This trip is teaching me to roll with the punches.
Kate and I started out the day by dropping my trio at religious education classes and then heading to the laundromat to wash our clothes (small wardrobes and all that). We were able to get everything washed and put into the dryers before it was time to pick up Button (the older two are able to go on trips around the city with other youth and chaperones from the council).
After picking up our clothes (which were a wee bit damp... our room looks a bit like a washer woman is in the midst of a job, I am sorry to say), we headed to IKEA. I have wanted to go for such a long time and am really glad that I got to experience it with one of my sisters. Since we had the three youngest with us, we were able to fully enjoy all of the wonderful things that they do to give families a great shopping experience (family bathrooms stocked with free diapers and little tables and chairs, yummy food, play areas, friendly staff, etc.).
Unfortunately, just as we were heading for the checkout, we received a call from Father John saying that he needed the car to make an emergency run to get a new hard drive (he is working for the OCA and his crashed in the midst of the project!). We abandoned our cart and headed for the parking lot only to discover that I had accidentally locked the keys in the van! The ever-patient Father John came to our aid by hailing a cab, unlocking the car, and getting us back safely. Despite the loss of the hard drive, it seems like his project won't be derailed and I hope to be able to share the first of his videos soon!
Kate and I plan to go back to IKEA at some point this week. We'd like to reassemble our cart (we were impressively restrained, I am pleased to say) and neither of us quite go our fill of those tasty Swedish meatballs!