Trip to Houston: Saturday, July 30

On our way to Houston, day one of the trip, we drove to Louisville and stopped to have lunch with some dear friends of ours that we have not seen in about a year-and-a-half. Amy and Chris have a 4 year-old boy, Alexander, and Ellie is one month younger than our girls. We have been friends with them for ten years now! It is always so nice to see them and we wish we lived closer so we could see them more. It was a nice half-way point for the kids in the car too, we got them out, ate lunch and played at the park outside. If only it wasn't 100 degrees outside!

After stopping, we got back in the car and made it down to Memphis and spent the night. It was quite challenging getting all the kids/luggage into the hotel room, especially since it was about to POUR down rain, but we managed and thankfully we had an extra pack-n-play in the car because the hotel only had two! The girls, even though they were up way past their bedtime (it was 9:30 our time) were playing with each other from their beds. They were throwing their blankets to each other, giving away their lovies, etc. They were laughing, laughing, laughing! We all ended up having to go to bed because they wouldn't settle down without the lights off. But, we were all tired, so it was OK. Before getting to our room, Jack kept talking about Marie and Aunt Sarah and Uncle John. I think he thought they were going to be at the hotel. We had to tell him we were just stopping to sleep and we would make it to their house tomorrow...after driving ALL DAY again. Jack was almost in tears with the thought of getting back in the car again for another day, but I think he was more sad not to see his cousin and Aunt and Uncle that night.

Jack and Alexander playing with fake phones

Most of the crew

All of us: Four adults and 6 kids ages 4 and under--and lunch wasn't too bad considering

Chris and Ellie

Amy and me

John and Anna at the park

Ellie and Kate

Elizabeth and Kate

Last time they were together they were 5 months old. We got a picture of them sitting together against a couch. This time we couldn't get them all to sit down!

Kate