Tarrytown, New York

I am writing from The Tarrytown House in Tarrytown, New York. It's about 25 miles north of Manhattan. I got here on Sunday afternoon and will not leave for home until late on Friday. It is the longest time I've ever been away from my kids. I spoke to both Samantha and Sabrina on the phone tonight. It is so nice to hear their little voices. Samantha told me she was watching tv and sleeping in the living room tonight. Then she said she missed me. Sabrina got on the phone and said, "Mommy, are you still at the airport? Can we come back to get you?" I nearly cried. I told her I wasn't at the airport and explained where I was. She told me goodbye and said, "I love you." Then I heard her yelling for her Daddy. "Daddy, Mommy is not at the airport, she is in New York in a hotel." They are growing up so quickly. Michael and Peyton are going rounds again tonight over yet another homework assignment that Michael doesn't want us to know about. He is in a strange place right now. I can't figure out why he would rather be grounded than to just do his homework and study. He will admit he's just being lazy and doesn't want to do it. He's missing out on so much. The first Fayette High Football game of the year and the county fair have come and gone and Michael is still grounded. I have no idea where Destiny was tonight. I asked Sabrina, but then we lost our phone connection and I have to walk a pretty good way up the hill to get it back. I couldn't get back through on the phone, so I suppose she was watching television or was in the bath tonight. I know she is doing really well in school right now. We will be going to the Cheetah Girls concert in two weeks.

When I first called Peyton today, he was at the hospital with Neil and Jennifer. Jennifer had a little girl today. Her name is Mary Lauren Tingle. It's a beautiful name. I am sure that Grandmother Tingle was beside herself over the name. I pulled the front page off of today's USA Today to bring back with me for my new little neice. I can't wait to see her.

Peyton's birthday is on Saturday and I am not sure that we will see him at all. As soon as he picks me up from the airport on Friday, he'll be leaving town for a job in Virginia or Maryland. I am going to be beside myself. I have not been this long without seeing Peyton in the entire 8 years I've known him. I saw him more when we were just friends than I will this week. I have never been so homesick.

Sunday, Oct 19th

I am jumping ahead a little bit so I will only have one post for this Tarrytown trip. On Tuesday night, a few of us took the train down to the city. Vicki, Flavio and Phil. We had a nice night in the city. We had pizza at a little pizzaria. Flavio worked on a deal with the owner to ship pizza back to him in Tuscon. Phil, we goes by the nickname of P Diddy back in Seattle, could not resist possing with the crowd that had gathered to await P Diddy's exit from his Label's offices. We walked to the Empire State Building and had the most breathtaking view of New York City. It is just amazing what you can see from up there. It was a great experience. I am so happy that I jumped in the car at the last minute and decided to go. I went into Toy's R Us in Time Square and bought a New York Baby hat and onesie for Mary Lauren. I have certainly learned how to be a team player this week. Leading Lostistics Success is the most amazing class. It's a long, very busy week, but it is worth it.