The past two days have been such a mix of ups and downs.
As I'm trying to think of how to put this into words, I can't help thinking this shouldn't be such a big deal. Five days alone with my kids shouldn't represent such a monumental time for me. I think I've got to make it a priority to either send my wife out for times of refreshing or take the kids with me for times of bonding. I can't tell you how much these past few days have made me sensitive to how hard my wife's job is. So, when she comes back we're going to reprioritize things a little bit, making sure we each get times of refreshing and times of bonding with the kids.
Back to the past two days: Sunday was great. I mean it, that was one of the best days I've ever had with my kids. We went to church like normal, then invited the Graversons (Marty, Mindy, Emma and Tyrus) over for a campfire that evening. We ate our normal Sunday lunch of pancakes and eggs, then started getting things ready for a campout.
As I was setting up the tent, I could tell the kids were excited about camping for the first time. They've experienced campfires before, but not actually staying outside all night. So, their minds must have been racing.
The Graversons came and I also invited the Yoders to join us and it turned out to be a great time of fellowship with all three families. The kids played hard and ate a little bit.
After everyone left for the night it was time for the real test. The kids and I (and Gus, our 5-month-old Golden Retriever) piled into the tent, settled into our spots and went to bed. This was the part I was really worried about, especially with Gus in there. I didn't know if the kids would freak out once the lights went out, or if Gus would just keep us awake. But, everything went as smoothly as possible. Gus slept at our feet the whole night and the kids didn't wake up until morning.
Today's agenda was simple: Go to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo. We had never been before, and we're still getting used to the idea that Fort Wayne is as close as South Bend.
We woke up pretty early, so we got cleaned up and headed out at about 9:15. The ride there was great. Our youngest took a nap and our oldest sat still the whole time, either singing songs, talking with me or just being quiet.
Things started out smooth once we arrived at the zoo, but it didn't last. The heat, a pretty short night of sleep and three different opinions on what we should see next made for a less-than-perfect situation.
We only stayed at the zoo for about 2 1/2 hours, which was fine with all of us. The ride home and the evening activities were a test for all of us.
The kids were obviously fatigued, as was I, and 4 days without mommy finally got to our oldest child. She broke down while I was making dinner (no, it wasn't hot dogs or frozen pizza). I held her as much as I could and tried to comfort her, but the tears just kept coming. I felt so bad for her. All she wanted was her mom and a little girl time (remember, she's been stuck with 2 boys for these 4 days). It felt good to be the one there for her in her time of distress. Holding her is all I've wanted to do for most of her life, she just hasn't slowed down enough very often.
Thank goodness for the Yoders, once again. We went for a bike ride and stopped by their house after dinner. Fortunately Julia was home and gave Hanah some attention before we headed home for bedtime. Then, just before bed, Leslie and Jana came up for a quick visit. I think that eased some of my daughter's anxiety in a way I couldn't.
So, we're about 20 hours (hopefully) away from the big reunion. I know things are different on this end, and I'm sure things will be different from my wife's perspective as well. Tomorrow, there are no plans, except picking up some poster board and following Rob's advice. Thanks for all the support you guys have been giving me.
No comments:
Post a Comment