You Never Know

Saturday started out one way and then became packed with adventures big and small.

You just never know where your day will go.

Especially when you're married to Adam.

The day started in a somber way.  We drove two hours south to Tenino to the memorial service for Crystal, Adam's cousin's wife who passed away.  She was the loving mother of a two year old who is adorable and danced along to the music and just about broke my heart.  I know Crystal wanted to stay with her.  It made me grateful that I am with my children.

It was also somehow really comforting to see Evie dance.  Life marches along.  Also, when her grandmother was speaking, Evie went on stage and stole the show.  Her dad went to retrieve her and her grandma said, "No.  She can stay.  She's helping me through this."

It's a big job for a two year old to help everyone through but watching Evie in action, I know she's up to the task.

We started our drive north and our first stop was the Capitol building in Olympia.  On the drive past, it had given Mark wide eyes and he said it reminded him of the Hagia Sophia.  (It doesn't look like the Hagia Sophia so much besides the dome.  Still, we learned about the Hagia Sophia a few weeks ago in school...if Mark's going for star second grader/teacher's pet he's winning.  I love it when they remember things!  I growl at them when they don't.)

We walked up the steep steps in the rain (I know...it was a rare Northwest day).  It was beautiful inside.  Mark's imagination was captured by the architecture and enormous Christmas tree, Braeden's by the legislative process.  Emma and Braeden rubbed the nose of the bronze George Washington bust for good luck.

Our next unexpected detour was Cabela's.  We'd never been to Cabela's and were really not dressed for the experience.  I comforted myself that my wool skirt was plaid (outdoorsy?) and while they were high heeled, I was after all, wearing boots.  I've never had a strong urge to go there (since I don't like to hunt or fish or camp it's really not my scene) but it wasn't all that bad.  I hustled around trying to keep up with Mark as he looked at all the trophy animals.  A lot of people stared at my clothes.  A few people looked at me with hostility.  (And hostile looks from the Cabela's crowd is a little disconcerting...these people are likely gun toters.)  We escaped with our lives.

Next we stopped at some furniture stores...the ongoing and painful recliner quest.  I will spare you the details.

I still don't have a recliner.

(I'm less comfortable than I'd like to be.)

Finally, exhausted and with starving children (I know...it was a rare Northwest day), we stopped in the International District in Seattle at a Thai restaurant.  Dinner took longer than it should have because we tried eating with chopsticks.  The only things I could successfully balance in my chopsticks were cashews.  Adam and Emma are pretty good at it.  Mark finally gave up and just stabbed his tofu with his chopstick and nibbled away.

When we got home, we all five lay on our bed and finished listening to Skipping Christmas.  We'd listened to most of it in the car.

Lying there sandwiched between children, I reflected on our day.

I decided:  I really like these people.