On Friday, August 27th, the children and I drove to Indiana.
It took exactly 12 hours, including at least four stops. We didn’t get lost or have any trouble.

It rained heavily for about an hour in the trip, while in Ohio, making visibility quite difficult. I was thankful for the three lanes, and on that stretch, trucks were required to be in the right lane — they were whizzing by as if it wasn’t raining at all. All three kids were screaming and crying. I was driving, one handedly pouring bottles of chocolate milk and trying desperately to get them to stop. It was in a section where there was road construction, and so there was nowhere to pull over. A little tense.

Then, after the rain stopped, right before the Indiana line, the grey storm clouds were disapating, revealing a gorgeous beginning of sunset. Rays of light, seperated by clouds, beamed down and shone on the farm fields. It looked almost magical. I remember when we were little, we used to think that those sunbeams were from windows in heaven through the clouds and that it was God looking down.

Having only had four hours of restless sleep the night before, I was battling to stay awake during parts of the trip. I had a bottle of water, and I would shake some onto my hands and rub it on my face to stay awake. The combination of that and air conditioning is like walking into a freezer — definitely helps to keep the eyes open.

Also, I am thankful for caffeinated Starbucks Bottled Frappucino, for my Double Stroller, which made bathroom visits possible — it _just_ fit in the handicap stalls, and my new Sony Walkman, which worked great on the trip. No skipping!

We arrived about 7pm, and within an hour, the storm reached my parent’s house. My brothers unloaded the car, and it started lightning and pouring just as they were bringing in the last items.

My sister Bethany is getting married at the Botanical Conservatory, and we are in the wedding. Today, I went to the seamstress , who has already done an awesome job with Bethany’s dress — which came in too small. My dress was too small, too — because it was ordered right before my tummy started to grow! But, Kathrynn assured me that it’d be no problem to alter. The wedding is next Friday, and the dress will be back just the day before — right before the rehersal, in fact.

Four days till I see Tom!!!!!!!! =) =) =) =) He flies in on the 1st.