It's raining, it's pouring, the old man is.....

You get the picture right??? WOW! We've received over six inches of rain in the past 24 hours and it's not exptected to stop before Wednesday night. The good thing is all this rain might, just might, get our rain index where it needs to be. We've been in drought conditions here in central Florida for quite a while now. The threat of wildfires has been way WAY up there. In fact, yesterday there were at least six different fires that we knew of in the state. I don't think there are any new ones now. (Yeah, don't know how they could possibly start, let alone catch on with the deluge we're experiencing)

It's been fun getting the kids to the bus and school each day. I was able to get Logan to put on his rain coat but forget the hood. Marie refused the coat but put on the boots. (No boots for Logan) and used a teeny tiny umbrella that didn't protect her very much. I had a huge umbrella and was fighting the wind and Logan to try to keep us dry. Not much was dry on me by the time the bus came and we were only out there for five minutes!

I came in, changed clothes and prepared to get the little ones ready. Ryan with his little ladybug boots and his giraffe rain coat was just too adorable! Of course, the boots were a cast off of Katie's and were a little big so when I tried to pick him up to carry to the van they fell off. Back to the porch we went, put them back on and he was walking to the van. I no sooner pick him up and put him in the van then both those little buggers fell off. At least they were in the van and dry for that moment. He's in his seat but not buckled in and I run back for Katie. Now, she's a hodgepodge of clothes. She has her green St. Patrick's Day stretch pants, pink boots and Logan's old red raincoat on. What a colorful combo she was though! Too cute! I grabbed her, my purse, lock the door and off we go again. Did I mention that the umbrella is trying to make me fly like Mary Poppins the whole time?!?!?!

Katie is in the car and strapped in when I run around to get Ryan's boots on and strap him in his seat. I got the one boot on but the umbrella is about to take flight so I gave up on the other and strapping him in and just run for my seat. Whew! I'm almost soaked at that point but not too too bad. I strap the boy in, put his other boot on because if I don't the screaming won't stop until we get to school. I get my glasses on, at least with those I had some (very little, but hey it's better than NOTHING) common sense. I put the case in my purse so they were good and dry. Get the car on and running the heat because, hey, it's mid May in Florida and the temp is ONLY 70 degrees!!!!!! In my 25 plus years in this state it's never EVER hit that temp in May.

The drive is almost uneventful except for the moron talking on his cell phone who almost sideswipes us merging onto the road. Traffic is slow and bunched up because, GASP, the construction workers ARE ACTUALLY WORKING ON THE ROADWAYS!!! Yeah, I can't believe it either. They never work when it's sunny. You see five guys standing around talking about work but you never actually SEE them working.

We get to school and I swear to you the wind picked up just as I shut the van off. I grab the umbrella and fight to get it open. Katie is out and we're running for the overhang. She is behaving for the moment so I fight the umbrella and the Mary Poppins flight to get to Ryan. Now, at that point my brain FINALLY kicks into high gear. I pull the useless P.O.S. umbrella back down and throw it in the van. I'm able to get Ryan out of the van with his backpack and his blanket shoved into the front of my shirt to keep it dry. (Yeah, I look 9 months pregnant but who cares, the blanket is dry!) I have enough sense left to hold his boots as I gently set him down in the lake, I mean puddle next to the van. We walk quickly to get Katie and head into his class. Half way there we meet them heading to the cafeteria for breakfast. Well, at least it's a lot less walking to do right?!?! He's settled with the class and Katie and I head back out into the hurricane, I mean spring showers and head home. Katie is giggling and dry while I'm grumbling and shivering because I'm drenched and freezing.

The moral to this story is that a grown women of 40 years of age should have sense and wear a rain coat and just drink a ton of coffee before going out into such weather!!! I'm enjoying my coffee as I snuggle in a nice big blanket and listen to the downpour continue. I'm looking forward to the trip back to school to pick Ryan up. No, really, I am and did I mention that today is speech therapy for Logan??????? I'm not even going to think about it right now. Coffee, COFFEE give me MORE COFFEE!!!!!!!!!!!