First Road Trip

Many of you know I am TRYING to write a book about the past three years and how it has rocked our world.  Because of that my blog posts have been fewer because I am working on that manuscript.

Here's an excerpt of what I am working on....this takes us back to when the kids were here for the weekends only and we were transitioning to them living with us. 

Feedback is welcome and feel free to be critical.  I am sure the publishing world will be.

Bob and I had planned to go to Hilton Head for Columbus Day weekend but I canceled our fancy hotel reservations several weeks prior because we had the kids that weekend.  I was kind of disappointed because I loved nothing more than the beach with Bob, but it had to be done.

I was sitting in a bubble bath on Wednesday night, having just flown in from a business trip.  Bob walked in and handed me a sheet of paper.

“For you”, he said.

I opened the paper.  It was a confirmation for a condo rental in Hilton Head, one with bunk beds for the kids.

“I thought we couldn’t travel with the kids without permission?”, I said, always going to the place of doom.

“It’s arranged, all good.  Got all the paperwork done.  Want to take the kids to the beach?” Bob said, with a smile.

“Wow, that’s amazing.  I can’t believe you did this.  You did this for all of us.  Thank you.” I answered, with tears.

“I thought you might be mad, since you just got home, and now we have to pack up again to go to the beach, but there was no other way.  Their foster mom is getting the kids’ stuff together.  You can pick them up Friday like normal.  We’ll eat dinner here, and then get on the road.  It will be a late night but that way we can be at the beach for the weekend.”  Bob said.

I had renewed energy, knowing I’d see the beach that Bob and I had been married on and get to share it with the kids.  I was so excited.

I packed a few things for us, some food, and some beach items.  Thankfully, we went to Hilton Head a few times a year so I knew if we forgot it, I could get the forgotten item on the island.  But in true Lauren form, there was enough food to feed everyone on the shoreline.

On Friday, my mother and I went to get the kids, not telling them the plan.  Bob and I wanted to surprise them when we were together.  The ride home was bearable considering the horrific traffic we always encountered and we pulled in a bit after 6.  After eating tacos, Bob asked the kids if they’d like to go to the beach.  They said sure, clearly not expecting to go that evening.

“Would you like to go now?” Bob asked the kids, with that same smile.

“You’re lying!” said Ciera 

“No way!” yelled Isaiah.

“For real.  We leave tonight, you guys! You are packed.  We are outta here in 15 minutes. And we got you out of school on Monday….how about that?”  I yelled right back.

The kids were in wild mode and so excited.  Bob and I were beside ourselves and equally excited for our first road trip.  We put the kids in their pajamas, and we were off.  We were not on the road long before Ciera, and then Isaiah, were fast asleep.

As we pulled into the resort, Bob and I were whispering and thinking about how we ever get the kids to the condo.  We gently woke them, and got them up to the condo, settled and in bed. 

The next morning, they were so excited.  We discovered that they didn’t have flip flops.  Bob bravely took the two kids to Wal-Mart.  I enjoyed an hour on the deck, overlooking the ocean.  After an hour, Bob was still not back and I was beginning to get concerned.  In the trio walked, Bob looking a little worse for the weather.

“You have no idea”, he said.  Apparently after purchasing the items needed and loading everyone into the car, it was discovered they had forgotten items.  At first, Bob thought about leaving the kids in the car, only to think better of it, haul everyone out and start over.

“I think that was your first solo adventure with them, Bob”, I responded.  “You survived.”

We headed down to the beach, with what felt like five hundred items.  Kids were way excited, so excited that we asked them if they had ever seen the ocean.  They had a memory of seeing the ocean once before but it was a very cloudy memory.  Isaiah ran right in, it was like he was meant for the ocean.  Ciera, on the other hand, was pretty scared. At first I was totally baffled but then realized how the ocean probably feels for someone so little.  Ciera eventually loved jumping in the waves but had to have each of us holding her hand. She became so happy as the day went on and kept whipping her right arm around as she ran, like a windmill.  Bob and I laughed so much at her.  Isaiah loved playing in the sand, and turned a gorgeous brown. 

Around five, we headed up to the condo and tried to clean everyone off in what felt like the longest period of showers and baths known to man.  We were ready to go around 7, in some cute clothes and what appeared to be happy children.

We tried to take a few photos by the bluff before we left for dinner and the kids were not happy, and not smiling.  They were arguing about how to put their arms around each other.

“If we can’t get along, then we just won’t go”, I stupidly said.  Ciera turned on her heel and headed back to the condo.  Crap. 

“What the hell am I supposed to do?” I asked Bob.

“Well, she called your bluff. I have no clue.  Way to go.” He responded.

We followed Ciera who was not having it and was done.  She wasn’t talking.  And there was no way I was ending the evening like this.  

“So, Ciera, here’s the thing…we are going to dinner.  We had a great day on the beach, but I’m not going to lie, I am hungry and so is Bob.  We are going.  Get to the car.” I told her.  She was not happy with me.

A quiet little person headed to the car, her brother in tow.  We got to the restaurant just before eight to discover a thirty minute wait.  I pulled out crayons from my purse.  By the time our name was called, I realized we had made a horrible mistake.

These two little people were on one of the first road trips of their lives, and I was trying to feed them dinner late in the evening.  They were exhausted from their true first day at the beach ever.  And I thought fried shrimp was the solution.  Which, by the way, they were terrified to eat.  We paid $10 for grilled cheese.  You gotta be kidding me.

They were cranky, near tears, and over the crayons.  It was time to abort.  Bed time was a welcome reprieve.

Bob and I sat on the deck with our beer and rehashed.  Great day.  Huge mistake.  No one drowned.  Call it a win.

The next day we had a great time on the beach, and then headed to the pool. Isaiah made a friend.  Ciera jumped into Bob’s arms from the side of the pool for over an hour.  We were all exhausted.  We headed back to the condo.  We ended up all falling asleep in the tiny bedroom Bob and I shared.  All of us.  Like a real family. 

Twenty four hours wiser, we threw on shorts and went for pizza around five.  A much better experience all around.  Isaiah spilled his drink. He had wing sauce all over his face.  I was totally mortified.  Bob kept telling me to give him a break but I was so worried people would wonder why he was such a mess. For whatever reason, I really was stupidly worried about what people would think of us.  Could they tell we didn't know what we were doing?  That we were in trial mode?

I imagine to most people we looked like a family but in the back of my head I kept thinking, could we do this?  Would we like each other? Would we be able to take trips?

On Monday we packed up, considering it an overall success.  On the trip home, Ciera did an impression of me, offering animal crackers repeatedly. I guess I had over indexed on snack offerings.  New mom fail.  But she made fun of me.  Maybe we would be ok together.