Andy's move...

I couldn't wait for it to be over...they ran out of room on their 8 floors and so they built a new building across the street. They had deadlines to meet all week and everything had to be done by Sunday as they only closed down for the weekend. They had to be back live in time for Monday morning. It was Andy's first management position given by the company and he was nervous. He worked long hard hours...they all did. But, it was hard not seeing him much. Thursday, he called and he didn't think he was coming home, but then he called around 9 and said that he'd be home late. I waited up for him, well almost...I fell asleep for about 15 minutes before he got home. He was so incredibly sweet...he was telling me how much he appreciated all the hard work that I had been doing at home and with our foster/adoption stuff and he just hugged and kissed and cuddled me and I ate it all up. :-)

Deidra really started being a handful later in the week. I knew it was because everything was all out of whack and wasn't the norm for her. She hadn't seen Andy in about 4 days (he'd get home way after her bedtime and she was already asleep) and on Saturday I swear I spent most of the day putting her in time out for not listening and just wanting her own way and doing it anyway. She had to go to work with me on Saturday night and Sunday morning and my nerves were so frazzled during the day on Saturday. She's normally a really good kid and she was just testing me left and right that day. Temper tantrum after temper tantrum, I'd say no and she'd do it anyway. I'd put her in time out and she'd test me and test me and play game after game. She told me she had to go potty and I told her she was going to have to wait. She deliberately peed all over the floor and when I told her she was going to clean her own mess up and take care of the clothes that she peed all over she did it, but I got the whole "you're mean...I don't want to be a part of this family anymore." That broke my heart, but I also knew that she was just mad and was trying to get me to cave. We sat down after she calmed down and we had a long talk about how she couldn't act certain ways and that we both missed Daddy, but that she had to do what Mommy was asking her to do and really listen. She apologized and wrapped her arms around my neck. Then, she decided she'd be a good girl and she helped me finish cleaning up the house. She even vacuumed up the living room for me and did a great job. Then, it was time to go to work. She got mad at me because I wouldn't let her wear a skirt, but I knew she was going to get dirty. So, we finally agreed on some clothes for her to wear. We worked in lumber and she did great. When it got past her bedtime, she started acting up some and didn't want to listen. She did better after break time for awhile and then right before it was time to go home, she started acting up again. She took off running the opposite way when it was time for us to leave and embarrassed me in front of the store manager. I made her apologize to him (he thought it was funny and commented to me that she was a pretty good kid). She swore up and down to me that she wasn't tired "the least little bit." I got her in the car and home and it was 10:30 pm. We got her into her jammies and tucked into bed and we weren't even home for 10 minutes before she was asleep. Andy came home around 11:15 and after the day that I had with her, I was stressing out about how she was going to do on Sunday since we had to be back to open and she wasn't going to get much sleep.

Sunday morning came all to quickly and Andy and I sat down and talked to her about her feelings and ours and that we needed her to be a good girl for Mommy at work and Andy told her we'd take her out for ice cream after work if she did good. We had to work down at returns and Sunday went so much better. Michelle let her help at the paint desk for about an hour putting stuff back into boxes. Tiffany took her out to the garden to pet Homer (the orange and white kitty who has adopted us). Jessie let her go back to receiving to put some returns back there with her for a few minutes and Susan offered to let her sit at the service desk and color if she wanted to. Michelle offered to put Shrek in the break room for her if management ok'd it, but I didn't trust her back there by herself and I wanted to be able to see her and so I kind of vetoed that one, but I appreciated the offer. Someone even brought her a doughnut and she just ate up the extra attention. I heard a lot of people comment on how good she was and that their little ones never would have stayed in one spot like she did. She got lots of comments about how pretty her name was and how pretty she is and the guys all wanted to set up their sons and grandsons with her. I think I'll keep her away from the boys for awhile if I can help it. ;-)

What did shock me though were the number of people that thought that I was having family troubles because she was there. When they found out that I had originally asked for the weekend off and because we were short-handed they couldn't give it to me and my supervisor ok'd it with HR to have Deidra come up there, they were shocked. I said it wasn't exactly the answer that I was looking for either...but I never thought that people would really think that I left Andy or that he left me. Trust me, if my marriage had just split up, I'd be a little too upset to be at work.

Andy came home around 7 and we went to Braum's for dinner and ice cream to treat Deidra for being good. We got home home in time for her bedtime and Andy and I sat and snuggled on the couch to watch CSI. Poor guy was so exhausted he immediately fell asleep. I can't say that I blame him. He's worked long hours all week long and they've been moving heavy stuff and he's so sore. But, I'm proud of him too for all that he did this week...but I'm glad that it's now over and I hope that they don't have too many problems in the new building while they're getting used to things. Andy said it looks really nice and he can't wait to take us to see it.

But, I'm glad that I survived my week of being a single parent and I'm glad that the move is now done and that we can get back to normal.