Weekend Fun!

We squeezed in more fun time and making of memories over the weekend before Thomas's sixth cycle of chemotherapy.

Saturday was one zany busy day! We squeezed in ice skating lessons, orchestra rehearsal, and Mama's two errands before a portion of our crew headed to a roadside Trump rally where everyone was cheerful and full of friendly smiles.

Then our two cars full of kiddos met up at Cane Creek Park in Waxhaw, SC: the first time we have visited this gorgeous natural area.

We were there to take a horse drawn carriage ride with Southern Breezes, a company which we happened to discover is owned by a homeschooling family. It made for some interesting discussion with the owner that after giving 40,000 carriage tours of uptown Charlotte over the years, he has not been there since March. Not only has work dried up because of the lockdown, he told me that numerous buildings remain boarded up as protection from destructive rioters and he refuses to take his horses where they could be endangered by rioters. These are troubled times.

Sunday was the Feast of Christ the King (in the traditional Catholic calendar), so the older kids went to Mass and participated in a Eucharistic Procession before coming home to celebrate Chris's fiftieth birthday! 

Photo credit: M. Kuncuro

Photo credit: M. Kuncuro
Mary had an injured ankle, so could not process

I had envisioned for the last year hosting a gala event for this milestone birthday--maybe inviting 50, 75, or 100 guests! However, life circumstances declared that was not to be. We timed this celebration within Thomas's cycle, we had his good lab numbers for the week, and we had our oncologist's blessing. We also had to severely limit our guest list and chose not to invite any large families or little kids to minimize germ transmission. We invited a few adults and were so grateful for their making the day special for our family during this challenging time.

I may not have been able to invite that many folks to our celebration, but so very many of you joined with us anyway but sending cards to Chris in the mail! After the party, he sat and opened them all and was so very touched.

Our plan had been to host the entire event outdoors but heavy rains came in overnight and light showers continued for much of the day. I decorated and set up food indoors, but then the rain stopped such that the guests did end up sitting outside around the fire pit for all of the event except for eating. Chris received a set of corn hole games, so that was very popular with the kiddos, who also rode bikes in the cul-de-sac.

We roasted hot dogs over the fire and served picnic-type foods.

Mary (11) contributed a homemade apple pie and I tacked on Jell-o, store-bought cookies, and ice cream.

Thomas, cold sitting by the fire

Various children had face painting!

I had just enough left in me after the party ended Sunday night to clean up, put the boys to bed, finish school planning, print daily lists for our babysitter, wash dishes, do a load of laundry, and pack our chemo backpacks so we could be ready to depart at 7:45 the next morning. Whew!