Four Hour Tour

"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale..."

That is what I thought of when this day was all done and we had made it home.  We were just going to go to our friend's house...pick up a car...and head home.  But what a day it has been!  Thankfully we were not stranded on a deserted island making our way home on coconuts!  LOL!

So...we had been looking for a car Michael could use for the summer.  We knew it would not be his "forever" car...just a simple nothing fancy jalopy!  It just so happens...a good friend of ours had the car for us!

SO...we thought we would make a day of it and go back to our old stompin' grounds.  It seemed fitting that we would load up all the children early in the morning to go to Mass at the church where we were married those twenty years ago!

Thankfully, it worked out well and we were off right on time to make it to Mass.  We even found that two of our closest friends were leading the music, so we were feeling pretty special.  We arrived early enough to tell the children some of our wedding day fun and then enjoy the energy of the college students in worship!

After Mass, we took some new pictures at the church....spoke to our friends...and determined we needed to make two more stops before heading to our friend for the car.

The first stop was at the place Michael proposed to me...under a 100+ year old tree that is known for its marriage proposals.  We told the children the story of Michael's proposal and they tried to replicate the experience for us and took pictures.  It was a great time for everyone and we even got a passerby to take a family picture for us.  It reminded me of the photography group that just happened to be walking by when Michael proposed 20 years ago!

Then we headed to the hospital!  YEP!...but not for an emergency.  A second couple we have known for many years was welcoming their new addition into the world...so we made a surprise visit at the hospital.  Little Ruth is such a precious joy for all...especially her family.  Turns out she was born on her sister's third birthday...pretty awesome birthday present!  Michael and I had the privilege of arriving just as the baby arrived AND when the deacon chose to pray a special blessing over the baby and parents.  We were overjoyed to have been a part of this special moment.

Then we returned to the car in time to hear the pangs of our stomachs growling!  So we enjoyed a family meal at a nice restaurant.

Finally arriving at our friends house around 3pm....to find that no one was home!  After many phone calls...we found out that there was some communication issues between the men in the bunch...and we would need to wait until 7pm to meet with him.  In the mean time, Amanda had found her vehicle of choice across the street.  The girls and Michael test drove this vehicle (later to test the car Michael would buy) and liked it but I had questions and had to be the mean mom.  Not sure what will happen with that deal...need to pray that the right decision is made.

We did finally meet up with our friend...paid for the car...and began the drive home...just as the sky split open!  It rained most of the way home...the girls were driving the quirky new car (I call it this because it is an almost 20 year old car and it does not have many of the modern conveniences....just what we wanted!).

We eventually made it home...all exhausted...except Zaira who had way too much energy...and rightly so since she slept in the vehicle coming and going to get the vehicle.


Fun...FUN!