We've completed one month on the road ans so far it's exciting but exhausting. When we started this trip off I thought there was going to be sooo much free time! It was going to be so relaxing! I was going to read my Bible. I was going to read other books. I might even take a nap or two! Not!!
I sleep till 8 or 8:30 (which is a big change for me) but from then until bedtime I'm generally jam packed with activities. There are no babies to wake up with so that is relaxing. There's no medical foster care work to be done which is nice. I just don't know where all the hours of the day are going.
We've come to the realization that we cannot possibly see everything. Everytime we leave a spot somebody always excitedly says, "oh did you see this?" And we have to admit that no we did not see it. Although we may see every state, I know we won't see everything this great country has to offer. As my Army son would say, "the Douglas' love them some Merica!" But the things we have seen, we have enjoyed to the fullest.
At this point, we are seeing a quite a bit and the girls are happily learning along the way without even knowing it. At this point, the little things that used to be normal in our lives come in small doses and can actually make me giggle like a little school girl:
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Loud music with the occasional bad word that I don't have to bleep out while I clean, cook or just hang out (that only happens if we are lucky enough to park close enough to the playground that the kids can go alone or Jeff takes them somewhere.)
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Going shopping at an actual mall...we've only been in one (under Caesar's Palace in Atlantic City) and I had to flatten a tire on the motorhome just to see my first Target in over a month because it was close to the NTB tire company :).
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Big, clean showers where you can stretch out and shave your legs without bumping your head (there's only been one clean like at home that got that giddy chuckle thanks to Carrollwoods campground and Vineyard).
I miss the occasional date night with a babysitter. I miss alone time with my hubby. I love parks that have planned activities for the kids where they can go by themselves (thanks Yogi Bear Campground)!
I miss my friends and family. I miss being in one spot for my older kids. When you are used to seeing people on a weekly (sometimes daily) basis, it's really sad not to have that. The phone calls (especially when kids aren't sitting right on top of me) are always a joy.
It's an exciting time though for the Douglas crew. I'm sure the kids will treasure and remember so much from this trip. Places we have been with the older kids and have those memories to share with the younger kids are especially fun.
Jeff and I have gotten much better at remaining calm when things are chaotic. (I know...like life wasn't chaotic before?!) I feel thrilled and tremendously blessed to be traveling this broken shower door, flat tire, no cable, leaky roof, spotty internet, inacurate GPS, short on water, short on sleep, short on alone time, beautiful trip with my beautiful family!
