We left North Carolina, our new little family of 7, (Randy was still in KC of course.) and headed back the way we had come. The plan was to drive to Paducah, Kentucky and stay the night then go on straight to home. We probably would have mead Paducah by 5pm, but somewhere on the north of Nashville I missed a turn off and didn't realize it until we were about 100 miles out of our way!
It wasn't a big tragedy, but it did make for a very long night. By the time I realized my mistake, we were far enough out of the way that it just didn't make sense to turn back. (That was a wrong asumption, and my instincts told me to turn back, but I was already very tired and I wasn't thinking really well.) So we continued traveling North and ended up in Louisville, Kentucky. I was interested in stopping for the night, it was around 7pm and I had planned on stopping that night at 5pm, so I was already 2 hours over when I thought I should rest. But when I travel I like to stop on the other side of a big city. So if I am traveling east to west, I go through the city and stay on the west side for the night. Then when we get up in the morning to leave, we do not have to travel all the way through the city in morning traffic. This plan usually works out perfect, but not that night! We saw many hotels on the east side of the city, but when we got to the west side, well, lets just say we did not see anything suitable and we did not feel safe stopping.
And then it was just so dark! By the time we got out of Louisville it was approaching 8pm, and as I continued to drive west I just couldn't seem to find anything. There were lots of signs for motels, but nothing you could see from the highway and I didn't want to stop until I knew for sure that we would find a nice place. We were looking for a Hampton or a Drury Inn, or even a Holiday Inn. You know, some place you could identify with a good reputation.
At 8:30pm we stopped at a small area that had a Drury Inn and a Wendy's. We went first to the Wendy's as the kids and I were starving! While the kids ate I called the Drury to see if they had any vacancies, which they did, and a pool that was open until 10pm. We were set to stay there! Yay! Then we walked out of the Wendy's to get into the car. There was a shouting match in the parking lot between some people in some cars just about 20 feet away from us. We got into our van quickly, locked the doors and drove across the street so I could fill the gas tank up. During the time we were at the gas station, we witnessed some other things that made me decide that this area was not a good idea to stay in either. By now it was 9pm and I can tell you I was really getting worried. I knew that I could not keep driving and we were still about 5 hours away from Kansas City. (Though were now in Illinois.)
I ended up driving another hour west to Evansville, Illinois. I really felt like I could keep driving, but then all of a sudden I needed to turn off. There were about 7 motels to choose from and we ended up at the Holiday Express. We checked in right after a nice large homeschool family and the man at the front desk was an adoptive father! We knew we were in the right place. Felt totally safe all night and had a delicious breakfast in the morning. Also had a lot of fun talking to the other family about homeschooling and adoption.
We left around 9 am and were able to drive straight home by 2pm. You know we have to stop a lot to feed and hold babies! But the boys did great throughout our trip. Unfortunately I got absolutely no pictures of that driving day. I was too upset by my mistake and then too tired to even think about it.
But here are some pictures of all the people who came over the next few weeks to visit and cuddle our little darlings!
Aunt Tina came over to hold her baby Hudson.
Aunt Lorraine came bearing such wonderful gifts! The "baby" on the left is a receiving blanket, a onesie, a baby hat, a pacifier (with a mustache sewn on!) and baby mitts all stuffed with rolled baby diapers! It was so unique. Lorraine made two of these and I just love them! Of course we had to take them apart so we could use all the beautiful items!
When the boys went in to Olathe Medical to have their circumsicions, the doctor asked us to pack pacifiers for them so they would not be fussy. I packed the ones Aunt Lorraine had...embellished...you should have heard the laughter coming from inside the room when the nurse pulled them out of the diaper bag and plopped them into the boys mouths! She hadn't noticed the little mustaches until she and the doctor were standing over the boys to "get to work"! She said it was "classic"!!
Lorraine's daughter Olivia thought the babies were precious! Big sister Ava Marie loves to show the right way to hold a baby.
Katy's friends Eryn and Chandler Patrick, also twins, came over to hold the boys. They each thought their twin was the cutest!
Hudson looks so tiny against this big boppy!
Here's Mommy trying to feed both babies at the same time. Yeah, no, this did not last! I like to hold and cuddle babies while they are eating, Just needed to get the sisters involved.
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