Vacation!?

Two family weddings plus a really busy month for The Intern equals VACATION for the kids and me. We were gone for 2 1/2 weeks. Here's the good, the bad, and the ugly for your enjoyment...

I agonized over the best time to book our flight from Detroit to Salt Lake, taking into account naps, feeding, traffic on both ends, bedtime, waking up time, etc. The most viable option was to take the Thursday 7 pm flight from Detroit, getting us in at 11 pm Michigan time (9 pm Utah time)--kind of pushing it with the bedtime, but the kids do way better staying up late than coping with a missed nap (and nobody in this house will nap in a plane or car, unfortunately)--(bad!). Our sweetheart of a friend Liz was taking a trip the same weekend and booked her flight with us (good!). The night before our trip, my favorite doctor paid us a house visit and diagnosed Squirt with an ear infection (bad!) but I got the meds before we left Michigan (good!). As luck would have it, our plane had maintenance problems. First we sat on the plane for an hour (bad!), then they deplaned everyone and said they didn't know when we'd leave (bad!!). Then they found another plane for us to take that night (good!) but by the time everything was said and done, we were three hours behind schedule (ugly!). Luckily Liz was there and was a wonderful help to me (good!) or life would have been really hard.

By the time we arrived, got our luggage, and got to Provo, it was 4 am Michigan time (ugly!!)--thanks, Delta! My lovely seester Melissa was so nice to pick us up (good!), and my other wonderful sis Karen let us stay with her so the kids could have some cousin time (good!). The kids did not adjust well to the time change due to the severe lack of sleep (bad!) and spent the first FIVE days in Utah recovering (ugly!)--lots of crying and waking up multiple times every night. I actually had to hold Squirt in my arms all night for two nights so she could sleep. I did manage to get a run in with my sis and all our kids that first day, despite only getting about four hours of sleep (good!). I have a triple jogger in Provo also--I found it on KSL a few months ago and Karen went and picked it up for me (good!)--what a lifesaver!!

The next day, cousin Aaron started throwing up (bad!) and I moved myself and the kids to Melissa's house (also our old place) (good!)--we were lucky to have another available place to stay and eager to not share the sickness. We thought we'd just go for a few days until the sickness ran its course, but one after another, all of Karen's kids got sick (ugly!). Karen wasn't even sure she'd be able to make it to Jonny's Tuesday wedding (bad!) but Monday night was a good night for everyone, and she was able to make it (good!) And nobody else outside her family caught the sickness (good!). The day of the wedding it was freezing cold and the weather man said it looked like rain (ugly!) but luckily no rain fell and I was so glad I had brought the kids' winter coats (good!). Unfortunately, I forgot to bring the double stroller (bad!) which is especially terrible in an unfamiliar and large setting. It was perfect lighting for photos (good!) but please don't make me comment on the photographer. The wedding ceremony was lovely and I was grateful to be there with my family to support our sweet Jonny in this important event (good!). The luncheon afterward was delicious (good!) and I was honored to give a tribute to my dad who couldn't attend--and they later put him on speaker phone so he could participate too (good!). I felt like a crazy girl that day trying to keep my three kids from running away--all three would take off in a different direction and I had to sprint to catch them. This was at the temple multiple times and then at the luncheon again and again (ugly). My shoe broke from all the abuse. This happened again at the reception on the weekend. My cousin told me that when the kids are about 8 years old, they will stop running off like that. That means I'll be strapping them into that stroller until they're 8!!

My mom has been nice to let me use her cell phone while she's out of the country (good!) but of course I was going to let her have it as soon as she arrived a few days before the wedding. I didn't foresee a problem since I planned on staying with Karen who has a landline with free long distance. I also planned to borrow my parents' van--they have two cars available, and one would logically be for my mom and the other, logically, would be for the mama by herself with three kids. Logically! (good!) Then we had to leave Karen's house, and Melissa's house doesn't have a landline (bad!) and somehow everyone else got to drive a car except for me (bad!). Aside from a few quick trips to buy food and other necessities, I was stranded without phone communication or a vehicle for most of my time in Provo (ugly!). I made the most of it, though, and made sure to run almost every day with my dear running buddy Sharon. We even did two long runs together  (good!). I was able to spend a lot of time with family and even saw lots of extended family at the wedding and reception (good!). Melissa was a delightful hostess and she became good friends with little Squirt (good!). This was not a friends and places visiting trip though--I didn't see anyone unless they came to me because I had no ability to contact people or go anywhere (bad!). I did get to see super nanny Ashley (good!) and awesome friends Rebecca and Paul (good!) and amazing visiting teacher Kristy (good!).

Karen loaned me her cell phone to keep me from going insane (good!) When everyone else left, I was finally able to use the van (good!). Then Squeak started throwing up (ugly!). What a gal, though--she got it in the bucket every time except for the first (good!). I had to postpone leaving for Logan because of the barfing and missed part of the family reunion up there (bad!) but D was able to fly in a day early so I picked him up on the way (good!). And nobody else threw up (good!). We stayed with some friends Brad and Christina who had tons of space and enjoyed seeing them and also family (good!). We even did a family 5K as part of the reunion festivities (good!). Rob's wedding was very nice and D's 96-year-old grandpa (who also married us) performed the marriage (good!). What a treat to attend a wedding in the same place where we were married (good!). We also got to relax at the wedding luncheon because it was during naptime and Christina said she'd watch the kids (good!). The kids enjoyed some cousin time later that night (good!) and then we flew out the next morning. The travel back home went really smoothly (good!). And D started graves that night (bad!). He only got two days off but hey, at least he got to attend his little bro's wedding (good!).

I managed to hang on to my camera for this trip (good!) so I'll post some photos later.

A true disciple

My mom and dad have five sons and three daughters. They have always taught us to love and serve other people, to have integrity, to work hard, and to make God and Jesus Christ our top priority. I have watched them live these ideals my whole life. Sometimes their choices or priorities were not popular, but my parents have always been "steadfast and immovable"--they know what is most important--the ultimate goal of this mortal experience--to live with God again, together as a family. That example is a great blessing to me.

My dad left his career behind for "the greater good"--he was called by the Lord to preside over 200+ missionaries in the Chile Santiago North Mission. He was there for three years, teaching and loving people so that his fellow man could come to know the Savior. He was in heaven, and when our family's time in Chile came to an end, we were all sad. Ten years later, he was called to Chile once again, this time to preside over the Missionary Training Center. I will never forget his exuberance as he was leaving. Squeak asked why he was going on the airplane and he said with excitement, "I'm going on a mission!" He is in heaven once again. My parents spend from sunup to sundown training new missionaries about life and the gospel. They have a half-day off every three weeks--just enough time for a long nap to catch up on lost sleep. No holidays, no vacations--the work must go on. This is true commitment.

Next week my family will gather to attend my brother's marriage. My dad can't come--the President cannot leave his mission. My heart aches to think of him missing this happy event--it won't be the first time either. He missed my other brother's wedding during his first time as President. My dad is a true disciple of Jesus Christ--he has put aside his personal desires to show the Lord his commitment. We will miss you, Dad! Thank you for showing all of us how to follow Christ.

My dad with baby Squeak 2006