On Labor Day, DH wanted to have one last outing as a family (minus DD1, off at college). It was rainy, but the forecast showed clearing by the time we arrived at our destination. The kids helped me to quickly pack a few things and we were off.
It was raining lightly when we reached the first state park, so we explored their nature center and then took a trail which had a lot of boardwalk. We then braved the continuing light rain and played miniature golf and all of us had fun. DS had been in a mood which broke during the golf game, and the rain broke too. We then headed for another state park where DH took pictures and the kids stuck their toes in the lake.
The day was slow paced, lots of driving, and part of me wondered why we drove three hours for these activities when a similar day could have been had with a one hour drive, but hey, it was a day out.
We were back in our home town around our son’s bedtime (the night before the first day of school) when we hit another car in an intersection. Both cars thought the green was theirs, no security or red light camera present. BUT, everyone was okay, no one went to the hospital. In our car, I’m the only one who had an injury. The seat belt nailed me and gave me massive inflammation of the cartilage at the ribs. I’ll spare you the technical term. I’m still sore and a bit frustrated that recovery is so slow, but it could be so much worse so I’ll just keep resting and icing.
Given the choice between me being sore and the kids having been hurt, I’m definitely okay with being the one who is sore.
My son is awesome and went to the grocery store with me Sunday afternoon to carry the bags for me. I prefer shopping at 7:30 am on a weekday, but having his help also helps the recovery from inflammation.
School has begun well. My son is definitely seeing the ‘other side of the tracks’ in his welding class. We aren’t wealthy, but we’ve never had to worry about how we’d feed our children, DH and I have been married 24 years and counting, we attend church every week and there hang out with similar families, etc. His welding class has one on parole, a teen dad, and two who talk about vaping quite a bit. The teacher has dealt with vaping enough that it was part of the safety rules he presented.
It’s actually good exposure for him. DH and I went to a small school which had quite a social mix and in which one quarter or less of each graduating class went on to college. It’s a good thing to see up close that we’re all the same at the heart of who we are. We’ve just grown in different environments and have different ‘normals’. Hopefully he’ll have a chance to see the difference that is made by the family you are raised in, and therefore be mindful when possibly raising his own family. This child swears he’ll never marry and isn’t fond of babies, so grand irony could give him the largest family of all my children.
I know I complain a lot, but at the same time I’m complaining, I can find just as many things to be thankful for. Thankfulness always wins in the end.
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