- 1 + 3 = 3

Well, sadly, Kara couldn't make it through another week away from home.    The morning routine was the same today as every day had been last week...............she watching Sponge Bob while drinking her chocolate milk and me checking my e-mail.  Kara calling mommy.............AND also got to talk to daddy today.  I think the talking with daddy may have been the difference!  :D  We finished getting her ready for church and she went back to Sponge Bob while I got ready.  When I called for her to come and put her shoes on to go to church she was crying.............sobbing!  She said she missed her mommy and she wanted to go home now.  I explained to her that mommy and daddy were at church and it was time for us to go to church and that as soon as we got back from church we would call her mommy.  She said, "and I can go home today?" through sobs.  I said, yes, if that is what you want.  I hugged her and told her it was OK for her to miss her mommy and want to go home.  She made it through church OK.  She teared up one time with her SS teacher when she was telling Kara how proud she was of her and how well she did during VBS.  When Kara teared up, she put her hand on Kara and said, "AWWW!  That's OK, Kara!"

After talking to Kara's mommy after church, we wondered if Kara might forget all about wanting to go home when I picked up Hannah, Ryan and Michael.  So I had Jessica talk to her, but Kara said she wanted to go home today.  So Jessica, who had just gotten seated with Michael to see a movie, left the movie and got ready to come after Kara.  Jessica's mom, Joann came, too.  They made hotel reservations in Durham, NC for the night.  I did not tell Kara that her other grandma was coming.  I made the trip to get the other 3 kids and Hannah, Kara and Ryan had a blast in the back seat of the car.  We made it back to the house at a few minutes past 6:00 and rushed into the house to put church clothes on the kids, pop some items for the after-church fellowship into the oven and got in the church about 6:15 and sat on the back pew.  The kids were so well behaved and I was proud of them!

We left a few minutes before Tim finished his lesson to run to the house and get the food and get it over to the fellowship hall.  Kara's mommy and grandma arrived while we were eating.  Kara ran and jumped into her mommy's arms.  I wish I had grabbed a picture!  It was so sweet.  She was glad to see mommy, but then she got down and ran off  to play!  Jessica and Joann had a flat tire 5 miles up the road on the way in, but AAA got there within about 15 minutes, Praise the LORD!

So, I am minus one child but plus three others for the week!  Not many pictures, but here's a few.

As Kara and I walked over to the church this morning, I said, "No one is here yet!"  She said, "We are always the first ones here."  I said, "Do you know why?"  She said, "Because papaw is the preacher."  I said, "Yes, and we live next door and don't have very far to go!"

 Kara and Ryan playing in the fellowship hall.

 The pretending has begun again!  Papaw and Hannah were grocery shopping with some empty cartons and bottles that I have been saving for such a time as this!  :D

Michael watching a DVD.

OK.  That's all for today.  Gotta get everyone's beds ready!  Until tomorrow................