**UPDATE**

Tracey commented she hoped the day turned out better....

It actually got worse, my second boy lost his shoes. The 2 players rode the bus back to the school, and the rest of us stopped by the house to leave off my husband's truck and ride together. I had him drop the elementary boy and I at that school, figured we'd get a head start, while he waited for the team to be dismissed at the Middle School.

I toured the entire school with Michael.

They never showed.

We finally walked to the Middle School. I greeted the principal in the foyer, and asked if he had seen my boys. We have small classes, Dustin's class at last count was 45. By that, I mean in his GRADE. So the principal knows each student well.

Anyway, he said he had seen them, and that Brian was in socks.

I ask several teachers, trying to narrow down where they went, but the one thing they all knew was my son had no shoes on. He's not supposed to wear cleats in the building, so this was not terribly alarming. Yet.

Michael and I chatted awhile with Brian's homeroom teacher, the wife of the Assistant Fire Chief. Remind me to tell you of the canvas painting of my husband in his uniform.

Anyway, we finally gave up, mind you, I had scanned the parking lots and NOT seen my car. We went outside to sit and wait. Side note: I was dumb and left my cell phone in the van. Or I could have called him.

He finally appears, with 3 boys in tow. Turns out he had gone to the school gym. And the soccer field where they had played. And finally our house, to get old shoes. I told him he should never, EVER go to all that trouble again. Brian could have done the open house in socks.

We're hoping they are on the bus, luckily it was THEIR bus they ride every day, so he should be able to ask easily enough.

BUT...

THEN my day got better. At night, we all have a family prayer, and then each of us hug and kiss goodnight. I don't make my boys kiss, but I DO make them hug. It has yielded VERY good results so far. Anyway, Zachary, the 3 yo, was the last to give me a hug. He gave me a big kiss, where his face is smushed on my cheek and he just waits before he smacks. Then, he wrapped his still-toddler-chubby arms around my neck, and he says, "I love you, Mommy... You da best mommy in da whole WOLD!!"


And don't you forget it, kid!!! ;-)