I'm definitely taking this more serious than Gracie....

Some of you might know, I am a Doula. If you don't know what that is, it is a woman who assists other women during their birth experience. We kind of take the pressure off the dad and let him just be 'dad' without having to worry about what to do when your wife is yelling at you to "give her a backrub" to help relieve her pain and you run your hand over it a few times and call it good.

We also provide support just by being a woman, who has been down this road a time or two and understands exactly what you are feeling - something a dad has trouble with, as you can imagine.

Currently, I'm only doing about 2-3 births a year, only because my life is incredibly crazy and there is just no time for any more than that. However, when my life slows down someday, I can't imagine a better way to spend your time.

Anyway, I'm off track......I feel like an expectant father with this damn sheep of ours. I'm neurotically checking on her and babying her and making sure she is warm and comfortable. Like this ole girl doesn't know what she is doing, right?

Our weather has definitely taken a turn for the worse, as we knew it would, and we are looking at -35 with windchills this weekend. Of course, bringing Gracie into the house seems reasonable to me in that kind of weather, but John frowns on that idea.

(**side note: Minnesota Matron - we are in each other's backyard! Either I read my thermometer wrong (-7) or it was a hell of a lot colder 40 miles NE of you!! Do you have your longjohns out for this weekend? We should have coffee!)

Back to regular programming, sorry about that. So. I'm obsessed with this animal having her babies in this weather - so the watch goes on. I'm taking my Doula role very seriously, aren't I?

On to other things. We are heading into Minneapolis today to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit at the Walker Art Center. We have been studying Frida and all her eccentricities for a while now and are excited to see the exhibit. I'm even going so far as to lie to the high school so Alyson can go with us. Terrible when the school forces you to lie to take your kids to an educational experience. Actually, I said she had an appointment in Minneapolis - which is true, technically.

Tomorrow brings more all-day basketball for Brenna and the big news of the week? Maddie got one of the roles in Charlotte's Web that will be playing at our local Theater. She wanted the role of Fern so badly, but guess what she got instead? Templeton. Do you remember who Templeton is? The rat. She was not pleased. We had to put it in perspective for her. Actually, Templeton is the hero of the story and saves the day! Also, over 100 kids tried out for about 20 spots and she got one, so being appreciative of that was necessary.

We leave for South Caroline on Wednesday of next week and of course, they are getting snow! That's the Sullivan luck for you. Not that we ever get to see the light of day on these trips - 12+ hours a day of watching clogging. Hmmm. Thank God for wireless internet.

That's our week in a nutshell - how about in your neck of the woods??