Family Vacation

This has been one strange month.  I can't say I was totally ready for school to start back up. I was in denial because Summer never really made a good showing, and the last part of August was a total wash. I am usually ready to get back to homeschooling and a schedule, but all I wanted to do was lay down. I couldn't seem to get enough energy to do anything. In fact, I would have to stop halfway doing the dishes and go get in bed. My three nieces were visiting so I was managing eight kids, but not very well. I kept saying, "It's not that I won't do anything, it feels like I CAN'T do anything.

 We decided to go on vacation the second week in September. Not the most popular time to get away but it worked out nicely. Tayler was even able to go and I was so happy to have all five kids for a week straight. It was a first and I was really excited about it. The thing is, I was feeling a little worse each day. Still, I didn't want to cancel the vacation because I didn't know how long it would be before we were all able to make it work. I knew soon Tayler would be in school and working and it would be hard to make it happen.

We left after church on a Sunday for Idaho. It turned out that I was not in a great mood. It felt like I had a piece of glass wedged between my ear and throat. I was NOT happy. By the time we got to Idaho I was really feeling bad so we drove straight to urgent care. The doctor said he was going to treat me for strep throat. I told him I would rather he take a Mono test first because I knew from Chase's experience that if you had mono and you took antibiotics you broke out in a HORRIBLE rash. He told me I didn't have mono. I asked him to please just check. He checked. I had Mono. He was surprised and said I must have been just really run down and it got to me. I agreed he was correct.

I didn't want our vacation ruined because I didn't feel good so I rested as much a possible. We were at  the Heaven On Earth Bed and Breakfast in Post Falls. We were right on the river and had the best swimming hole ever. I spent most of my time floating on a raft and loving the warmth. It was in the 90's and it felt soooooooo good. I had not fully dried out from the Winter and to finally be in real heat felt delicious.
http://www.heavenonearthnw.com/

After two days my sore throat went away and I was left just feeling weak. Not tired, weak. I thought people who had Mono slept alot, but it's more like you feel zero energy. So I gave up trying to sleep and just paced myself. Tayler and I did a float down the river in a raft. It was so great. We had a lot of laughs and it was nice to have that time with her. She and I stole away whenever we could to go shop for the wedding reception. We went to every Good will, Value Village and Thrift store we could find. We had amazing luck. I would love to have had the truck with us!

The kids had fun fishing in the pond. Autumn was catching them hand over fist, which made Beau mad. He got up the next morning at 5 AM and tried to outdo her. I can't recall Beau ever getting up that early. Chase was happy standing on the bank for hours. I think we need a pond. I didn't know it would grab their attention so much! I think Scott loved the down time. He arranged a wonderful trip for us. It will always be a wonderful memory for us. And he was such a trooper packing the van full the stuff Tayler and I kept buying...and buying! It's a miracle we got it all home.

It was a good week. I don't think the kids realized what it meant to me. And they were such good sports considering I felt under the weather..... Even after I almost tore the Jimmy John guy's head off for getting our order wrong. (I had spent eight hours at Silverwood theme park. I couldn't ride rides and basically stood in lines all day long with the baby and I was beyond exhausted. I could barely walk back to the van. So it wasn't really my fault. He looked so terrified though. Hahaha)