Day 313: Historic Day!

I just love being part of history in the making!  It was such a close presidential race, and even my home state of NH was marked as Red (Republican) this morning and became Blue (Democrat) by 3 pm.  There was only a 447 vote difference between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton, which is 0.2% of the population!  Michigan also had a 0.2% difference, but they landed in the Red.  For the record, for the children, Donald Trump did win the presidency and is now the 46th President of the United States.  Also, the Vice President is now Indiana's current/former governor, Mike Pence.  My sister in law told me that traffic in downtown Indianapolis was horrible this morning because the Secret Service has swarmed in to protect the new VP-elect!  Exciting!  Can you imagine that the Secret Service and a (vice) presidential motorcade is here, in our downtown?  Crazy!  I have to wonder what my parents would think of it all!  My mom would have stayed up all night knitting.  My dad might have stayed up, too, or might have fallen asleep in his chair.  Hard to imagine they have now missed two presidential elections.  But all the same, politics were something they loved.  And I hope I pass that down to my children.

I'm so glad I was able to stay away from social media today, because I had some very emotionally charged words running through my head.  Instead, Keturah and I got our eye exams done at the same place we've gone to since Jared and I got married.  It was actually the same price out of pocket as it always has been.  But glasses, including lenses, for Keturah will be half the price they were in Canada!  I will stay wait until January to get her some because we have other things to pay for this month, but I put it on my calendar for January 1st so I won't forget.

Then I took the kids to the local dollar store to pick up things for 2 boxes for Operation Christmas Child, which I/we have done every year for 13 years at least.  We started doing them with our MOPS group way, way back, and then were able to carry on that tradition at our church in Canada, Cornwall Christian Church.  The Cornwall Church is planning on doing 200 boxes this year!  Their congregation is only bumping the 150 member mark!  That's AMAZING!!!  Their packing party is on Saturday, so we might pack our boxes then, too.  Basically, you gather up little items that a child overseas might want or need, like school supplies, hygiene items like soap and a soap dish, a few non violent looking toys, and maybe a shirt or socks, pack them into a "shoebox" and drop them off at a collection center.  Then they check the boxes and send them overseas to children in need.  Each child will also receive a booklet outlining the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Each child only gets 1 box in their lifetime.  Some of these children have grown up in the faith and have been able to get out of their poverty and become educated, and have even traveled out of their countries.  Some write letters back and forth to the families who put the box together.  It's an incredible ministry by Samritan's Purse.  So, I can't wait to pack our two boxes!

While we were there, the kids and I witnessed a lady getting a pat down by 3 police officers, 2 male and 1 female.  Oh joys.  Justin realized what was happening and was able to articulate to Jared that they had asked the woman if she was with another man in a nearby car who might have stolen something.  Broad daylight.  Franklin Township.  11am on a Wednesday.  Just daily life.  We had forgotten a bag in the store, and I thought about leaving the kids in the car because Abishai was already buckled in, but with the 3 police there, I wasn't about to get in trouble for leaving kids in the car.  The kids did great at the store, and were fine to come in with me to get the bag.

Then we had a typical afternoon of naptime, Jared working on his computer, and the middles and I doing schoolwork.  We have one more week left in our Mystery of History book, and tomorrow we get to study 9/11!  That's something I don't really need the book for, since I LIVED it!  Can't wait!  I get to tell them (again) my "where I was when 9/11 happened" story!  The evening was Bible Bowl and Bible Study.  And tomorrow is finally ZOO DAY!  We're taking the kids to the zoo!  I can NOT wait to see Abishai's face when he sees the animals!  It will be a bit chilly, but at least the animals will be up and moving.  And the weekend is very full as well, again, and it never stops.  Sigh.

Justin made himself comfy at the eye doctor's office.  Abishai bumped his head (near his eye, how ironic!) on the footrest of the eye doctor's exam chair.  He didn't cry though.  Keturah did fine with her exam, same prescription.

My boy sporting a new haircut, nice silky collared shirt, and practicing the drums.

Abishai didn't undertstand that the macaroni and cheese had to be made and didn't come straight from the box.  I let him try an uncooked noodle and he was confused.  He ate a whole bowlful, plus a hot dog for lunch, while the other two only had the mac and cheese.  We think he may be teething, too, because he's putting his fingers in his mouth, almost gagging himself.

Mapwork for history class.  I had the kids wait until this afternoon to finish it though.  I'm glad I did because of how NH flipped!

Abishai's dinner companions!  He's such a people (and animal) person and needs his cars or kitties or something to watch him eat.