We’re traveling for a few weeks this summer. Unlike last
summer, we’ll only be in NC. The rough
itinerary is:
6/21 – Durham
6/22 – Hubert
6/23-6/30 – Emerald Isle
Karl to
Sound to Sea Camp
Lindsay
& Katie (niece) to Cottonwood Stables Camp
7/1-7/7 – Winston Salem
Karl to
Sawtooth Art Camp
Lindsay,
Billy, Katie (niece), & Bradley (nephew) to Camp Oonie Koonie Cha (music)
7/8 – 7/16 – Emerald Isle
7/17 – Durham
Fortunately, we are able to be away from home for 3+ weeks
without too much impact to our regular lives. Unfortunately, plane tickets were
more expensive this year. Fortunately, we had an awesome house sitter lined up
for the week Gerry planned to be with us. Unfortunately, Gerry is not attending
this summer’s excursion because during the confusing planning phase there was
some miscommunication over the dates and unfortunately, Gerry put the wrong
week in the work calendar. Fortunately, this allows him vacation time for
Webelo Week in the Woods in July and Disney in December. Unfortunately, he has
many house projects lined up. Fortunately he’ll have time to get a good start
on them. Unfortunately, I’ll have all 3 kids for 3+ weeks with little help.
Fortunately, they are seasoned travelers. Unfortunately, flying to the east
coast with 3 kids is the equivalent to taking them all shopping for 6 hours to
Costco. Fortunately, I have a good friend who will put up with us for the night
so that we don’t have to drive an additional 3 hours as soon as we land.
Fortunately, my mother will pick us up from the airport and help me herd cats. Fortunately,
my family already loves me. Fortunately, God made wine.
3 day recap
Packing for a trip this size takes a full 2 days of
gathering and arranging. When the children are around, this kind of packing is
not recommended for the weak of spirit.
Billy: [10 minutes after lunch] I’m THIRSTY!
Karl: [10 minutes later] Can I play Little Big Planet?
Lindsay: [10 minutes later] Where’s the glitter?
Billy: [10 minutes later] Can I have some gum?
Karl: [10 minutes later] Have you seen my pocket knife?
Lindsay: [10 minutes later] Can I get out my sewing machine?
Billy: [10 minutes later] When is it my turn on the
computer?
Karl: [10 minutes later] When is it my turn on the computer?
Lindsay: [10 minutes later] When is it my turn on the
computer?
Me: ARRRRGGG! I NEED TO PACK!
There were lots of arrow prayers along the lines of, “OK,
God, I know you have this. Please help.”
Wednesday, 6/20 3:30 pm – Fire in the Corrales Bosque. It
was about 5 miles from the house so all packing was halted in order to watch the
news and answer phone calls. By the time we left on Thursday, we couldn’t see
any smoke. I know the firefighters worked hard to get it under control.
Wednesday, 6/20 7:30 pm – Just after I resigned myself and
Lindsay to the fact that her hair would not be professionally braided, Tasha
called. We zoomed over there and left, happy and braided, at 9:30 pm. Fastest
braiding ever. Looks amazing regardless of speed. Very tired girl.
Thursday, 6/21, 5:23 am – Alarm. Snooze.
Thursday, 6/21, 5:30 am – Alarm. Must leave house at 7:00 am
with fully dressed and fed children. Where is the coffee?
Thursday, 6/21, 8:30 am – Security Checkpoint. Miraculously
there was no line. Miraculously, we were shepherded thru the non-full body
scanner. Miraculously the very kind TSA agent suggested Billy must have a
medical condition to need this half-full bottle of water. Miraculously,
everyone could get on their own shoes. Miraculously
the plane was on time.
Thusday, 6/21, 1:00 pm – Midway. Billy was a complete crab. The combination of
early rising plus too much salt water taffy plus sitting next to Lindsay
(“You’re not in charge of me, Lindsay!”) equaled too much for him. When he’s
like this, he can’t follow directions from anyone. And Midway was packed with travelers. I had
to throw him over my shoulder and march him to the bathroom where I threatened
to throw away all his Matchbox cars if he didn’t pee.
 |
| "Go Pee!" |
Thursday, 6/21, 1:10 pm – Midway.Text from Southwest saying
our 3:30 flight would be 2 hours delayed. I nearly cried. So I slog through the
crowds to the gate, at a minimum hoping for a plug for the DVD player and
maximum hoping for a play area along the way, and notice they are boarding an
earlier RDU flight. Miraculously there
was no line. Miraculously they had seats for us. Miraculously they held up the
B’s to let us board. Our luggage didn’t make it, but who cares? I picked it up later! Also, I got my wits
about me and separated the big kids and the little kid.
Thursday, 6/21, 4:00 pm – Duke University Campus. We walked
through the chapel and along the quad. There were many camps in session. It was
really fun to watch the kids in their groups. Lindsay & Billy took the
opportunity to chase the slow, dumb squirrels. We simply don’t have them in New
Mexico. They all climbed their first magnolia tree and quickly came down due to
fear of non-familiar bugs.
Thursday, 6/21, 10:00 pm – Gaca Home. Kids in bed, finally.
Took the opportunity to catch up with my college roommate, Ana. I love having
friends with whom you can pick right up where you left off. Her kids are great
fun, her yard if full of amphibians and reptiles, and no one wanted to leave in
the morning. Asleep at 12:30.
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| Duke Gardens, 93 degrees/90% humidity |
Friday, 6/22, 5:45 am – Gaca Home. I can no longer take any
more from Billy. After a night full of ‘scratchy’ back and legs, and complaints
about not being able to brush his teeth with his finger like Lindsay (long
story – she wouldn’t use the toothbrush I brought), I just got him dressed and
took him to the kitchen. This child completely lacks the capacity to be quiet.
His Talking Time is first thing in the morning. Am praying for lots of grace
today.
Friday 6/22 10:00 am – CC, the kids, and I go to the Duke
Garden. You could not hear the bird
chatter in the lovely Blomquist forest due to the loud complaints from 4/5 of
us about the humidity. It has been 1 year since sweat ran down my back like
that. This weather makes me very happy I live in the Southwest permanently. I
bribe the kids with a smoothie from Costco and trick them into eating a hot dog
before stocking up for the beach. It took longer than anticipated because I
couldn’t find anything.
Lindsay: There are
lots of Brown people in Costco today.
Me: More Brown people
live here than at home.
Lindsay: [thinking about this for a while]
Lindsay: I like this
Costco. It’s backwards.
Sadly, we decided to leave Durham
and head straight for CC’s instead of going to the pool for a swim. Billy was beyond tired.
Friday, 6/22, 1:30 pm – I-40
Billy: Zzzzzzzzzz
Me: (hurray!)
 |
| My nephew, Bradley |
Friday, 6/22, 3:45 pm – Hubert.
Arrived at CC’s where Jamie promptly showed up with loaded fishing poles. Those
were three happy kids. They caught 30+ fish including one very large blue crab
from the dock. (For all you eye-rollers, the answer is yes. It could have been
the same fish over and over.) I took the opportunity to charge my laptop,
unpack/repack, and cook dinner. Ahhhhh!
Saturday, 6/23, 12:00 pm –
Emerald Isle. After a very nice visit
with Patsy, we suited up and headed for the beach. It’s gorgeous here. Truly.
We unloaded, ate lunch, then headed to Fort Macon for the cannon shooting
exhibition. The Fort never
disappoints. See last summer’s blog
entries for details. We then hit the beach for a rough swim. Thunder storm. Dinner.
Bed. All delightful.
General Summary: I am very glad to be here. I am very glad to see so many distant, yet
beloved friends and family. I am
exhausted already from parenting by myself. A tired Raban child is a
disobedient and sassy one. I must
remember to do the opposite of what I want to do – hug instead of yell, speak
gently instead of fuss, pay more attention, and stick to the bedtime.
Karl’s camp runs from 9 to 4 at
the Trinity Center, a short 5 minutes away.
It is an environmental camp where they explore the ecology of the
island, do crafts, sing terrible ear-wormy camp songs, and play in the
surf. Day 1 was not so fun since they
did get-to-know-you activities and Camp Rules, both of which Karl has no
interest. Day 2 was better – exploration
of the pond and hands-on discovery. Day
3 was “Wonderful!” Today they explored
the sound. Karl caught a baby puffer fish, a baby sheep’s head fish, several
crabs and shrimp, and other squishy things he couldn’t name. He’s also acquired at least 27 new freckles.
Lindsay and Katie – both age 7 –
are signed up for riding camp in Vanceboro, NC this week. Vanceboro is 1 hour
and 20 minutes from Gayle’s house here at the beach. Shew. Our brilliant plan,
suggested by Gerry who is conveniently not here, is for Gayle and me to take
turns riding at the camp during the week to save us boredom and lots of driving.
Both of us rode in junior high and high school. Gayle continued longer that I
and actually managed to hang on to her saddle. Impressive. So we both thought
it would be fun to get back in the saddle again.
Clue: [chews on bit]
The Boys
