Day 2253. Today was Austria's national holiday, and we celebrated 70 years of being free from occupation. They always have lots of stuff going on downtown for that, and last year we went there, though to the square where all the emergency services were. This morning we were heading to where the military had set up.
We left home just after 10 am and got there half an hour later. There were crowds of people everywhere, all heading the same direction, and we were part of that flow. You could see tents set up all over the square but it was hard to make out where was what. We headed to the middle and went up a staircase to a platform where you could have a good view of the whole square. We could see the people who had already lined up along the road where the military parade was going to pass. We went back down and headed that same direction, making our way through the crowds. Especially Emmy was eager to watch the parade.
We went as far to the front as we could but I couldn't see a thing, nor could the kids. Both kids wanted to be on my shoulders which was of course not possible. I had Tammy on my shoulders first, then Emmy until I just could not carry him on my shoulders any longer. At 11 am the plane and helicopter flyover started, including a burst of red smoke, then the vehicles started rolling by. Emmy was enjoying it. Just Sammy was grumpy as he couldn't see anything plus he wasn't interested. Once the vehicles had passed and the soldiers on foot started coming, we left.
We walked back the way we came through the crowds, trying to find the kids' area and the parked fighterjet. The kids took a picture with a soldier on the way. Then we saw a crowd of people around a patch of grass and discovered that there was a robo-dog. The kids were fascinated and treated it like a real dog. It came up to them, and they petted it. Especially Sammy loved it and was crying when we moved on.
Next we went into a tent where they had drones set up. They even had a simulator to steer one which we didn't do. We went back outside and continued walking and saw a tower you could jump off of and onto a huge blown up mattress. Tammy said she'd do it while Emmy said he was too scared, but in any case, the line was too long.
We kept walking and saw a helicopter with a line and a vehicle you could sit on that is used in the mountains. We also saw some tanks. Tammy had been whining for a while how hungry she was, so we turned around and started heading to Townhall Square where the emergency services were set up. Last year they'd had plenty of food there.
We walked through Volksgarten, then crossed the street to Townhall Square. It wasn't set up the same way it had been last year. We started walking through it but there was little food. In the end we were back at the entrance and ended up buying some homemade chips for them to eat. We decided to head home and make the pizza there that they had wanted to eat in the first place. So we started walking to the subway while eating those chips. Tammy was satisfied.
By 1 pm we were back home. I was so very tired but went straight to the kitchen to get the two pizzas ready and put them into the oven. It didn't take long for them to be done, and we all sat down at the table to eat. After lunch, we went downstairs for piano practice. Back upstairs, the kids wanted to work on the papers the teacher has given them to do during fall break next week. So they each sat down at a different desk, and of course they both needed my help, so I went back and forth between them. There was no chance for me to rest. Randy was downstairs playing with Sammy. Just before 4 pm they came upstairs to get ready to leave the house. I had to stop the other two kids from doing any more school work so we could ready. I didn't even have time to make their dinner boxes but quickly made some sandwiches to take with us.
Just after 4 pm we left the house. We took two subways and got to church a few minutes before the service was to start at 5 pm. The kids went to the front right away to draw during worship. After 15 minutes, they were already called to go to kids' church - fifteen minutes earlier than usual. I took them there, then returned to the sanctuary. Just before 6 pm Randy went there to help Sammy as all the kids were coming to the sanctuary to do something on stage. And then they came in and all walked up on the stage. Randy was carrying Sammy and sat down behind him. First, they were doing a presentation, and Tammy and Emmy were up first. They were knocking at the Father's house and went inside, into the entry where they took their coats off and hung them up. Then the teacher went on to the rest of the kids. After they were done, they all got up and recited a Bible verse together. Next it was time for a Father's house song. The kids sang and did the actions; I could actually hear Tammy sing. Sammy was all excited and jumping and clapping.
Then they were done and came back off the stage. I took Sammy back to the kids' program where they were sitting down to eat and returned to the sanctuary where Randy and I got to enjoy the rest of the service. We were just about to leave at 7 pm to go get the kids, when they rolled Sammy up to us. He had said he was tired. Together we then went to get the other kids but before we left, we had to go find Anna. We found her in the last row, and Sammy was very happy to see her. She then walked outside with us, talked with us for a little bit, then we left.
We walked to the subway and rode two lines home. The kids were doing school exercises on an app all the way home. Back home we got them ready for bed right away, and just after 8 pm they were in bed. It was time for Randy and me to make ourselves something to eat.
