All Aboard!

The beautiful weather brought with it an equally beautiful weekend. Friday night I left Marshall with Cate and Maggie in tow and headed to Jefferson to relieve Walt's sitter. The kids played outside until dark and I threw some flat bread pizzas together for dinner. After baths and some toy room playing we all settled in watching a movie. Cate quickly fell asleep on the couch and I soon took Maggie down and we got in the big bed. She chattered about life, excited to have me to herself, and asked for a story. I couldn't seem to find a happy medium between silly and scary that would suit her so I eventually turned on the TV and texted until I glanced over to her sleeping. I was exhausted and didn't wake up until about 7:30 when I heard Cate turning on the living room TV. I seized the opportunity for a quiet shower before Walt announced his awakening and requested to be removed from his bed. Our morning was leisurely as we watched cartoons and I prepared everybody and everything for our adventures. At about 9:30 we loaded up and met Mom and Lydia for the ETBU Homecoming Parade. While this is no Tournament of Roses it's no Fire Ant Festival either. Organizations put hours of work into planning and building and it pays off. The theme this year was Fairy Tales and as the Homecoming Queen passed by Maggie turned to Cate in amazement and said, "Look Cate its Sleeping Beauty!" The girls later told me that they couldn't name a favorite part, they liked it all. Walt just liked the band. After lunch at El Chico we headed down to the depot. Walt is a train nut and before we even got out of the van he was yelling "Choo choo" as rail cars passed by on the tracks. I was able to get him in his stroller and up to the fence quick enough to watch the train pass by. We explored for a while, reading the historical markers and checking out the station (see pics below) and gift shop. After everybody had selected their prize we headed home. Walt choo chooed all the way to Woodlawn before the days excitement caught up with him. When we got home I carried him to his bed and with a faint choo choo at the sight of a train on the floor, he was out. After everybody had rested, grandparents came for the kids and I was headed back to Marshall. Chelsea and I met some old friends and Chilis for a rita before I drove through the Peking drive thru and got a chicken friend rice. I put in a movie and fell asleep early.
Today, after a great church meeting, Mom, Lydia and I went to Shreveport to Sams. We love Sams. We eat the samples and comment on good deals but only really buy toilet paper, bottled water and trash bags among a few various other odds and ends. Today's selections included the Jon and Kate Gosselin book and Down by the Station and 5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed in big book form. $8.00 a piece. Great deal for a teacher. We came home and visited and I eventually headed back to Marshall with a few cooler weather clothing items I dug out of the winder clothes bin.
Yesterday when I was loading up the kids leaving the depot, I visited with a member of our church family that I've known my whole life. She questioned who's kids I had and if I babysat often. I explained my situation with excitement as I'm always thrilled to show off the kids I have. She responded, "Well God is just really blessing you isn't he?" I said, "Yes mam very much." As I drove home in the quietness of a van filled with sleepy children, I thought about her comment. I thanked the Lord for the opportunities hes given me and asked him to forgive me when I haven't given him all the glory I should for my many many blessings. I also thanked him for sending that simple comment my way. As I see daily how blessed I am, it's the actual expression of my gratitude that seems to pass by in my busy days. I pray that rather I'm exploring the depot through the eyes of a 21 month old, disciplining children on the play ground who have chosen to play with sticks, or tiredly trying to keep up with demanding classes, that I will not fail to thank God for my eternal and wonderfully blessed earthly life.