January 2022 Part 6: Taryn and David Visit

Our friends invited us to go on a couples' weekend to Florida in February. We couldn't say no, but the problem to solve was what to do with our kiddos while we were gone. Kirt and Julie had already agreed to watch Lea and Shayne's kids that weekend. In talking with my sister, I realized that she really needed a break as well, so we came up with a trade. We'd take her kids for a night so they could stay in a hotel and relax, and then we'd spend the next day playing games with her and David, and go on a double date that night. (She said she needed socialization too). So, the last weekend in January, our weekend with Taryn's family began. We asked Michael to help us document it. 

We got to have a small taste of what it would be like to have 7 kids. 

We love cousin time! 

Taryn and David came back much earlier than expected on Saturday, but we had fun playing games and then heading out to dinner that night. I think we came back and watched a movie in our theater. 

They went to church with us the next day, and I held Elijah in primary so they could actually go to Sunday School for the first time in a long little while without the distraction. 

We had dinner together after church, and hung out some more. 

Meanwhile, at the house next door, there were lots of puppies looking for a home. They kept squeezing into our yard and messing with our drip lines, and I wanted to help them go. I knew Kezie was also trying to pass them on to good homes, so we reached out to see how much they'd charge for the puppies. Taryn and David had seemed to want another dog, and I knew these might be a good fit since they were poodles and therefore hypoallergenic. Our neighbors weren't home, but they let us take Taryn and David over to look at them, especially when Kezie said she'd give them one for free (take two! she said). They chose the last female of the litter and took her home with them. They couldn't pass up this deal! 

I worried I might have pressured her into this, but they reassured me that they'd been looking for another dog but couldn't afford one kind that they wanted. 

I hope that this weekend rejuvenated Taryn and David. It's been a rough go with all of Elijah's health issues and scares. I felt like it wasn't enough, especially when they'd be taking our kids longer in February. We for sure got the better end of the deal on this one.