I knew the trip would be a difficult one. I have only made the trip from California to Utah without Jake twice, and I only had one child. I geared up for the worst.
I can tell you in all honesty that if I had to compare a 18 hour road tip with my kids alone to giving birth to a child naturally- I pick giving birth.
When I said goodbye to Jake it felt very similar in fact to when I have in the past had a child. I tell him "I can't do this, I don't want to do this, This is too hard" and he says "it will be fine"
We pushed all the kids seats up to the middle row so I could reach them and hand them things. And after a miniture break down before we left (to which Jake responded "it will be fine" doesn't he always say that) we were off. I felt like we were off on our hard journey and we would see him on the other side.
I really was expecting the worst. My hope for the trip was that we would arrive in under two days with everyone alive and preferable my car in one piece.
Which is why, with those low expectations, it really was not the nightmare it sounds.
We did somehow waste and hour just getting onto the freeway getting lost just getting gas in my own neighbourhood.
I did have to stop three times to help one of the kids before even getting on the free-way on ramp (this free-way on ramp is like 10 minutes from my house)
My baby did only nap for 25 minutes- the entire first day when I was counting on like 4 hours. And only 10 minutes the 2nd day.... yes there ended up being a 2nd day on the road.
My baby did decide that she no longer will accept bottles
A honesty to heavens bag lady attempted to kidnap my children at subway (really she was just starring at them where I had sat them in a booth while I ordered their meal at the counter) I thought she was an employee from the back taking out the trash only to discover when I came to the booth she was a homeless woman with a bag of her belongings and no shoes on speaking with my kids. This story is mostly funny because I said a simple prayer that as we stopped we might see somebody we know, that could just help me for five minutes. That sounds like an insane request, but we have seen people we know a lot at stops on this drive. An old ward member, a friend of a parent, I would have taken anything. But I got a bag lady, and a lot of stares, and no sympathy for a mother traveling alone with 3 small kids.
There was a car accident a few miles in front of us a bit after Barstow. We went 3 miles and hour for about 2 hours. Until I followed a limo onto a frontage road. And made my way around. And saved us at least 2 hours. Hey all Limo's are headed to Vegas right?
There was my peeing at an exit on the side of the road- in broad daylight, attempting to hide behind a tree. We were in the middle of no where really so it is not as bad as it seems, near what could only be a meth house, because I didn't know how I would pee at a gas station or restaurant with all my kids. I had thought this through, and did not drink anything to help the situation- but then what was suppose to take us 6 hours took us 10.
I talked to Jake. He was a few hours behind me. It sounded like his drive was going pretty horribly. It involved a problem with the Rodeo and him laying in the dirt trying to fix it. And getting stuck for even longer behind that car accident.
Around Primm Sam started crying his tummy hurt. Darn it. I knew I shouldn't have given him a bite of chocolate. or maybe it was the tomatoe sauce on his meatball sandwich- for some reason I hadn't thought of that when I ordered it. I just you know wanted him to be happy on the drive. The crying turned to screaming. Actual screaming. After about 30 minutes he was hysterical. I pulled over after Vegas. I let him get out and help me with the gas. I convinced him to get back in the car. He became hysterical again. His tummy had never hurt like this before- to the point of screaming. I thought we might need a hospital. Now Marianne was screaming too. Only because she was starving and exhausted.
With Sam screaming he wanted to lay down in a bed, me upset knowing it was my fault his tummy hurt, and a baby crying, we just pulled over in Mesquite. Yes, The CasaBlanca looks up to my standards.
I went ahead and pulled into the valet. I drug all three kids in, they had a room. I didn't have anything for an overnight stay. How unprepared for my usually prepared self. I had the bell hop bring up M's pack and play. I threw a handful of diapers in my purse. We made it to the room. Delighted. Everyone was delighted to be free of the road. Sam started feeling better. We watched some cartoons and a Shark Tale. Everyone was starving- so I got us room service. And hamburgers and chicken fingers were devoured by all.
I put on pandora lullabyes and finally had everyone asleep my around 11pm. Actually. I'm glad we stopped. I did only get like 3 hours of sleep the night before as we cleaned and packed the house and a through the night drive I hadn't planned for seemed an impossible task.
Really stopping in Mesquite was the best decision I could have made. The kids were loving it. I mean cartoons and people bringing food to the room, plus the hotel looked like a jungle inside to them made them so excited they were jumping from bed to bed. They didn't care that we didn't have toothbrushes, snacks, or even new underwear for the next day. Jake actually stopped for a minute on his way through, and saw us. It had only been 12 hours, but it has been an eternity. With him there I was able to run to the car and seek out a few more helpful items from the car. Sadly thought I couldn't find our swimsuits. I felt bad as the kids had been super troopers and they were in awe at the pool with the waterfall and I wanted to let them swim in the morning. They settled for picking out fancy bread from Starbucks for breakfast and sitting by the pool and playing on the lawn.
Then we were on our way again. Mesquite to Heber actually seemed like a long journey. We made it to Fillmore without a stop. Some miracle of miracles, the DVD player sound didn't go out once and we watched Backyardagains for hours on end. Truth- they have some pretty catchy songs. In Filmore we got some chicken nuggets and found a park. The kids were delighted again. Maize and I sat in the shade watching birds, Kate and Sam played and were so good and happy. We made it from there to Heber. It was almost 2pm. Which means it took me 30 hours rather than the normal 12-13. Of course we did sleep for around 6 hours of that in a hotel.
And it was an adventure. A hard adventure. But truthfully that. Things were not perfect, but could have been a lot worse. Jake had a lot of trouble in the truck alone too. Instead of taking the expected 15 hours, it took him 20. The kids were amazing. Amazing. Little M just started at the DVD player and sucked her thumb and blankie wide eyed. She played peek a boo with the kids blankets, she read books to herself. She basically sat for two days without naps in the car and was amazing. Kate was my super helper. She let M have her drinks and fed her treats, she never took a nap and was just awake and with me the whole time. She colored and listened and did as I asked. She got everyone excited about everything at the hotel. And Sam was my brave boy. He struggles more with transitions and stressful things. And his tummy hurt so much. But he tried to be brave and good. And was my brave boy sitting in back with a very hurt tummy and I couldn't hold him. He has been such a great helper with the unloading of the truck. If he notices Jake is not in the house, he asks if he is at the truck and then gets his shoes to help. I know I have choice kids. But they were above and beyond their normal amazing self.
It has been a slow moving in, slower than last time. We are still in boxes a full day later, and haven't found much of our stuff yet. But the kids seem adjusted.
Today we went to our old ward. "our new church" Sam kept saying- but I kept telling him but it is our old church. Well it is confusing. Sam was really nervous about going to his class. He kept asking if Marianne could come with him so he would have somebody to play with. He remembers I think the bad experience he had in our California ward nursery. I told him I wouldn't leave him unless he had a friend. And in about five minutes he had a friend, his old best friend right by his side. When we picked him up from nursery he was the happiest I have seen him at church in 9 months. Kate did well too and was happy. And it was such a treat to see so many people we love. And it was amazing to feel so surrounded by love.
Today would have been a great day being the first in weeks I have had more than 6 hours of sleep, a shower, clothing, and makeup for almost two weeks. But getting to see so many people we love and feeling so at home for the first time in months was amazing.
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