Overjoyed

Round 5 - Winter 2035

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Joe Carr is 40, Ariel is 34, Kayden is 6, Javion is 4

And though you don't believe that they do

They do come true

For did my dreams

Come true when I looked at you

And maybe too if you would believe

You too might be

Overjoyed, over loved, over me

Stevie Wonder

Ariel and Joe decided that it was time that they had a family trip out together. Since they were still paying off the loan on their house, they couldn't really take a big vacation. So they decided to take the boys to the new National History Center downtown. It would be fun for them and also educational.

Kayden was very excited about the African animal display and wondered about the logistics of getting the stuffed elephant into the building. Javion was at an age where he mirrored everything Kayden did and was fascinated with his brother's logic!

There was also a large aquarium on the second floor and this is where Ariel and Joe spent most of their time. Ariel wished there had been a place like this around when she was growing up. She would definitely have loved to come here and she was really glad that she was able to give this to her sons. Who would have thought she would be an okay mom?

Kayden was fascinated with the fish and was going to be sure to ask his parents for a new pet. He figured he was old enough to have his own dog by now, he was 6 years old after all!

His mom and dad stood around looking at all the posters on the walls. Why look at the posters when you could see the real thing? He didn't understand grown ups sometimes........

He had had enough of the aquarium and was ready to move on to more important things..........

Like the really cool arcade on the third floor! As usual, Javion was right on his heels. He loved his little brother, but he was getting a bit tired of him following him around all the time!

Ariel and Joe kept an eye on the boys while playing a friendly game of pool. They were almost done paying off their house and would soon be able to enjoy Joe's new position as chief of staff at the hospital. They had to get out of this debt first, though. But Ariel had to admit that Joe had been right when he told her not to worry. Things were actually working out really well for them. And Ariel finally felt like she could breathe again.

The day was ending on a high note until Javion tried to hug Kayden. Geez, would Javion ever leave him alone?! Kayden hoped that Javion would make his own friends once he started school in the spring. Anything to get him to leave him alone!

The taxi finally arrived and they all headed home after a mostly successful family outing!

The Natural History Center had a lovely restaurant also located on the first floor, but there were no available seats by the time they were ready to eat. So Ariel came home and fixed them all a nice chicken casserole. She was a little concerned about Kayden and Javion. They seemed to fight so much more now. But Joe told her that's just what brothers did. And Kayden was Javion's hero. It would just take a little time for it to fade as Javion became his own person.

And they didn't fight ALL the time, Joe reminded her. They would play in Javion's room until it was time for bed almost every night. Kayden just wanted a little freedom, wanted a little independence.....

But that didn't mean that he didn't love his little brother or didn't like having him around. They were as close as brothers were suppose to be.....

Joe would miss these days. Kayden already insisted he no longer needed a bed time story. And with Javion's hero worship, Joe knew it was only a matter of time before he no longer wanted one either. It made him a little sad and also made him think about possibly having another baby. Ariel had always wanted a little girl.......

She worried too much, but Joe knew that was just the mother in her. He knew that his boys were just fine......

* Javion is like Kayden's little shadow! It's so cute! But Kayden doesn't seem to share my opinion on the matter lol. I was so hurt for little Javion when Kayden rejected his hug :(

* I love this lot! It's not very large and runs beautifully and is a way for me to give my kids a little history education that's fun. There is a very cool T'Rex display but it's flooded which makes me sad:

It looks like it's just standing in water lol. If I take a head on shot you can't see the water so that's what I will do from now on. I like where it's placed and I don't really want to move it. And this is the only problem area.

* Joe rolled the want for another baby so I'm hoping Ariel rolls it too or they have an oops baby. I really want another little diva :)