Home Again

Yesterday didn't go quite as I'd anticipated. I somehow got the impression we'd be outside in the action from 2pm onwards. That didn't happen. Instead, Leilani, Natalia and I were in the hotel room for around six hours. Thinking we'd be busy, I really didn't bring anything to occupy us. As we were getting out of the car (and I was still under a delusion lol) I grabbed one of Leilani's activity books on a whim. Thank goodness! She spent a lot of time cutting, pasting and coloring. She also loved the giant window treatments, opening and closing them. And she played "race" - unforunately, while racing herself around the room and going in and out of the bathroom, Leilani managed to close the door on her thumb and give herself a blood blister. When we finally went out to see the helos land, she spent most of the time telling everyone we met she got a blood blister and showing off her wound *grin*.

We got out to the LZ (Landing Zone) about 20 minutes before the Huey was due in. The street was all taped off with crime scene tape. Leilani kept asking why SHE couldn't go under the tape but daddy could. I used alot of those 20 minutes to explain what that tape is and why we're not supposed to go under it (and why daddy CAN go under it for right now). Finally, we heard the Huey coming in behind us. It was pretty cool watching it land in the middle of the street. After they towed it out of the way, the Cobra came in. Leilani loved getting to get up close and touch the helos. She (re)decided she wants to be a pilot. I told her she'll need to focus on her mathematics, guess what she said? "OK mama, let's do lots of math!" Made me a bit excited *grin*. After the helos were in place, it turned out they'd been put in the wrong place, so instead of using the tug for the Huey, they latched the wheels on and PUSHED it into it's correct spot. It was a bit amusing, watching them move the helo that way :).

After both the helos were in place, we went to get some dinner. We went to the Chocolate Bar in the Old Arcade - a realy old shopping mall built to resemble ones in Italy. The hotel is in there on the upper floors. Once I can upload photos again, I'll put them up here.

We got home around ten this morning. We had to stop at Kmart (thank goodness we didn't repeat our last visit there!). Leilani's sparkly jelly shoes broke while we were out last night looking at the helos so we had to get her some new sandals. After we got home Natalia was sleeping so Leilani and I were cuddling when I noticed she felt warm - she has a low-grade fever so I gave her some meds and we've been chilling in the living room.

Thanks for your prayers for my dad - he already found an apartment and can move in right away! He's quite excited to have a place to call his own!

As Marine Week Cleveland continues (if you're in the area, you should go check it out!) we'll be going down there and hanging out some more. Leilani loves seeing all the big equipment and Natalia loves being carried around in the Moby *smiles*. Who knows, if we're there at the same time, we may even see each other!