Vacation fun

We made it. There and back. And what a vacation it was!!

I loved my vacation from thinking about my least favorite question: what's for dinner? I kindly let the moms/grandmas we stayed with handle that. :) I also completely loved my vacation from the computer. It was so nice to not even care about checking my email or updating the blog. I loved not having a kitchen to clean, a floor to sweep, or bathrooms to clean. I loved golfing with Jared, eating out more than usual, and sleeping in late. No calender to look at, no mail to open, and basically no agenda. It was fabulous.

The kids pretty much could have cared less if I was around. There were so many other fun choices of people to play with that boring-old-mom was at the bottom of the list. And I was okay with that. Grandmas and grandpas, cousins, friends, aunts and uncles were ready and willing to keep the kids as entertained and busy as they could possibly handle. I was probably more of a nuisance than anything to Benson and Claire....reminding and insisting Benson to take potty brakes--as he would get sooooooooo busy playing that he often times forgot about that most important bodily function; stopping Claire to change her diaper and give her milk and medicine every 2 hours--she soon began running away from me when she saw me coming with the goods; and most annoying of all --making them actually go to bed!! ah mom, cum on....you're always spoiling the fun!!!

We had a great time visiting with so many of our family and friends. There's nothing like a good face-to-face visit and hug! We even made a stop at the hospital in Colorado to visit the amazing doctors and nurses there who were with us when Claire's medical journey began. There's no place quite like the Kidney Center at The Children's Hospital. Simply an amazing group of people whom we love! Claire was a little shy at first, but she remembers them. She warmed up after a bit and was soon running around the place giving out high fives, smiles, and hugs galore. After we left, she started talking about each of her favorite nurses by name with a smile on her face. It was so fun to see them again and have a flood of memories return to me of all that happened there. Everything was so familiar to me there....the people, the atmosphere, the little red wagons, the carpet (weird, I know....but it's unique)....it was like we had never left! It was fun to think of all the hours, days, and weeks spent there....and now see little Claire as healthy and vibrant as the rest of them! It was certainly a joyful reunion for all.

Claire did get a little cold a week before we came home, but it didn't turn into anything other than that, so a few naps and a little earlier bed time helped her endure. We did blood work when we were in Ogden and everything checked out good. She's still trying to get over the cold, but I think now that we're home, she'll be able to feel better quickly as she gets back into a more stable sleeping routine.

The drive was long. Long for adults. Longer for kids. But we survived-thanks to portable DVD players and children's music.

The kids were excited to see their house again. Benson said with anticipation as we neared our home...."Mom, I even remember what our back yard looks like!" Then when we walked through the door, Claire immediately went to her room and said, "My room! My blanket. My bed!" Then Benson invited her with excitement to go down to see his room--it was as if everything was brand new: "My bed! My toys! My pillow!" There's just no place quite like home.

I'm just grateful we can at least GO places now. It's been so long since we've been able to travel....that it was so great to GO and BE away!! We are all portable now because Claire is finally portable!! Still lots of work that has to be done for her....but so worth it!

Last night at our first dinner back home, we were taking about all the fun things we did in each of the different states we went to: Utah, Idaho, and Colorado. Jared then asked Benson which state he'd like to live in the most. His response: "I just want to live where ever you guys live. It doesn't matter where as long as I'm with you." Isn't that the truth.