Retreats, Marathons, Rock Climbing, Apple Picking, Presidents' Club, Bloody Mouths

So many events, so far behind!  A quick update:
Annaliese and Linnea are in a Presidents' Club with Hannah Payne, Paola, Hannah Quandt and Isa Ginter.  Once a month I host the club. This month I was to teach about James Madison and help the girls create salt dough maps of the northeastern U.S.  It was Hannah P.'s birthday so we went to the Hostess outlet store and bought Hostess cupcakes (formerly called Dolley Madisons) to commemorate her b-day and the First Lady.
Jay picked up two history trunks from Cantigny, one Confederate, one Union.  Inside were reproduction uniforms including haversacks.  I asked Daniel and Cuyler to model the outfits for the literature class.  Sonja and Linnea donned the uniforms for our family study of the War.  We enjoyed stopping by Cantigny to return the trunks.  The girls climbed on the tanks and the boys, dad included, instigated a berry war.  We then continued on to the apple orchard where we picked 60 lb. of apples.

Sunday was the Chicago Marathon and it is our tradition to cheer the runners and make it back to Oak Park in time for church.  This year we brought a bell from home and didn't get stuck on the wrong side of the race.  Last year we had to dash across in the middle of the race, dodging runners like we were in some kind of crazy video game.

Luke, Bridget, Jackson and Emma went on the Power Connection retreat over the Columbus Day weekend.  They came back tired but happy. Maybe I can get Emma to write about her experiences.
The three younger girls and I went rock wall climbing yesterday.  They are so much better at it than I am.  Even though I know that the rope will catch me I still chicken out about halfway up the wall.  There must be a spiritual lesson there somewhere.  After the climbing we went to the Little Bits Workshop where Liita Forsythe uses discarded materials to create new items.  The girls made a sock ball, felted coasters, and a jump rope. 
Okay, and now you undoubtedly want to know about the bloody mouth.  I was on the phone Sunday afternoon when I heard a terrific screaming from the backyard.  Moms can differentiate between the casual call for help and the primal shriek that sets our hearts pounding.  Sonja came running in with blood just gushing out of her nose and mouth.  She had been walking along the bar, about 5 feet above the ground, while holding Annaliese's hand.  Annaliese had tripped and fallen and pulled Sonja down with her.  Sonja's face landed on the picnic table (which she had scooched closer to the bar).  Once we were able to clean out her mouth we were able to determine that her permanent tooth was still there, but her baby tooth was pretty much out of there.  Her gums had been pushed up exposing the adult tooth that was awaiting its turn.  Ewww.  After a frantic call to the dentist, we were reassured that her gums would heal quickly, and unless she had a serious cut in her mouth, she could remain at home without treatment.  A trip to the dentist today confirmed that she indeed was on the road to recovery.  Remarkable.

Car Talk

The long anticipated automobile event of the season has arrived...Jackson is a licensed driver!  He has been eagerly awaiting this milestone for months.  Seldom did we get into a car but he would ask, "Can I drive?"  I usually would say "yes", though I knew that it would be a tense ride...not because he is a bad driver, but because I am a bad passenger.   His dad took him to get his license and apparently he passed easily.  Now he is running errands, ferrying siblings and getting himself to events uneventfully.  I do kind of miss those car rides.

Bridget is also quite close to getting her license though she is not as anxious to ride solo.  She proved her ability the other day as we were driving to Circle Urban Ministries where she tutors on Wednesday afternoons.  As we drove past Fenwick High School a student, parked next to the curb, suddenly pulled right into traffic and into the side of our van!  Bridget calmly guided the car to the side of the road.  I got out to examine the damage....only a missing hubcap.  A badly shaken teen girl approached us with our hubcap, punctured and cracked, but usable.  The girl was very apologetic.  I didn't feel we needed to involve the police since the damage was little.  When I got back into the car I complimented Bridget on her calm demeanor.  She claims that I screamed when we were hit and yelled, "Oh, Lordy!"  I think she may be exaggerating :)