While I was gone J got a pretty bad cold.  On Thursday night he asked Clare to make sure to get herself dressed and ready for school in the morning.  On Friday morning he woke up a little later than usual and came out to the living room to find Clare completely dressed, Sam completely dressed (with a clean diaper), and both of them eating cereal.  Clare told J that she wanted him to sleep in so she got herself and Sam ready for school.  He told me later that he almost started crying right then and there he was so touched. 

I came home, of course, since even five-day business trips do end.  I came home to two children and a husband who were fine without me but were still happy to see me.  Oh, and a little girl with the stomach flu, which shortly turned into two kids with the flu.  OK, maybe they needed me after all.