Braces off!

Sariah was past the symptoms but was still on quarantine until Friday.  One day she set up Specht’s badminton net in the backyard and the kids have played on it every day since.  In fact, one night, Rex and Lyle were out there with headlamps playing after dark, and the next morning they were playing with headlamps before it got light.  I really like to see the kids playing together.  Bryant likes to go against the little guys by himself.  (We just finished Come Follow Me and now they are all out there, Dad included, even though it is getting dark.)

Rex and Lyle always complain about going to activity day.  However, when they come home after learning knots with licorice they are pretty happy.

Because Sariah was home on COVID quarantine she was available when the Orthodontist called to find out if she wanted to take an early morning spot and get her braces off.  YES!  Thursday the 13th was the day.  We left at 6:45am.

By 8:30, she had her new smile.

And a make-up job yesterday courtesy of Rex and Lyle.

 A lot of packages have arrived this week in preparation for Bryant’s mission. Friday, I took Bryant and Rex and Lyle to a few stores.  Rex and Lyle need new school shoes and Bryant was looking for belts.  We didn’t have much luck finding shoes—in fact, I ended up ordering some off Amazon while we were standing in Big 5 not having much luck at our third store.  Bryant found a belt he really likes at Marshalls, but it is braided and the belts on the missionary dress information aren't braided.  He did get a reversible that will probably work.  Dad thinks that anything made of leather (belts, satchels…) will be super cheap in Guatemala.  We did a pick-up at Old Navy in the mall and I deliberately took the kids in because they said they had never been in a mall before.  Once we were inside, they remembered being there.  Of course, Rex and Lyle had to touch the water in the fountain.  We did make a stop at Barnes and Noble so they could see a fancy bookstore, but we weren’t there too long.  Bryant had to go to the bathroom.

The breaking news, currently still breaking since no one knows the full story yet, is that Brielle had their baby at home in the bathtub this morning!  (The kids think they should name him “Tubby.”)  They have since gone to the hospital and the baby boy is 9lbs. 12 oz. (big baby) and doing well though Brielle has tested positive for COVID.  Kase says he doesn’t recommend it.  A new boy cousin!