4 years 6 months 21 days

Day 1665. I once again went to bed really late last night, and then ended up sleeping in the kids' bed, between Emmy and Tammy. I was woken up by Sammy pulling himself up on our bed and calling my name. It was really early, as usual. I then carried Sammy to Randy and went back to bed. At some point Tammy got up, and Emmy was last. I then got up as well and started packing. We got everything packed up, then Randy loaded the car up. Then we locked the apartment and put the key back where we had picked it up.

At 10 am we drove off in the direction of the church, and it was just a 5-minute ride. When we got there, we had the problem that the first service wasn't over yet, and so there was no parking anywhere. Randy let us out at the entrance and then waited in the car for someone to leave. And he waited a long time before he finally got a spot.

The four of us went inside and first went to the baby room so as not to disturb the service. From there I could see where they had moved our table to, and so we then went into the sanctuary and to the table. The preaching was still going on. The kids were hungry, so they sat down to eat some snacks.

Once the service ended, people were coming up to me and talked with me, and the kids were handing out our flyers with much enthusiasm. Then Randy finally joined us. At 11 am the second service started, and Randy took the kids to their program. When he didn't return, I knew they had made him stay with Sammy. However, Randy had said he was was hungry and there was cake to buy. So I left the sanctuary and took his place so he could get something to eat.

I took Sammy and went to the blocks with him. Tammy was drawing, and Emmy said he wanted to draw as well. Sammy and I were having fun building together. He'd give me a block, and I'd put it on top. After a while Emmy joined us. Then this kid came by that Emmy had told me about. The other day Emmy had punched him because he was provoking him. When he came over, he took a block of our tower and was about to kick it over, and he also looked like he was gonna destroy what Emmy had built. I told the boy not to do it and to be nice to the other kids, and he walked away.

Then it was time for the program. All the kids sat down in a circle and a lady started talking. The same boy sat down next to Tammy who was also next to me, and again he tried to annoy her. I sternly warned him a second time not to mess with my kids and to be nice to the other kids. It was actually obvious that this kid has problems, and one of the teachers then sat by him to keep him in check. I told him Emmy to walk away from kids who provoke/annoy him or to tell the teacher, but never to punch anyone.

Randy came and left with Sammy for something, and so I then left the room to return to the sanctuary. Before the service was over, Randy came with Sammy. Once the service was ending, Randy left to pick up the other two. And then they handed out brochures again, while people came by and talked to us. People really enjoyed them giving them flyers, and in the end, all the flyers were gone.

Once no one was stopping by us any more, we started packing up. Randy loaded everything into the car, while I went to the dining room with the kids to buy our lunch. We found a table, where I asked the three of them to wait, then I went to pick up the food. It was "Leberkäse", something I figured they wouldn't like and something I don't like myself. It came with potatoes and a salad. I also picked up two cakes. Randy then soon joined us. Emmy ate some of the Leberkäse but no potatoes, while it was the reverse for Tammy. Sammy ate both. And Tammy was all proud, showing me that she was eating some of the salad! Sammy also liked the cucumbers in it.

After we were done eating, we left and walked to the car at the parking lot. It wasn't that warm any more, and we had left our jackets in the car. They all got on and strapped in, and off we went to drive to our next destination. It was 2 pm.

It was close to 2:30, when we parked at the indoor playground my friend had invited us to. We walked in, where we met her, and she paid our tickets. Then we walked all the way in.

The kids were really excited to be in this amazing playground and ran off with my friend's son who is a year older than them. There was so much to see and do that they didn't even know where to start. They explored everything, while my friend and I stood there and watched and talked with each other. Randy had Sammy and was making it possible for him to have fun.

What was the most intriguing for them was this huge cone made of tent-like material that had climbing wall pieces on it, so you could climb to the top. The kids kept trying and trying to get up there, and then Tammy succeeded. She was so proud! There was also another way up there, and they went up a few times and then went down the steep slide. There were also some other slides around.

Then we all went to the restaurant, where we had something to drink, and the kids had chicken nuggets with fries. Tammy, Emmy and my friend's son sat together at one table, and the rest of us at the other. The three were playing really well together, having lots of fun. They always asked the bigger boy to show them how to get to the top of the slides. And by the restaurant there was another room with pirates and an underwater world, that they went into a few times and then ran out as if the pirates were chasing them. They were having so much fun.

Then we went back into the playground, where they continued playing hard. I then took over from Randy to have Sammy go down this little slide that he enjoyed a lot. He also went on the cone and was sliding down there and having fun. And then I was chasing Emmy and having fun with him.

Time was going by fast, and it was time to move on. My friend was also leaving, and so we left together. Each kid got a lollipop on the way out, as that is the name of the place. Outside the building we then took a group picture together. Then we had to say good-bye and loaded the kids back into the car.

It was 4:45 pm by the time we were on our way again and had a 70 minute ride ahead. I didn't give them the tablets and told them it was time for a nap. I knew they would otherwise not have any fun at our next stop. They were all looking forward to the cat there. Tammy and Emmy fell asleep first, then Sammy did as well. It had already been a long and busy day. I also closed my eyes for a wall and probably got a few minutes of a nap in.

At 6 pm we reached the neighborhood, where our friends live, but it was a big construction zone. Where we used to park, all the parking was gone. Thankfully we got a spot close to there. The boys had already woken up from the GPS's voice, and Tamm had just woken up. It was pretty cold now, and so we all put our coats on before walking in the direction of our friends' house.

We hadn't seen them in about a year, so it was good to see them again. They had prepared a typical Austrian dinner for us - different kinds of bread with different sausages, ham and cheese. We sat down and had a good time talking and eating. The greatest disappointment was to find out that the cat had died. The kids were still playing after they were done eating.

Time just flew by, and it was time to continue on and get home. Before we left, we all prayed for my friend who has all those health issues. Then we put our coats on, and we all left the house together, as our friends were going to accompany us to our car. That gave us a few more minutes to talk, but then we had to say good-bye. At 8:45 pm we drove off.

We had a one-hour drive yet ahead of us to get home. Because the kids had done so great taking a nap earlier, they all got their tablets to occupy them on our way home. But before we went home, we filled the car up with gas near our house. Then we parked at our house and all went to the apartment; Emmy urgently needed the bathroom. It was after 10 pm. Randy then unloaded the car, while I was getting them ready for bed. After Randy was done, I put the address of the rental car return on his phone. However, he also wanted me to put it on the car's GPS on the dash. And so I left the kids by themselves for a few minutes and walked to the car with him to put the train station on his GPS. I also told him to call me should he have any issues understanding which train would take him home. Then I returned to the apartment, and Randy started his 13-minute drove to the train station. I told the kids how proud I was that it had been possible for me to leave them for a few minutes.

The kids were really tired but insisted on a story, and so I started reading one in one of the new books. However, it was too long, and so I stopped after a few pages. Of course both kids started crying, but I didn't give in. I then climbed on top of their bunk bed with them, where I prayed for them and stayed with them for a short time. Neither one was asleep yet, when I left, but I sat down on the chair next to Emmy. After a few minutes I left to get myself some tea and unload some of the stuff in the suitcases. Then I sat down at the computer to work on the pictures and the report. Time is going by too fast, so I didn't finish with the pictures. Now it's 2:30 am and high time to go to bed.