Did that really just happen?

On Tuesday morning I called the kids' new school.  I had to wait until that day to ask my question because that was when the counselors would be available.  My question was:  The window to register new students, the 5th-13th?  Does it matter if you get there early or is next week fine?

I was fully expecting them to say next week was fine.

They didn't.

They said, "You'd better get here.  Classes are filling up fast."

So I called together my troops and we tried to figure out what to do but my mind was reeling and it was Adam who ultimately decided what we should do.  (Here's a helpful hint:  if you're ever in a crisis, call Adam instead of me.)

At the beginning of this moving process, I promised my kids I would do whatever I could--I would move heaven and earth--to make this work, to make it easier and better for them.  I can make big promises like that but Adam is the one that makes them happen.  He made the arrangements and gave me the details. 

He decided Emma and I should fly to Utah for the registration.  One glitch in the planning was the car rental.  I think because of BYU education week, there were NO cars available to rent from the SLC airport.  My stress level was already through the roof and that wasn't...helping.  I called Melanee.  When you have an arsenal of people you can call, crying and in distress, who will save the day, nothing too terrible can ever happen to you.  I asked if Melanee could pick us up at the train station in American Fork and she insisted that she'd pick us up at the airport.  She canceled her entire day and instead devoted it to us.  I texted Ammon that his wife was awesome and he texted back that he already knew, but thank you.

After a nearly sleepless night, Adam drove Emma and me to the airport in the dark morning.  We zipped through security because Adam had sprung for first class tickets.  Apparently when you buy your tickets the day before, first class isn't that much more expensive.   We probably looked like refugees at the curb but Melanee and Cormac and Azure picked us up anyway.  They all looked fresh faced and gorgeous and we were delighted to see them.

We drove straight to the school and sweet Melanee took her kids on an exploratory adventure outside while Emma and I conquered the registration process.  There were forms to fill out and an enormous line.  I pulled the "We flew here from Seattle and are only here for the day" card and got to cut in front of some of the poor locals.  Everyone was extremely nice and Emma even got to audition with the choir teacher.  My little songbird made advanced women's choir and when he was describing the choir program to her, I almost started crying (granted, I'm an emotional wreck) because it will be marvelous for her!

Registering Emma was pretty easy.  She got the classes she wanted although has to retake a computer class she took last year because it was called something different at her old school that doesn't work in the new school.  Crazy, but it will be an easy class at least.  Braeden's schedule was more of a challenge.  We had to work all sorts of wonky angles to make his classes work and electives he wanted were full and things like cabinetry and architectural design and robotics were open.  Mark would like those but Braeden, not so much.  Between texting him and finally calling him and an extremely patient counselor, I think we finally got a satisfactory schedule.  I felt absolutely drained after the process, but relieved too.

We had a celebratory lunch at Chick-fil-a.  Cormac and Azure charmed me with their utter charm and I showed them pictures of the backyard in our new house in an attempt to make them want to come and see us, often.

Melanee offered to take us anywhere we wanted to go.  We wanted to drive by our new house--which is still surreal--and then we went to their house.  Azure and Emma and I all took a nap.  (Ammon and Melanee have a really comfortable bed.)  Azure and Emma slept on and Melanee and I chatted and Cormac whispered in an effort to not wake up Emma, which was adorable. 

As I sat in Ammon and Melanee's comfortable house and visited with Melanee, it felt like I was taking a small break from the whirlwind of my life lately.  It was free therapy.  I am going to really enjoy being neighbors.

Ammon came home and Azure, who was awake by then, ran toward him with all the glee of a little girl whose beloved daddy is home from work.  I love that kind of stuff.  Especially when you have teenagers who don't run at you with glee, ever.  On the way back to the airport, we stopped at Zupa's for dinner.  Because Zupa's.   I informed them I wanted to buy dinner and Ammon looked at me compassionately, like, good luck with that.  I said I was serious.  I wanted to pay them back for their generosity.  Ammon just smiled.  I tried to look like an intimidating big sister but he's a lot taller than me and I seem to have lost my age advantage (I think I lost it about 20 years ago).  I made everyone else go first so I could pay at the end but Ammon still managed to pay.  Then he rounded up napkins and utensils for everyone and basically was the star of the show.  There's a reason we all know Ammon as the perfect one.

They dropped us off at the airport and it wasn't very sad to say good-bye to them at all because we'll see them again in a week and a half.  That was nice.  Saying good-bye around here isn't as easy.

Emma and I flew to Salt Lake City yesterday, registered for school, and then flew back.  Adam said I was a jet setter.  If by jet setter he meant crazy person, then yes, I think that describes it.