Don't Stop Believin'

Christian and I drove to South Carolina yesterday 

morning to worship and serve in the temple.

Going to the temple for us is an all-day event.

It takes nearly four hours to get to there,

but the drive really isn't that bad because
we have so much to talk about together.

This temple trip has been much anticipated, and has

 been on our calendar for weeks.
Lottie was picked up from school by a neighbor, the boys walked home
from school (then picked up Lottie), and the girls rode the bus home.

When they came home I had a list of specific instructions for
each child to do and remember:

Everyone: do homework
Boys: walk Angus
Oliver: read 3 books with Lottie
Jane: make dinner
Claire & Lottie: set the table
Boys: clean up dinner, do dishes
Jane: off to violin lessons
Claire & Jane: make sack lunches for tomorrow
Nicholas: gather everyone for scripture study

Meanwhile Mr. Nielson and I attended our temple session, grabbed dinner,

then began our journey back home on the dark Carolina highway.

Around 11:30 with about an hour left to go in the car, sleepy time hit.
So I turned on 80's music really loud to keep us awake and

around 12:30 we rolled to the Harlow House.
We came home to a quiet (clean) house,
sleeping children, hearts feeling grateful, peaceful, and full.
And Don't Stop Believin' playing in our heads.
Doesn't get much better than that.