I have looked forward being back in Ohio. I really looked forward to be back in our own house, sleeping in our own beds. This trip has held some unexpected surprises.
Bug, Bean, and I arrived in Apple Valley Wednesday afternoon. Good plan - a little buffer time before the craziness of our busy weekend. Grandma and Grandpa J welcomed us into their cozy and spacious log cabin. After my last bit of the 20 hour drive, it took me a minute to see the beautiful new staircase they added to the loft where the grandkids will be sleeping. Sweet Daddy rolled in a few hours later. Just being in their house relaxes me - probably having extra adults to dote on my babes. Or the cups of coffee and the snow falling. I sat on the couch a lot. The next day, I sat on the couch until I moved and sat in the recliner - it was a busy day for me. There was even a bit of video-gaming for Momma which doesn't happen often. Being there was just what I needed.
After that bit of recovery, we headed to our house Friday morning. I was itching to get the van unpacked and we did so quickly. When we travel with Sweet Daddy, we have 3 big locker trunks full of stuff: one has books, one has art stuff, and one has household/kitchen stuff. Then we have luggage and bins with clothes, toys, etc. Most of it landed in a pile on the garage floor. Some was toted inside. Sweet Man had planned a day out with the boys so he was off. And the kids and I were kidnapping Mimi to go run errands in preparation for their birthday party on Saturday.
After a very successful trip to Columbus, Bug, Bean and I went back to the house to relax and wait for Sweet Daddy. It was about 5 o'clock. About 7:30 we realized that the heat, which had been turned down during our travels, was not kicking on. Sweet Man diagnosed that something was wrong with the furnace. Brrr....we decided to have a slumber party in the living with our pull-out couches, electric blanket, and fireplace. We survived the night even though the inside temp dropped to 47 degrees. Needless to say I didn't sleep well.
After a very successful trip to Columbus, Bug, Bean and I went back to the house to relax and wait for Sweet Daddy. It was about 5 o'clock. About 7:30 we realized that the heat, which had been turned down during our travels, was not kicking on. Sweet Man diagnosed that something was wrong with the furnace. Brrr....we decided to have a slumber party in the living with our pull-out couches, electric blanket, and fireplace. We survived the night even though the inside temp dropped to 47 degrees. Needless to say I didn't sleep well.
In our short stay, we had managed to pull random belongings from bins and trunks and strewn them all over the house. But we had a party to prepare. And ourselves to get clean. We managed to do it.
The birthday party at the Works Museum was a success (thanks to Sweet Sister-in-Law and Mimi) and we got to see many of the kids' friends and some of our family. I was exhausted after it and we needed a place to stay. We were all feeling sick, too. Sweet Daddy's sweet sister and brother-in-law offered to take us in, in spite of our coughs and vague flu-like symptoms. We got there and Bean and I catnapped on the couch at their house while the boys picked up pizza for dinner. I slept very well that night, with the aid of Nyquil.
It was good to be back in our home church for Sunday morning service and to see so many great friends.
Time to gather up for the coming week. I realize now that had I known that our furnace was not working, I would never have gone to the house and certainly would not have unpacked anything. In preparation for our trip to Las Vegas (Sweet Man has a meeting and invited me to come along - yes, please) we had to pack up and clean the house for showings. The logistics of staying in our house, which has only furniture and none of our stuff, was too crazy. I didn't anticipate the stress of trying to find belongings and trying to pack them again. I need to be so much more organized.
Figuring out what I needed from our boxes, from the store and what we could live without was difficult. And then packing for 5 categories - ugh - 1. going with the kids to grandparents' while we're in Vegas 2. going with us to Vegas 3. staying in the "on the road" stuff 4. going to storage in Apple Valley 5. the constant purge pile. And sorting, scrambling and cleaning in 45 degree temps - not fun. The kids were crying, I was yelling, we were all freezing. But we finished quickly and then off to Mimi's for chalupa - warm - and Opa let me build a fire in the fireplace - double warm - and the kids took naps in their new beds at Mimi's.
Figuring out what I needed from our boxes, from the store and what we could live without was difficult. And then packing for 5 categories - ugh - 1. going with the kids to grandparents' while we're in Vegas 2. going with us to Vegas 3. staying in the "on the road" stuff 4. going to storage in Apple Valley 5. the constant purge pile. And sorting, scrambling and cleaning in 45 degree temps - not fun. The kids were crying, I was yelling, we were all freezing. But we finished quickly and then off to Mimi's for chalupa - warm - and Opa let me build a fire in the fireplace - double warm - and the kids took naps in their new beds at Mimi's.
That night, sweet sister and brother-in-law graciously took us in again for another good night's sleep.
I am glad to be home for a little while - I may just not be in my own home. These days, we are depending on the kindness of family and they are certainly rising to the occasions. Thank you, all!
(remember that Seinfeld episode when Kramer has lo-flow shower heads?...
looks like Bean's hair is another victim)
No comments:
Post a Comment