Life's Little Surprises!

So this weekend was filled with what I'd call life's little surprises!

First and foremost...Beverly got baptized! Her baptism was amazing! It was something I won't soon forget! Elder Gray sang...he has such a beautiful voice!

After the baptism, Rylie, Parker, and I headed over to Adrienne's for a night out. This is my windshield...notice anything missing? (Yes, it is cracked...just waiting for the weather to stop being crazy and then I'll replace it!) So, here's the deal. As I was leaving, I was trying to fix the rear view mirror...and it just came off in my hand! Go figure! So...I drove around without it all night...that's very crazy! I never realized just how much I look in it...until it wasn't there!
So...we get to Adrienne's. As soon as Paula and the girls arrived, we started getting out the drinks. Adrienne told me that she had kool-aid for me and that I could put some sprite in it if I wanted too! I guess this isn't really that funny...unless you know what an over achiever Paula is...and that Adrienne and I benefit from that GREATLY! When we go to Paula's, she makes me all sorts of crazy drinks...she's the best nonalcoholic bartender ever! My lime kool-aid was really good...so I'm not complaining!
We decided that we'd let the kids make their own pizza's!
Don't they look good! (It took a few minutes, but we finally talked Parker out of putting grapes on his!)
Me and Paula...we were both having a "bad hair day"!
So...this is where things got REALLY exciting...all of the kids were off playing and Adrienne, Paula, and I were cleaning the kitchen when we heard this really annoying beeping sound. The first thing we thought was, "what have they found to play with now!"...but then I looked down the hallway and reflecting in one of Adrienne's pictures were FLAMES!!! From where I stood, it looked like Adrienne's bedroom was engulfed in fire...or as we later referred to it...an inferno!

So...Adrienne yelled out, "call 911!" She and Paula went to her room and all 7 kids knew exactly what to do...they didn't panic and they went outside. I grabbed the phone, but then realized that I didn't know her address, so I walked down the hall to see what we were dealing with. One of Adrienne's candles had burned through it's holder...and it was up in flames on her dresser (so yes...it really can happen!). Paula, always the calm one, and the former firefighter, thank goodness, was already getting water and putting it out. The funny thing is that it didn't even occur to Adrienne and I that we could put it out ourselves...aren't we always taught to call 911 and go outside?! Once again...thank goodness Paula was there!
So...this is what was left when all was said and done...Sam's first comment was that Adrienne was going to need to paint the dresser! I got the lecture about not hesitating when told to call 911...however in this instant it was agreed that it was a good thing I hadn't called because we would have looked like complete idiots! Rylie and Sam were pretty shaken up because they had left their American Girl Dolls in the house, but I promised them that I would have gotten Elizabeth, Kit, and Sam's new doll out if the house was really on fire! Later that night, Adrienne said they would need to cover that up...Sam put one of her barbies on the burned spot!

I must say that I'm very upset that I didn't get a picture of the actual flames, but it would have been very irresponsible of me to tell them to wait to put the fire out until I got my camera!
The kids calmed down, had some ice cream, and then got into a very serious game of operation! It was definitely an evening we will never forget! As we drove home...Rylie said, "well, the next time Adrienne's house starts on fire, we know exactly what to do!!!"