I still am not sure where a whole month went. I just know that we were so busy that it flew by fast! We had a few school projects to complete this month. Tyler made a model of an animal cell.
October 2-7
JM and I started off the month with a trip to DC. It was a business trip for JM, and I decided to tag along! JM says that the only reason I wanted to go was because DC was a subway ride to my friends house on the Eastern Shore of Maryland! I must admit that probably was the driving factor, but I did want to get away with him too!!!!! My mom flew in from Texas to babysit the kiddos while we took a little couple (plus a baby) trip! We flew out EARLY Saturday, October 2nd. We arrived in DC (including a layover) in time for lunch. We then had to rest! Baby was tired and so were we from getting up at 3 am!!! We enjoyed a historical, night tour of DC. We saw all the old historical sites...
And we saw a new site! The World War II Memorial...it was beautiful!
We met our friends the Workingers' for dinner on Sunday night at ______. We had an awesome time, and I HIGHLY recommend this restaurant for meat lovers!!! The Workingers' took Colleen and I to the suburbs (actually to the country and 10 miles past nowhere!!! haha!!) with them for a few days while JM attended his ACS meetings. We had a great time with Mrs. Robin and her crew of 5 kids and a captain! What a wonderful family! What an awesome friend! I enjoyed getting to see my sweet friend---it had been 2 years and too long!!!
I returned to DC on Tuesday afternoon. JM and I enjoyed the late afternoon and evening in _____. We ate at a little Italian restaurant with our friend from Temple, Texas, Dr. Belinda Kohl-Thomas while her husband was attending another meeting. We returned home to Alabama on Wednesday late afternoon.
Thursday, October 8th
On Thursday morning, my mom helped me pull together the last few details of Lyndsey's birthday party. Yeah! She was so excited to turn 4 today!!! She proclaimed that she grew last night so she could turn 4 today! The big kids found that quite hilarious since her actual birthday was last month!!!
We had her birthday party (play date) at the Island Carousel at Eastdale Mall. She invited her school friends, cousins, and a few church friends. They ate Chick-fil-A and cake and rode on the carousel a few times. It was a simple, fun birthday celebration!
Lyndsey just kept saying, "Mom, that was the best birthday ever! Thank you!" Wow! It truly is the simple things in life that mean the most! Her first friend birthday party was a success!
JM finished up the weekend and weekend with a lot of CALL. In fact, we really did not see him for almost a week :(. In the meantime, my mom and I kicked it into high gear. Did I fail to mention we are moving into our newly remodeled house in 1 week?!?!
October 15th **** Moving Day
The last box is packed....
The kids are off to school...
The moving trucks arrived. The work begins....for the REST of October!!!
Monday, October 18th
Lyndsey's class took a trip to the pumpkin patch today. The girls were out of school today for parent/teacher conferences so they went with us. It was a nice break away from unpacking boxes, but it definitely was not a relaxing getaway! Grammy and Papa watched Colleen today while we went to the pumpkin patch. They also needed to get their car packed because they are heading back to Texas this afternoon.
Corynne and Lauren each met up with a friend from school at the patch! Yeah! It is not so uncool to be on a preschool field trip!
Learning how a pumpkin grows...
Planting our own pumpkin necklace...
Hold on!!! This cow train goes FAAAASSSSTTTT.....
Choices to make....
I choose this one....
What an awesome day at the pumpkin patch!
Thursday, October 21st
Tonight Corynne and Lauren danced at the Jr. League Holiday Market. They each danced one number and did a great job.
Saturday, October 23rd
Tyler played in the Dothan tennis tournament on Saturday. JM took him down for the day. Tyler played up in the 14s division for this tournament. He played some good tennis. In some bad circumstances, he held his head high and played on. We were very proud of him.
Friday, October 29th
Today our family went in so many different directions. Tyler's class spent the day downtown at the capitol learning and touring. Lauren's class went out to Camp Chandler for a day in the woods and candle making! Corynne had a normal school day. Dad left on a medical mission trip to India. Just a normal chaotic day in our house!!!
Lyndsey's school had Bible character dress up day today. Each kid dressed as a character in the Bible and stood up during chapel to tell about themselves. Lyndsey dressed up as Martha who cooked and cleaned when Jesus came to visit her and her sister. She was the cutest Martha ever even without her basket of cleaning and cooking supplies that she left in the classroom!!!!
October 30th
Today was a typical Saturday morning. The girls went to swim team for 2 hours and Tyler went to play doubles at Wynlakes. I bought groceries and was the official taxi driver for the day! After lunch, we stopped by the little Boy Scout pumpkin patch/sale for 3 reasons. Colleen had not been to the pumpkin patch. Mom needed annual pumpkin pictures. We did not have pumpkins to carve!
Now, we can carve jack-o-lanterns tonight!!!!
October 31st
I found out early this morning that JM has been detained in Delhi for having bullets in a hunting jacket he had packed for the trip. He is not in jail, but they have taken away his passport. Jail is where he will go if we do not produce proof that it is legal in America to carry bullets. The only proof he could think of was a hunting license, but his has expired. We need proof of OLD license, but it is Sunday and government offices are not open! He did not even have a gun with him!!!! Please Indian officials, just take the bullets and send our Dad home!!! I continued to get the kids up and ready for church. While holding it together on the outside and falling apart on the inside, I told Tyler what was going on in India right before we left for church. I remained calm until I sat down in SS listening to everyone's glory stories. All I could think was, God please make this a glory story by tomorrow. That is when I started to break down on the outside. I rushed out of the classroom with baby in hand. A sweet friend, Molly, followed me out to get the story. From that point on our family was lifted up in prayer by a faithful church and a concerned group of friends across the city! It was a stressful day and night. All was resolved by 9:30 am Monday morning. JM got his passport back, and all charges were dropped. He was able to continue on his trip. He got there for the last day of the medical camp. Wow! God is good all the time!!!
While I was emotionally STRESSED, the kids were more concerned with Halloween! Corynne and Lauren went trick-or-treating with some kids from the neighborhood. Tyler decided to stay home with one of his friends and hand out candy. I took the little girls trick-or-treating. We all had a fun night!
Corynne and her friend Mary Francis...
