Trip to Florida

The kids had been so excited to go to Florida to see their cousins. They couldn't talk about much else in the days leading up to our trip. So we packed up (everything but the kitchen sink, it seemed), and headed out. Madeline decided to spike a fever the night before we left, but she was a trouper even though she continued this and congestion and coughing through Christmas day. We made the 20-hr. trip in two days. The kids were doped up on Dramamine, watched videos all the way, and did pretty well. I propped up my feet and my belly on pillows and tried to hold my bladder off for as long as I could. But it seemed that every time I would pee, I would almost instantly feel the urge again. Ugh! One of the joys of pregnancy! Again, all in all, it could have been a much worse drive.



We got there and the first thing we did was go to church Christmas Eve. Dave's family still goes to Idlewild Baptist Church in Tampa where he was the Minister to Middle School Students, and they wanted him to sing during the service as they often do when he returns to visit. I am so proud of him, and it is amazing to see how even after being gone for about 9 years, they, too are still proud to call him their own. We are always so welcomed when we visit, and even for me it is like returning to a bit of home. Here is a picture of us in the foyer- the Gatheria they call it- and also of the five cousins before they saw Santa.

From left to right, Sadie is 3 months old, Madeline, Trey is 6, Charlie, and Abi is 3. They were all so happy to see each other because this only happens about once a year. They even played well together for the most part, but like most good things, towards the end of our visit, they began to butt heads a little and had their fair share of squabbles. And soon there will be 6 of them. While we were there, there were times when it was just one or two adults against the five of them. And I kept thinking, how in the world do people handle triplets and more? With four of them almost all the same age, I was ready to pull my hair out!! But it also did my heart good to see them all together. I wish it could happen more often.