The Middles

Hadley and HD are our “middle” children.

Kate and LD would be our “bookends.”

The BookEnds like to pretend they don’t need any of us.  I mean, we all know they do, but we let them keep up the pretence.

But, the Middles.  They have always been more prone to hanging out with their cool parents.  And this weekend, David and I had some time with those Middles.

First of all, let us discuss hunting.

Back when all four kids were little, David used to leave on extended hunting trips.  Like 9-10 day trips.  Like totally abandon me with multiple children under the age of 5.

For days upon days, he would be gone.  And he would have no phone service.  It was a tragic time for me.  I was a stay at home mom and really looked forward to him coming home each night so I could speak to an adult.  Those hunting trips were tough.

Especially when all four kids got sick at once.

The kids really missed him-particularly the middles.

For one trip, David left before HD had woken up from his nap.

Oh, the humanity of it all.  We had to have him call David before he was completely out of service.

Should he have been wearing glasses here?  Yes.

Were they broken?  Most likely.

After he hung up, HD looked at me and said, “Mommy I hold you,” and that mean he would please like a hug.

Hadley, who was awake and present during David’s departure, did not handle him leaving all that well.

But that was the hunting of yesterday.

Let’s talk about hunting today.

Hunting today involves three kids with hunting licenses and tags of their own to fill.  Hunting today involves our glorious trailer at the glorious river property.  Hunting today means Taylor is not stuck at home with kids and no adults.

Hunting today is better.  Much.

David and Hadley left for a weekend hunting trip.  LD went to a friend’s house and HD and I were home alone.  David found himself on top of a mountain with cell service and texted me-plans were made, and HD and I loaded up the dogs and went to the river for the night.

It is still lovely at the river.

Saturday also happened to be Niko and Norman’s first birthday.

Can you believe that?

So, here are the puppy brothers on their first birthday-

And here they were the day we got them-

So, HD and I got to the river while David and Hadley were still hunting.  We had some time to play with the dogs and get settled in.

David and Hadley returned and we watched a DVD, snacked on pizza, and snuggled with dogs.

It was a nice evening at the river, hanging out with the middles.  And this morning, I snapped this photo of David and Hadley before they set out for elk hunting-

And that, my friends, is a much better picture than this one-

HD and I had a bit of a lazy morning with dogs and coffee, and then we left the river and headed for home.

Happy Sunday