When the boys got out of school, we had a very busy week planned before Christmas. We were making a trip to visit friends in Texarkana for the day and then we were going to my parents’ house for Christmas. Monday, we were supposed to clean and get things ready for leaving for Austin. The boys were nuts! I really thought they were going to drive me insane that day. After fussing at them for the millionth time that day, I was sitting there really thinking my kids had been possessed when I had an idea. I made lists of everything we had to do before we could go to Austin. I wrote out where they could read all we had to clean, pack, wrap, etc. I had them all over the house and the boys eyes got really big as Noah read through the lists. I guess they got the picture, for a few hours that evening they started to help out some.
Tuesday we went to Texarkana and they did well. We enjoyed visiting with our friends and meeting baby James. I wish I would have taken pictures, but I have to admit I was enjoying holding sweet little James. It is always amazing how small a new baby is! I also never get over the thought that mine use to be that little!!
Wednesday, I was afraid. I knew we had a lot to do again that day to be ready to leave and Monday didn’t go so well. Thank you Fred for writing a note to the boys. I was trying to catch a few extra zzz’s that morning (after making John’s lunch- I’m such a good wife.) and heard Noah talking to John. Noah found Fred and read a note to John. He was so excited that Fred wrote a note! He even said “Fred has really nice handwriting.” I was hopeful that the day would be better. As the others woke up they too got excited about the note.
They worked hard to make sure they got done what was on our lists. They got really worried when I sneaked my marker back from Fred. I needed it to finish wrapping a few presents and they were worried I would touch Fred. I reassured them I could slip it out with out touching Fred. When John got home from work, he was asking the boys how they did that day. Noah wanted to read the note again. When he got on the table he pulled the note a little and Fred fell over. You would have thought that he had cut off his finger. At first I couldn’t really understand what he was crying about. Noah is dramatic, but this was over the top. It was a complete meltdown! John and I felt SO bad for him. You could really tell he was truly sorry and very worried!
We calmed him down and told him to try and write a “sorry” note to Santa. He did. He was still upset, scared that Fred lost his magic and would not be back the next day.
Thursday, Noah was up first and couldn’t find Fred. He was so upset. I thought we were going to have another meltdown. It was breaking my heart. He just sat there at the table looking at the last place he saw Fred, thinking only the worse. We kept reminding him about Fred’s original note and tried to give him hope Fred was at Grandma’s.
On our way to Grandma’s we stopped by my friend Adrienne’s house. We visited with her and her two girls, who are about the same ages as Ian and Eli. Makaela didn’t know what to do seeing all the girl toys!!! They also had an elf, so Noah had to tell his story to Adrienne. They also discussed if Waldo and Fred were related. Adrienne also tried to reassure Noah that Fred was waiting at Grandma's. Always good to see and spend time with such a sweet friend and girls.
When we got to Grandma’s … we found Fred!!!! He was hanging out in the “Winter Wonderland” that Grandma, Papaw, and the aunts and uncles made. He had a note for Noah, hanging a safe distance from himself.
