There IS a light at the end of this tunnel

Hopefully it isn't a train. 

I am still tired.  Last night was a restless one.  That bed is killing my back, and I figured out that Hydrocodone wires me.  So I either toss and turn because I am in so much pain, or toss and turn because I feel like I have had a pot of coffee.

Not sleeping last night is especially hard today because today is the day we volunteered for our church's commitment to be a partner with a local elementary school.  It was Daughter's turn to pick up the food for the weekend backpacks to go home to the needy kiddos, so we did that, and it was also their little "store" where they can use the "bucks" they earn by turning in homework and other things that indicate good student behaviors.
  
Today was a nightmare.  We did it last year, and the kids were remarkably great.   Not. So. Much. This. Year.  They use these bucks to buy trinkets that basically come from Oriental Trading.  In other words - mostly crap.  I took those things that were $5and $10.  Last year, the only ones that were at that site were those who only had that much or had spent all but that much.  This year - nope.  I was overwhelmed with kids.  And they refused to form even two lines.  It was a mass of bodies.  I hesitated to become the secondary teacher.  They would probably be scared to death.  But that persona was beginning to show.

They didn't know the total of bucks they had, and most of them didn't understand when they were told what they qualified to buy.  They wanted to count their bucks while standing at the table with a mass of kids behind them. 

I don't know how much junk just walked off.  It was impossible to stop it.  Like a kid will do, they had to walk up and handle the stuff.   I tried to make sure I had the bucks, but ...  Mayhem.

We had our first meltdown on the "home front" this morning   I hope SIL's company is paying for the International Cell Calling, but regardless, they call a couple of times a day.  This morning, I let Monkey Boy talk before Little Bit.  That was the end!

But tomorrow is the day.  They have changed the flight from Milan to Paris to an earlier flight.  They don't want to miss the connection to Houston.  I don't either!!

We will see what happens tomorrow!