is the name of the game. If I can make our time feel like a vacation from reality - like something new and unusual, instead of normal life without Dad - it is a little easier on all of us. And because I know it's short-lived, all of the activity has actually been a lot of fun. My only flub was taking Silas to a big pool (with a diving board, compared to the world of zero entry toddler pools we've grown accustomed to) without a life jacket. It's too cold, I thought. He won't be interested. But as my fearless little boy trotted around the deep end of Liquid Death, leaning all the way over to refill his water gun, I knew I'd made an error in judgment. Alas. Now I know.

So, yes. We're hanging in there. Thriving, even. Thanks to the grace of God, an abundance of birthdays, and Cheez-its.

Happy Sunday, all.