Exciting, right! EXHAUSTING, but worth it ALL.
The morning after Christmas we finished packing the car and headed out around 10:30 am. We drove until dark and then pulled over at one of my favorite hotels in Joplin, MO. It is over half way and has a great pool with a decent dinner and breakfast buffet. Quiet a deal for $89, oh yeah the lady at the front desk made a few small mistakes and ended up giving us a discount for $59. She may have felt sorry for me. I was happy about it.
Anyway, after we ate dinner we headed to the pool to blow off some steam. The kids really needed a break. Gavin kept showing off his new swimming skills. He would jump off the edge close to the stairs and swim a few yards. I was impressed and he loved showing me he could do it all by himself. Of course, he pushed it a time or two and had me almost jumping in the pool with my clothes on (thank goodness for the stranger close by that grabbed him). As we were laying in bed snuggled up he kept saying "You like to watch me swim,uh?"
"I do it all by myself."
Yes, I like to watch him swim but I think it gave me anxiety that night. I had the hardest time sleeping. It was either that or Gavin kicking my back while sleeping, or Emma needing her inhaler out in the car and me feeling guilty because I didn't want to go get it. I do not like sleeping in the same bed or same bedroom for that matter with my kids. I hardly get a wink of sleep when I can hear them or feel them kicking me.
I am weird that way.
We woke up early the next morning and enjoyed a lovely breakfast of donuts, waffles, and cereal. We headed out about 8:30 a.m. and drove the final 6 hours. It was great to pull into town and see the family.
My brother David and his family still had not arrived. They had a little hiccup and were delayed when 2 of their 6 kids started puking in the car. I felt so bad for them. Nothing like the holidays, traveling, and sick kids. We all geared up for the stomach bug. Surprisingly we managed to get by pretty easy. Most people just got stomach aches for a day and were up and running in no time. Such a blessing.
I love that even though we do not live close by our cousins when we do get together there is no awkwardness. The kids immediately pick up where they left off and for some they don't even remember meeting each other they were so young. It doesn't seem to matter. It makes me so happy to see them all playing. This family thing is pretty amazing.
As soon as Davids's family arrived the good times began to roll and did not stop until we all left. Talk about intense living, we seriously don't stop till we drop. So many great memories were made. It was all worth it. So glad that we went.
I will post so much more when I get another break. My house is a disaster. I still have all my Christmas decorations up and I left things so crazy in a hurry to leave for the trip.
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