So, don't ya know...

Did I become an international driver when I got my Slovene license or was it last Thursday when I actually drove out of this country on my own for the first time? The turn-around pattern I had started last Monday and Tuesday continued even on this trip. Thankfully, I hadn't gotten to Ljubljana when I realized what I'd forgotten.

I went to our village post office, which is actually two villages and about two miles away. I dropped off my letters and the lady helped me put more time on our mobile phone. Timothy has shown me how to do it, but unless I do it on a weekly basis I'm not going to remember. With that accomplished I just needed to get a few items at the grocery store in Kranj and get on the highway which is right near the grocery store! One problem: that highway heads northwest and I need to be going northeast. I realized this when I'm almost to Kranj. I stop in a parking lot and consult a map real quick. No easy way to the correct highway; need to head towards Ljubljana, which is actually southeast.

I get to a town between us and Ljubljana and think; I'll stop at this grocery store. It's smaller than the one in Ljubljana and will be quicker. Get the needed items, a coke for me and mentos for Clay, pack back into the car and it suddenly dawns on me that I didn't have the boys passports. Oops. Back to Jama, then on to Ljubljana and Graz!

Besides that the two hour drive up was very uneventful. Thadeus slept or was just quiet and Clay, who is never quiet lately, kept me entertained with, "Hey Mom, look at this!" He doesn't understand yet that if the driver isn't looking at the road big ouchies can happen.

We stayed at a very nice youth hostel near the center of Graz. The family rooms were new. They had indoor and outdoor play areas. A 100 foot climbing wall, flat panel televisions and pretty good breakfast. All they lacked were swimming pools!

The School of the Word conference was held in the local brewery this year. (I've been waiting to tell everyone in America this!) Yes, a brewery. We were there for Thursday night's worship/intercession time. The boys and I were in an upstairs room that had a balcony looking out over the hall where everyone was. Thadeus had to see what was going on and kept crawling out there to watch everyone.

Friday was pretty uneventful. Timothy was in the session all morning and into the afternoon then we went to lunch and relaxed the rest of the day.

Saturday morning we got up and packed and headed to Ikea. I've been familiar with Ikea for years, but this is the first time I've been to a store. It was amazing! I don't know if all stores are set up the same, but we went in and noticed immediately the place to drop our children off while we shop. Clay said he wanted to go, but then we thought, this is a family time, he needs to stay with us.

We went upstairs and walked a couple miles through show space; like miniature apartments all set up and furnished. The displays were a little more detailed than your regular furniture store. The tags on the items told you what section the item could be picked up in downstairs. If there was a red tag you had to go to a certain bin and if there was a yellow tag you would need assistance when you got downstairs. There were arrows on the floor to keep everyone moving and there were a lot of people!

Specifically, we were shopping for Thadeus' birthday present. There is a small table and chairs set (Mammut) that I'd seen in an Ikea catalog eight years ago and have always loved it. Our pediatrician just got the set in her office and Timothy liked it. Since I'm going to start "home schooling" Clay this year I wanted something just for the boys. We got the blue round table and two green chairs. Next time we go up we'll get two more red chairs since they didn't have any this time. They're not too excited about the gift, but whether they realize it or not we know they'll appreciate it. I wonder if it will be possible to keep it nice enough to give to Thadeus' kids someday.

When we found the kids' furniture upstairs and decided which pieces we wanted we got the bin number and went back downstairs. Everything just fit in our car.

When we got home Saturday afternoon our internet was down. Booooo! We just got it straightened out last night. I have felt so disconnected from the rest of the world!

I had worked outside all day yesterday. I wanted to do it again today, but it's supposed to be rainy I found out this morning.

The rain is good news for Clay. He got the idea in his head yesterday to "play music like at church". He has his little wooden drum, a pot and a couple plastic mixing bowls, I have the guitar and Ivana has a couple shakers. Thadeus is supposed to play the piano, but he doesn't get it. He'd rather chew on puzzle pieces. We put on the kids' worship cd and rock out...two year old style! We'll all get excited and I'll yell, "Drum solo!" The muscles in Clay’s neck tighten and he starts drumming as fast as he can. It's hilarious.