We had not really planned on going due to the ambiguousness of the house progress and also because my sister, Heather (who lives in Midland), was due to have her 2nd baby any day and we didn't know what was going to happen with that. I had promised to come help her with Kade while the birth process was going on and I wanted to make sure I was available. But, by Friday, Heather had been having a few contractions, but nothing consistent for any amount of time. SO we decided to go on to Amarillo and check with Heather along the way about her progress. 1/2 of the way there, she was having contractions, but by the time we got to Big Spring, which would have been a great place for us to turn off and west toward Midland, things had stopped and we decided to keep heading north.
We made it to Amarillo and headed straight to our hotel to meet up with KATHI and her family!!! They came down from Colorado for the events and we got to stay together and hang. That night, we left our husbands with the kids, met Chuck in the lobby and headed next door to the Waffle House where we enjoyed each other's company over hot chocolate and Chuck's waffle (we all had a bite or 2). Kat and I were not used to not having a "no smoking" law and were grossed out to find that Amarillo doesn't have one...it was yucky but we had a great time anyway. We went back to the lobby for a little while to chat until Chuck got fed up with the aspect ratio of the flat screen TV...it's settings were wrong so all the people were squished looking and also the fact that the hotel phone kept ringing and no one would answer it, "Hello, La Quinta Inn, we're severely understaffed!" All of us decided we should go to bed, so we went our separate ways to get some shut-eye.
In the mean time, Heather was going into labor. She and Phil, her husband, pretty much stayed up all night. By morning, she was ready to head to the birth center as we all headed to the baptism and blessing, which started at 10:00. We kept tabs during the baptism via text with Phil. They made it to the birth center and they checked her just before the baptism started and she was at 6 cm. The baptism went very smoothly. It was so cool to see all of Tecoa and Benjamin's families from both sides be there for their special day. Growing up, none of our relatives are members, so we never had that. And as a bonus for Kat and me, we got to see some of the people we grew up with, Trudy, Judy, Judy, Marcia, and Sue, to name a few. After the baptism, we headed out to take pictures and let the kids run around the church yard. Phill texted to say that Heather was at 9 cm. By the time we left the parking lot, Heather had had her baby, little Carter Tate, around 11:20. Kat and I teared up and were a little sad about missing it and not being there for Heather, but things worked out fine and she was able to go home the same day. Kade hardly missed them!
We headed to Mr. Gatti's for some pizza and games and then back to the hotel for some quiet time. After Chuck's extended family left (his wife, Heather's, family had come in from California and New Mexico and stayed with them), we went over to their house for some hang out time. The kids got in some good play time and the adults got to hang out in the kitchen for some left over birthday cookie! Then we headed over to Bahama Bucks for snow cones. That night, Kat, Ryan, Matt and I got to hang out after the kids were asleep. The next morning, we had to go our separate ways. Brett said the prayer over our Sabbath-breaking Donut Stop donuts, his little voice cracking as he asked Heavenly Father to help us be able to be together longer. That was it...we headed south back to San Antonio and Kat and her crew headed back north to the snow. Sadness...
We got to meet Matt's parents in Big Spring for lunch, which was nice, and then made it back to San Antonio before the sun went down, in time for Matt to head to the hosue to check on things.
Boo to me for not pulling out my camera, but thanks to Kat for keeping hers handy and sharing the pictures. I chose about a million to post, so if you don't want to look, just don't!
Trudy, me and Benjamin
Jace made paper airplanes for all the kids with the baptism programs. Here he is with Bayli...
Kat, Chuck, me and Benjamin
All the grandkids minus Benjamin (and Kade and Carter, of course)
All the Jewells in attendance
Chuck's family
Chuck and Benjamin
Tecoa and Benjamin
Heather and Tecoa
Bronco stomping on a memorial stone in the church yard chanting, "Someone's dead! Someone's dead!" Very reverent...Kat, my kids would NEVER do something like that!
My little family...the first picture of the 4 of us since 2006...sad, I know!
Reilly and me
Bronco and Jace holding hands. Jace is so good and patient with others...
Kat with the Toot'n'Totem behind her...a convenience store in Amarillo right by our old house...in between there and the church...
Me and Kat in front of our old house
Quiet time in the hotel after Gattis and the baptism
Digging in the dirt in Chuck's backyard
Pigging out on birthday cookie...Chuck, Kat and me
Matt holding Benjamin...see, honey, you do like babies! I know, I know...when they belong to someone else!
Brett with a bag on his head during Tecoa's present opening
My crazy sister walking my brother's cats...on leashes!
Yummy Bahama Bucks...kids got their own table...
Boys will be boys
Ryan didn't want to feel left out
Bayli being silly...how cute is she?
Me drinking the 1/2 gallon soda Matt and Ryan brought back for us...that's a BIG cup...notice the small cup in my hand...that was my dinner...left over My Thai...mmmmmmm
1 comment:
That's a HUGE cup! How fun to spend time with Kat...and get pics in front of y'alls old house.
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