Where's The Justin. . .I Mean Justice. . .

I am stuck inside my house, freezing (no, my furnace works fine, just not my body temperature regulator) while outside nature is dumping thick, wet snow on the ground, and while Christopher is about to drive me up the wall.

Justin is. . .

. . .flying into beautiful Phoenix, Arizona.

I am shoveling wet, heavy snow with a kid's shovel because I can hardly push or lift the snow with the manly shovel. Slush slops onto my head from the overhanging trees. My hands are turning into icicles.

Justin is in lovely Tempe, Arizona, hanging out at a mall with some friends and will soon be heading to a fun local restaurant to eat out with the friends and the rest of his team from work.

I am dragging five kids to the store and ballet and putting up with complete uncooperativeness that spirals downward into two kids refusing to come to scriptures, and another child blasting the Beach Boys multiple times as I alternate between trying to change diapers, brush teeth, get people in bed, and finding a secure place to hide my iPod. (Wheeeee, Dad's not here! We can drive Mom absolutely bonkers!) As I am finally changing the last diaper and everyone else is at last in bed, Justin calls from Scottsdale sunny-and-in-the-70's Arizona, where his hotel is. And guess where he's staying?!

The Scottsdale Plaza Resort! In a patio suite!!

This is only part of the suite!

Two people wearing the lovely robes you can take

home for only $45--don't worry, that's not Justin!

Two rooms and a bathroom! Two TVs! A sectional! What in the heck is Justin going to do with all of it? I snorted and said, "And we didn't get a babysitter why?"

So why is Justin in the lap of luxury while I slop around my messy house trying to get kids to mind me? CVS/Caremark bought RX America's parent company, Long's Drug Stores, and now they're having a "team-building" session in Scottsdale, Caremark's main headquarters, to get all the various satellite locations together and "bonding." Justin's team, from Salt Lake, and various groups from Irving, Texas; Northbrook, Illinois; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; as well as Scottsdale, are all meeting together through Thursday afternoon to help them all feel more like one "team." (At CVS/Caremark, everyone is a "colleague," and they are grouped into various "teams" according to their departments and management. Isn't that lovely?) They will be fed three meals a day and their session will end with a fun-filled trip to a go-cart race track. Hoo boy!

Actually, Justin has been looking forward to this session for several months, and he is feeling like it will be really productive and positive for all of them. He will be able to meet people he'll be working with even though they're far away, establish relationships, network, and feel more a part of the whole Rebate team. And, honestly, nobody deserves a little change-of-pace like Justin, who goes to work faithfully every morning at 6:30 A.M., deals with so much responsibility, works through frustration as all the little details of this merger get worked out, works from home if he thinks I might need to go to the doctor, helps me get caught up on the dishes if we get behind (which he did last night so I wouldn't be left with even more to deal with), often goes shopping for me, takes such good care of our finances, puts up with our chaos, tries so hard to be understanding and patient, and loves me no matter what I look or act like (and some days are pretty bad, especially when I'm pregnant).

--And besides, he won't get to go swimming, visit the whirlpool or the spa, or really get to enjoy his room because he'll be so busy, so heh-heh!! Just kidding! I love you honey, and we're all looking forward to picking you up from the Salt Lake Airport on Thursday evening!