What I learned this weekend

1) 40ish year old women can be as dumb as 13 year olds. My 13 year old is in a figh with her two best friends. Very normal for most girls but these three have never been in a fight before. I have been very tempted to get involved, however, I have restrained myself. Even though, I sometimes feel like the mother to all three of them I knew it was not really my place to get involved. It makes me very sad as I love all three of them. Sometimes I don't know which one I love the most. They are so cute. Ryan told me that during camp this last month they had to name things that make them smile. It wasn't my biological daughter that said "Ryan's mom." Anyways, Saturday morning Sarah's mother called our house to get Sarah's shirt back from Ryan. Sarah's mother! I ask Ryan, "In the last week has Sarah lost her language skills? Has she forgotten your phone number in 7 days?" I guess we will find out if and when the fight ends.
2) I will never own 2 dogs. Never. Ever. And maybe I will have to admit to myself that deep down I do not truly believe that a dog is "just another" part of the family because I don't care if he does not have a friend to hang with. Since Wednesday we have been dogsitting for our friends that are in New York. Both of our dogs are about 6 months old. They have had a pretty good time together but the activity of choice is tusseling and then they fit in a bit of wrestling and fighting. They have squeezed in a couple hours of digging holes as well. Bart has reminded me that they are also doing the one up contest on who can poop the biggest pile. I would call them both winners and me the loser of that one.
3) 106 degree weather is not the ideal temperature for a soccer tournament. And I was only watching!
4) I can get myself up at 5 am. Last week a little 5 year old girl came up missing from her home at about 8:30 pm. She did not want to get ready for bed and after her parents and her had an argument she went outside for a couple of minutes to "cool off." When her parents went outside to get her, maybe 10 minutes later she was gone. And she hasn't been seen since.
This morning my mother, my mother in law and I went and volunteered for the search. I have been trying to get up earlier than 7 my whole summer hiatus and haven't managed to be successful. This morning I did it. I did it for the the little girl. I did it for her mother. I did it for the horror of waking to the nightmare of not knowing where one of your children are. I did it because I couldn't ignore the million of glass shards in my heart feeling when I even thought about not knowing where Ryan, Chase or Cooper were and if I would ever see them again. I ended up spending the day registering people in for their searches and forming teams. I saw so many people in so many walks of life come and give up their day(s) to search for this little girl. I recognized the need in their eyes to do something.
To not let the evil win.
To separate themselves from the wicked.
To take a stand against those that hurt innocent.
To keep hope alive.
5) I have a lot to be thankful for.