Gas caps and dead cats

I'm home again and very tired but happy with the way the week went. A very big THANK YOU to Whitney and Marc for putting up with us for so long. I decided to leave a day early and come home yesterday instead of today. Partly to give Whitney a break but mostly for a birthday surprise for Rob. Of course, he's spent his birthday keeping track of the kids and doing all the laundrey while I recuperate from the long and busy week and the long and stressful drive yesterday. It wasn't the best road trip that I've ever had. Outside of Bosie I lost my temper with Grace and actually pulled off the freeway to issue some discipline. Taking the time to do that meant that I was at the wrong spot at the wrong time in Payette, ID and was pulled over for not having a front license plate. That became more serious when I realized that I didn't have my current insurance card in the car AND the officer was suspectful of my driver's license since apparently I don't look like I did 2 years ago when I got it. However, he took pity on my since I was obviously in distress (crying), had two young children in the back and was just passing through and didn't give me a ticket. So I was back on my way again, still a bit shaken over my very first encounter with a police officer ever (never been pulled over before!) when a very big and, from the brief glimps I had, beautiful cat ran right in front of me. I was going way to fast to even think of swerving until after it was too late. From my rear view mirror it looked like the cat just exploded on contact. Sam was awake at the time so I had to come up with an excuse for the noise and my reaction. Luckily he is easily pacified. To cap this all off (no pun intended), at our next stop I realized that I had forgotten to put the gas cap back on when I had filled up in Boise. All in all, not a great trip, but Rob was really surprised to see us and happy to have us home so I think it must have been worth it. I don't know if the cat's owner would agree.