Live From St. Louis

We arrived safely in St. Louis on Monday afternoon, after uneventful flights. The kids were amazingly well behaved on the Brussels-Newark leg, though I wish they had slept longer. The layover in Newark started to get a little dicey, as we landed in Newark to find that our flight to STL was delayed by almost an hour. The kids had energy to spare, and it started to come out as wrestling, waiting in the boarding area. Jack had done very well at using the potty all day and came out with a dry diaper. I at least got my exercise, walking the kids to and from the bathrooms.

Our flight to St. Louis from Newark then got bumped up a little, so we were still leaving late, but not as late. We boarded the flight and waited. Then we got delayed because they were still loading baggage. Then we got delayed because the airplane behind us pushed back from the gate but they couldn't release the towbar from the plane. We saw them banging on it with hammers, a whole group of guys standing around, but it took 30 minutes for them to get the bar off (during which time I had to take Jack on a mad dash to the bathroom, since technically we weren't supposed to be standing). We finally push back, and have an uneventful flight to St. Louis. We get in at 6 STL time (1 am Brussels) and the sunlight (and all the toys) help keep the kids occupied. They finally beg for bed around 8, then awake promptly at 3, asking to go play. I con them into sleeping with me, and I managed to get them to sleep for another few hours, until 5:30.

So now it's Thursday, and the kids are firmly entrenched in waking up at 5:30ish. Oh, well. Could be worse. We had a small thunderstorm last night, which made the kids nervous (we don't have thunder in Brussels, save for once or twice a year). I finally came up to bed, only to find Amelia sound asleep in my bed, all the lights on,

Jack is having a blast riding his airplane outside, and Amelia is playing with her new toy dalmation puppy (after having lost a similar dog in the Brussels airport on Monday. She couldn't understand why we couldn't go back to find it, while they were starting to board our flight.). We set up a sprinkler for them outside the other day, and the kids reveled in jumping around in it, then they'd lay down on their towels and drink lemonade.

I've been enjoying shopping (don't tell T.J.) and got the kids 4 pairs of shoes for the price I would've paid for 1 pair in Brussels.

The kids are hoping to go to the zoo today with Susan and cousin Emma, if the thunderstorms hold off. Then tomorrow we're going swimming at my friend Jenn's neighborhood pool, followed by a July 4th barbecue up the street from my parents' house.

AND, most amazingly, we're still healthy!!