After much last-minute stress and scrambling, we managed to make it to Indiana for the weekend! Our first stop (literally–no diaper or gas or food stops the first four hours) was in Bloomington to stay at the Talcott Family Bed and Breakfast.
In keeping with tradition, we ate Anna’s great food, talked and talked, and stayed up way too late playing Caylus. I managed to squeak in a win just before midnight, beating David by just one point! I wish I’d thought to take a picture of the board, but I’ll not easily forget my hour of triumph. Bright and early the next morning, the kids were up and playing–Ellie being her affectionate self to Tommy, who loved the attention!
All too soon, we had to head north for South Bend, getting to campus just in time for Lauren’s baby shower (the original reason for our trip). I wasn’t planning on surprising Lauren, but apparently neither Lesley-Anne or I had mentioned that I was coming. How fun to accidentally surprise the guest of honor! I haven’t gotten all the pictures back yet, but here we are with the quilt I finished for her on the car ride up. It was wonderful to see all the Sunday School girls again and sit between my dear prayer group girls and pretend I still belonged at Notre Dame! Was it just a year ago that we were all feasting on tea treats at Lauren’s for Tommy’s baby shower?!? How time flies!
The next order of business was visiting the Nielsens and meeting young master Edmund. Just getting together was quite an achievement–with the nap and eating schedules of three young children in the mix, our plans morphed several times before we saw Edmund (oh, and his family). He is such a snuggly little cutie–and Magdalene has become quite the little lady! (And despite being a year and a day younger, my porky young son is a good pound heavier…) Tommy had quite a good time breaking the wheel off of her brand new toy stroller. We would have liked to stay and discuss the relative literary merits of Austen’s best novels, but we decided to beat a hasty retreat before Tommy traumatized Magdalene too much more.
Saturday night we stayed with the Teagues. Since their Indian Lakes apartment is the same size that ours was, this was a very generous and brave act on their part. It’s impossible not to trash a 700 square foot space when you’re coming with a baby for the night, but our gracious hosts welcomed us, anyway. Tommy loves Katie and Christopher (and so do we)! Despite missing a nap and traumatizing his friend earlier that day, he was a bundle of cheerful energy at the Mexican restaurant and back at the apartment. He loved his rice and the friendly waiter, and he felt pretty pleased with the attention of four adults when he was supposed to be in bed. (While he was bouncing off the walls and exploring everything, how could we have the heart to put him down?)
Tommy must like the sounds an Indian Lakes apartment kitchen makes, maybe because he remembers sleeping in one the first six months of his life, but in any case, he slept soundly all night long (a first while traveling!) and woke up cheerful and ready for church! Our first Sunday back at Trinity since the move was everything that I had hoped. There’s something special about a church where you’re a member–even the organ-and-drumset accompaniment to all the songs (the latter half of which drives me crazy at every other church) seemed charming, and the worship team had lost none of their gusto. Pastor Clapper’s sermon on John 15 was so good, and we got to see a family I knew from last summer’s VBS dedicating their new baby! Oh, I love attending Crossroads here, but I have certainly missed Trinity. Prayers for finding a similar church when we move to Chicago are much appreciated!
Our trip home was fairly tame–we left Derek’s coat at the Teagues and had to go back for it, then we made several Willett-style 5 minute stops for diaper changes and one Muller-style hour stop at Cracker Barrel, so we got in later than planned–and here we are back at home, tired but happy! And somehow in the chaos of the weekend, Tommy cut through his fifth tooth. Pictures of that tomorrow, I hope…
It was such a treat to have you guys stay with us! We love you tons!