Well...we accomplished a lot last week and this week should bring a close to our time in San Antonio (for now).
Friday...we were able to attend our First Friday Mass with fellow homeschoolers. It was a nice to see everyone and say good-bye. We felt very blessed with well wishes and prayers for safe travels. Then the oldest two were carried away for a fun afternoon of put-put golf, go-carts, and bumper boats with our teen group. The rest of us made the trek to our car dealership to have the van serviced in anticipation for the long road trip. This brought an interesting turn of events...
The Chess Game
We were in the waiting room which is nice because there are snacks and drinks. It was keeping the children busy as there was also a Duplo activity table and chess table. However, there was an older man sitting at the chess table viewing his iPad. A few minutes later his wife came into the waiting room and sat across from him at the table. She asked if he was interested in playing chess and he grumbled at her and continued reading. So...I told Edward that he might ask her to play. I will be honest I did not think he would ask a stranger and I did not know how interested he would be regardless. However, he quickly stepped up to her and asked. Her response was that she was not very good and her husband was the player...then she told her husband that he should play with Edward. The man looked up and with the insistence of his wife set up the board. My thought was that he felt he was just going to move a few pieces around to appease this boy. Then I thought he might be right. I think we were all surprised with what happened next!
Edward could actually play chess...and he had a strategy! He was actually playing quite well...and in the end had the man's king cornered and CHECKMATE! All was over! The man made a comment that it was a lesson learned to never put yourself in a corner and he got up and left. Edward thanked him for the game.
Little did we know...Edward had an audience other than myself and his siblings (who hung to the sides of his seat and enjoyed the game). Another older man was sitting to the side and said he watched the entire game. He was impressed and I told him about our large sized chess pieces that we set up on a tile board in the backyard. I also explained that our oldest was taught as a fluke when she was 2 years old by my brother Kendall. She enjoyed the game and taught Sean and the teaching continued down the line...I guess it trickled well as I did not even know Edward could play! I then made the confession that I in fact did not know how to play.
So...Brendan wanted to play Edward...who was bored with the game or maybe just not interested in playing his brother. I told him that this must be my day to learn. SO...as we set up the board, Edward asked me if it was possible to cheat. I told him that I thought it could happen. His response...yeah...I thought so...that man cheated...first he tried to move my piece to capture one of my pawns...his wife stopped him...then he decided to move a piece forward 3 spaces instead of 2. That was OK...I saw what he did and decided that that piece needed to be taken...and I got it! I laughed and told him he played a good game.
Then I learned that Brendan can also play a good game of chess. I did ultimately win but Brendan was getting around the board with ease. I was very impressed. And Zaira will not be too far behind...she was happy to watch both games.
The Caped Event
Saturday morning, I woke up feeling the need to be at Carlin's funeral but I had promised the children that we would attend a geocache event in which they dress up as super-heroes. So we grabbed our capes that were made earlier in the week and made our way to the coordinates. It turned out that the first Saturday of May each year multiple comic books are given away as a promotion effort to draw interest to comics. The man who organized our event was excited about everyone learning about comic books. We enjoyed meeting with other cachers.
While we waited for teh event to start, I announced that we were heading West if anyone wanted to pass any trackables down the road. We were given 4 trackables that we will try to place along our journey. We also were one of the few to actually dress up so the organizer wanted to reward them all. Each of the older boys were given a cool flashlight. Edward was given a new box to place a cache when we get to California. Brendan was given a Flash shirt and I was given bug spray (This caused trouble later and we ended up buying Zaira a special prize). We also received boklets for free food and other odds and ends. Very fun event!
The Trip Back
I had many things I had hoped to do while back in East Texas...the most important was seeing Amanda...this was accomplished by a lunch date with a friend...Holly...so it was nice to chat with both of them.
The main decision to go to the funeral for Carlin also allowed me to visit many of our friends It is hard to see all of the youth growing up so quickly...graduating from college...getting married...having children! It seems like yesterday when they were just babies...time goes by so quickly.
We also visited another friend, Paula, at breakfast before heading to Mass. We talked about the pregnancy help center and our families. She also told me about the death of another friend from the local church. Dr Rhodes was a kind man who always asked me how I was doing when Michael was away on deployments. I pray his family is doing well...I am sure he is blessed to be with the Lord and his beloved wife who had passed away a few years ago. May God bring him peace.
We were then off to our little church in the woods. It was nice to go back and see our parish family. I love all these amazing people who hold their little community together. They also made us feel just as at home as the day we left. They asked Edward to altar serve with a new server...Edward was very proud to help.
We raced back to town to make it to the monastery to see Sr. Veronica. She loved to hear our updates and promised to pray for our safe move and speedy return to Texas. She is such a dear...and so full of information. I love to sit and talk with her. I wish I had had more time before our lunch date.
I also missed out talking to our dear friend Lyn. I pray she is well and I will be able to talk to her by phone soon. It was a full weekend but had to get home to clean before closing. Which is exactly what we were able to accomplish the next day.
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