Roughing It

For those of you who have been following me from way back, you might remember that every year my husband's side of the family goes camping and I opt to stay home for a little "alone time". Well, the event has come and gone...and now without it's interesting twists and turns.

This year was going to be a little different... since they were going to be gone for an entire week, I would be joining them for the last two nights.
The day before I would be going, I drove down to retrieve my mom, who would be letting our lab in and out and feeding her. It was with much trepidation that I went with this plan, seeing that she is up in years and our lab can be boisterous. But amazingly, our big brutesss has been very gentle around Mom, just as she has been the past few years with the girls...as if sensing she must be.

So then, my mom and I went on to have a nice, relaxing visit watching old movies and visiting for a day or so and the next evening my husband dropped over after putting in one day at work to pick me, my suitcase and sleeping bag up and away we went.

All the nights leading up to then, I would talk to my family on the phone and blow kisses to my girls at bedtime. A few of those nights had my youngest in tears because she missed me so much...so needless to say, I was really looking forward to seeing my girls and holding them tight. When we drove into the campsite at last, the girls came running when they saw me...all of us SO happy to be together again...so much so, that my sweet littlest actually cried happy tears...just melted my heart!

That night in the tent, it was a bit hard to sleep...I kept waking to hear a raccoon family who seemed to like visiting throughout the night. Followed by loud shrieking jays and crows in the wee hours of the morning. Now, I am actually a bird lover...but these things were a bit obnoxious to a gal trying to get her beauty sleep.

So, all day I was kind of going on fumes, but we still had some good times visiting with all the relatives, having ice cream at the Tillamook Cheese Factory,



touring a light house,



and watching the children play on the beach.



The weather that Saturday was nice...fairly warm with sun breaks followed by a pleasent evening around the campfire with everyone...

But sadly, the weather wouldn't last...

And neither, apparently, would the munchies that my youngest had eaten that day.

Yes...unfortunately, my little munchkin was sick ALL night in the tent on that very last night. And though I as the mommy am usually the main caretaker, this time my husband graciously took over after the first couple times while I escaped to sleep the rest of the night scrunched up in the backseat. Needless to say, we were all miserable.
As we emerged that morning (our sick little one was still sleeping after her rough night so we placed her into the back seat) we joined the rest of the family packing up our tents and gear...

In the pouring rain.

Only we had some nasty, messy items to also deal with from our tent. :(

Fast-forward two days...and little one is better. But now picture Mommy and Daddy taking turns running to the bathroom all evening and night. Not a pretty sight, is it? Ugh.

Somehow...our ten year old escaped the brunt of the 24 hour flu that ravaged the rest of us.
But unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for my mom. Although within two hours of arriving home from our camping trip, I drove her right home without her even touching our sick one, somehow she couldn't escape it.
The same night my husband and I were suffering, she was too...and ended up calling an ambulance! She was hospitalized most of the week but is thankfully home and doing well now.

What positive thing could come out of all of this horribleness, you ask? Well, for one thing, God has used it as a wake-up call for us to quit procrastinating and get my mom moved up here right away. We'll be looking at temporary apartments close to our home so that she is not living alone so far away from us.

After finally joining in on the big family camp out this year, will this catastrophe keep me away again for another yet four years?
It's a big question...but as everyone pointed out, sickness rarely invades the family camp outs...this was a rarity (and of course, just the year I'd go!) ;)

And I might...just might...be persuaded to go back next year...

if we had one of these...

Drawing WInner!!! (And the annual Mommy-alone time is here)

I'm sitting here, after just writing everyone's name on teeny tiny little pieces of paper...cutting them up...and putting them in a little bowl.
What...you say there's that automatic random name drawing computer site now? Well, maybe I'll try it one of these days, but this way is so much more personal, don't ya' think?

And since I have a LOT of time on my hands this week, I didn't mind.

You see, this week is that annual time again when my husband takes our children and camps all week with his side of the family. The time when this homeschooling mom has a few days out of the year to call her time her own.

Only this year, I'm going to be joining them for the final two nights...because really, a gal can only have so much solitude before she starts doing strange things like...oh, say... finding old pictures of college friends while organizing and then googling their names...having long conversations with her dog... and considering actually cleaning things that haven't been cleaned in awhile.

But truely, I do look forward to just a few days to myself.
And since Sunday afternoon, I've been reading a lot, trying to make a dent in organizing a couple rooms, and just enjoying that rare time of not hearing arguments ensue or demands for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.
Honestly? I'm not a big fan of cooking and meal planning...so for me, it's a pure vacation to reach into the freezer for a Lean Cuisine of my choosing and call it good.

And most of all, I've been wanting to use to this time to have some uninterrupted time with the Lord...something that all of us as moms can find challenging during the busy days of parenting.

All of this said, I've got to come clean...
I miss my family SO much.
I miss my husband walking through the door at dinnertime and kissing me...
I miss my oldest daughter's silly sense of humor or our talks about the latest American Girl book she is reading...
I miss my youngest cuddling with me (at seven, she's still very much a cuddler) as we read stories at bedtime.

And last night, my heart was about broken when she began crying on the phone because she missed me so much.
I tried to encourage her, and then I prayed with her over the phone. But afterwards, I, too, was a puddle of tears.

So, needless to say, as much as I look forward to some rare alone time once a year, I am honestly looking forward to joining them in three more days!

Anyway, without further adieu...

Here is the name that I pulled out of my bowl with my eyes closed.....

DRUM ROLL....

Grandma Dawn!

Dawn, I'm so thrilled you won, since I know you love to read as I do!
You may have mentioned your first book choice already, but e-mail me and let me know what it is, as well as your mailing address.
(And I hope you enjoy sipping your Starbucks as you read!)

Blessings!