Of course it's thundering

Because it's 2:30 AM and my youngest child, who is afraid of thunder and has never been away from me for a night except at my mom's house, is currently sleeping in a cabin in the woods with her fifth grade classmates. I know she's fine; she was fine at 10:00 when Ron was shooed out of the girls' cabin so that they could get ready for bed. But it's 55 degrees and it's been raining for 12 hours and I hope I sent enough dry clothes. And why did I talk her out of taking her stuffed horse, Stacey?

Ironically, on Saturday morning I will take my other child to school and leave him there forever. Well, maybe not forever, but until he remembers that he loves us and we're not so awful and he's ready to come home for a weekend. Thomas attends a boarding school where he has been a day student up until now, and he has been begging to board because it is SO NOT FAIR that he has to miss all the fun his friends have and do you know they get to stay up until 9:15?? On school nights?!?

We said no last year but there are so many reasons why this is the right thing for our family at this time, and we pray that it is going to relieve a lot of stress all around. The school worked with us financially after we told them we just didn't have any more money to give them, which was a real blessing. We are going to sell my van, which makes both me and Ron sad because we love the van, which is very luxurious compared to our other vehicles. But it is just one year old and we hope to be able to get a good price for it. So goodbye, leather interior and heated seats and surround sound and magic dimming mirror and automatic liftgate and sonar that keeps me from hitting the sides of the garage. And hello, morning/homework/bedtime battles being someone else's problem five days a week. Thomas is sure that it's going to be a constant slumber party, and he keeps brushing off the strict schedule and chores and evening study hall. I hope he loves it as much as he believes he will, and I hope it will be a real growth experience for him.

Tomorrow...my Thursday night TV observations. I know you have been holding your breath for that.