Day 2148. Yesterday I was teaching at 9 am, so I had to get up at 8 am. The boys were already up before then. I taught until 10:15, wrapped my class up, then we got ready to leave the house. At 11:15 am we left.
We drove over half an hour and got to Golden Corral just before noon. We were meeting an old friend of mine there. I actually lived in her house during my second year in Kansas City. She and her husband were already there, so we joined them. It was great to see them again. I helped the kids get their plates at the buffet, and once we all had our food and could sit, it was time to talk and catch up with each other. I had a wonderful time.
At 2 pm it was time to say good-bye and start our drive home. We stopped at Walmart on the way, and I went in by myself to pick up a few items. Then Randy missed a turn, and so it was just after 3 pm by the time we walked back into the house. We had a 3 pm Zoom meeting, so I turned my computer on right away for it. Then Randy brought Sammy to me and left again to get the rest out of the car. In just over a week Global Awakening's (Randy Clark) third-biggest conference of the year starts, and we get to be a part. The children are now finally old enough to be a part of the children's conference, and the lady in charge wanted to talk to us about Sammy. So she got to meet Sammy, then I carried him upstairs to the other kids to play. While I was waiting for Randy, she had me share my life's story quickly, then we got started with the actual meeting once Randy arrived. She wanted to know everything about Sammy, all that would be helpful and useful to her as they want to make it the best-possible experience for him. After this meeting, I'm confident that he's going to have a great time. She has a sister with cerebral palsy herself and has a very big heart for kids like Sammy. I was very encouraged by our meeting.
We stayed home the rest of the day and took it easy. The kids were playing with the other kids, but Emmy was sick and had what Tammy had a week ago. However, while Tammy mainly had fever, Emmy mainly had a big cough. Sammy has has had a cough too, but he's been the least affected by this sickness. Emmy was coughing so hard that he didn't want to do anything. We then ended up watching "America's Got Talent" together, including his sister.
His cough then got so bad that it seemed like he wasn't getting enough air to breathe. Randy was thinking of taking him to a hospital but our host family wasn't home and we wouldn't have known where to go. Instead I gave Emmy some fever sirup, and it helped him really quickly. He slept much better last night than the previous night.
This morning my alarm went off at 8:45 am; all the kids were already up by that time. I got up and got ready for us to leave the house. We ended up leaving too late as it was already after 9:30 am.
Because of that we got to church at 10 am, and the service had already started. It takes some time to get the wheelchair out and be ready to walk in. As we were approaching the entrance, I saw a lady from back in the day when this was my church and when I was supported by that church and said hello. Once inside, we registered the kids for the kids' ministry, then we walked to where the kids' rooms were. Their teacher today was actually the Mom of the family at whose house we're staying so it was perfect. We knew they'd have a good time and that Sammy would be fine without us as well.
Randy and I went to the sanctuary and found seat next to the Dad of the same family. Worship was already in full swing. The song they were playing when we walked into the building was Sammy's favorite song that he plays all day long. Because we were late, he actually got to hear it.
After worship, they had a lady speak a little, then the pastor started preaching. A little after 11 am the service was over. Randy left to get the kids, while I talked to a lady who used to support us. Soon the kids came running up to us.
We were standing in the lobby talking to people, including another couple I wanted to say hello to, when the pastor came by and also said hello. We were able to make a time to come to his office this week which was great. He moved in, and we talked some more and took a picture. Then we also left.
We drove 10 minutes to a nearby breakfast restaurant to have lunch together with our host family. Tammy was whining/crying because she was so hungry; she had only had a few spoonfuls of yoghurt in the morning. However, there were LOTS of people in line, waiting to get a table. The restaurant was packed full. And so we had to wait quite a bit. I asked for a menu so that I could already choose what we would eat which saved us time later.
Finally we were taken to a long table for all 11 of us. I ordered but it still took a long time for the food to come out. Thankfully they had kids' menus they could color which was enough for Tammy to get distracted from her hunger. After more waiting, our food came out, and all the kids ate well. Emmanuel was so much better today that it was hard to believe. He wasn't coughing as much even though his voice still doesn't sound like his.
We were having a good time eating and talking even though it was a little loud. Tammy had fun with their girls, while Emmy was with me, and I let him play a math game on my phone for a while. After we were all done, it was time to leave.
Randy wanted to stop at Hertz again for the same issue of the "change engine oil" light but they were all closed on Sunday so we went back to the house as we were all tired. By 2:10 pm we were back at the house, and I lay down right away. While the kids were all on their tablets, Sammy kept talking and shouting and needing stuff so that I kept being woken up. I didn't really get the rest I needed. By 4 pm I had given up.
I went upstairs with the kids and did piano practice with Emmy. Then it was Tammy's turn. She didn't really want to do it so we quit before she was done. I returned downstairs. It wasn't long when I found myself with both kids on my bed again, watching "America's Got Talent". That had not been my plan at all but we did it.
Once it was over, I continued doing what I had wanted to do on my computer. Eventually we all went upstairs to join the family for dinner.
We had a good time eating with them, especially Randy who started telling story after story. Emmy was not feeling so well, and as it was getting late, I took him downstairs to get him ready for bed. The others soon followed and after storytime, they went to bed. I got on my computer and started working. I have another early morning tomorrow so I hope to make it to bed earlier rather than later.
