Spring Break

As most of you know, I do not advertise where I am going when I am going, so this post is going to cover A LOT.

Before Spring Break there was picture day.  My boys wanted to wait for haircuts until after CRAZY HAIR DAY.   Problem....none, except that we were rear ended on the way to hair cuts after CRAZY HAIR DAY.  Poor Guy - he looked down......which lead to sandwiching a car between me and him.  Thank God I was in the little car. It took it well.  We pulled into the suicide lane.  The sandwiched person could not - bummer was in his tire - literally.  Poor guy was like, "I have not been in a accident in 30 years."  I was like, "Sounds like a pretty good run!  N*(&#$@n, this is easy.  No injuries, just damage.  No worries."  Insurance was great.  We were fine.

Oh, and then there was the roof.....for years, literally years, I have money stashed for a new roof.  Well, we got with some neighbors and got a deal with a local company and got a great deal.

Oh, and then there was PTA, no one, despite my pleas is coming forward.  This gives me undue stress.  I cannot do it alone, and yet there are people who are moving out of district that want to help me....I love them for that, but that is crazy.  Parents of Neely need to support Neely.  I so appreciate there loyalty to me, but again that is crazy.  Neely needs to buck up and show their strength and they will.  It just takes time.

Oh, and then there is all the crap around my treatment.  I met with Hank before I left and while I am doing well on his side he said to me, "You really need to get this varices stuff taken care of.  Shame of you to die over that..."  I was like, "WHOW there Henry, I have rescheduled ONE appointment.  I have waited on their office for weeks.  FINE.  I will call his NEW nurse and explain my situation and how many times I have tried to reschedule and then we will see."  "Fine."  Hank replied with, "And you are doing so well, you need a mammogram."  ARE YOU SERIOUS?!?!?!?!  I LAY ON A TABLE EVERY THREE MONTHS.  "Yes, you do.  And I have a few patients like you I would like to keep around, so go get a Mammogram."  Fine.  Mammogram scheduled for Tuesday.  I left a message for the nurse for the varices the Tuesday before last and have heard crickets........of which I told him....but that is for later....

Car taken care of....done after we get home.

Blinds for kitchen....done after we get home.

Table for kitchen....done after we get home.

SURPRISE....roof going in on Tuesday BEFORE we leave.  GREAT!....but not....

Tuesday before we leave for the Big Island.....roof starts.....at 4:30 Grant comes home and says, "It is the wrong color."  Earlier in the day, they had started.  I asked if they needed me in English and in Spanish.  "No Senora.  Todo esta bien."  Okay, I am not going to question it.  Roof WRONG.

Wednesday.....I get a migraine, pack for the trip, wonder about the roof, tie up loose ends, get ready to go. 

Thursday - We leave.  After arriving 2+ hours ahead we barely make it through security to get to our plane.  Seriously, is that the plan?!?!?!?!! 

Friday - Hilo. HI where we are told at breakfast at a café by a statesider that we MUST go to the volcano that night to see it and the lava.  Do hikes, see Hilo, and, of course, go the Volcano.  AMAZING.  BEST ADVICE EVER.  Do the falls......do a trail. And then, Secret Black Sand Beach and realize it is topless.  Nolan was the first to notice.  HOLY COW THAT KID CAN POINT.  He looked, pointed, and proclaimed to me what was going on.  I was like, "Yes, she is topless.  You should not point.  Mommy is not topless because no one wants to see these......."  The woman signed thank you.....I acknowledged....she put on a top.....all was okay.

Saturday morning - wishing I had not eaten poke at the questionable place, but we went to the National Volcano Park and hiked the crater because I am that sort of determined with bowel issues.

Sunday - wake up in our long term condo and send the boy snorkeling down the street.  Make Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, etc.  All that bought the day before.  Try and recover. 

Monday - Go to Tuesday - I am more sick, but I carry on.  Nolan, well, see below...

Tuesday - The boys and I got to the movie Zootopia.  I am more impressed with the previews of Ice Age and laugh all the way through Zootopia about it......Tuesday night the boys go to the pool.

Wednesday - We go up north.  We snorkel, boogie board, and we all forget how intense the sun is.  We eat at an amazing Brewpub in Waimea.  Grant is in HEAVEN.

Thursday - Nolan's left side of his nose is burnt.  Mason's face, my chest and oddly, spots all over Grants body.  We stay out of the sun....see below.  We go to a coffee plantation and to a National Park about Hawaiian God and forgiveness. 

Friday - Snorkel by our condo.  I see Mason drive underwater with his snorkel gear.  Nolan and Mason swim with turtles.  See eels, turtles, fish, amazing!  Play in the pool in the afternoon.  FUN.

Saturday - Come home.  Easy.  Hawaiian Airlines makes it that way.

Okay, so what I did not mention is that we challenged all the reason why we go to Hawaii.  We were at the ER twice this trip.  Nolan cut the skin by his ankle so deep that it needed stiches.  The nurse left saying, "Sorry, you cannot go in the water for the rest of your trip."  Grant rolled his eyes and waited for the doc while Nolan was sobbing.  "No worries, we will glue it.  It will fall off.  It will be fine, just keep it clean and dry for a few hours every day.  Because of the placement there is very little concern for infection."  ACCEPTED.

Thursday Morning - I was in the ER because the "my situation" would not stop.  They wanted me to leave a stool sample and said it was hard for most people.  Yeah, not for me.  I pooped in the toilet before I noticed and still had plenty to give.  WIMPS.  They told me....well, it is just diarrhea.  THANKS.

We did not make a Hat Trick in the ER, but most knew our name when we left.  It actually was seamless, and I am thankful for that.  Nolan kept saying, "I wanna do this!  I wanna do that!" All of these would lead to the ER.......no guy......but I am not the Mom that was going to take him to the ER after getting stiches and say, "Hi, so......my son jumped off a cliff........"

So we come home to a roof that is not done....WHATEVER.  Healthy - after patching me up, giving me fluids, fixing my blood work and telling me to eat bananas and yogurt (and kim chee - no thanks) I guess I am fine.

I did have a breakdown where I yelled at Grant about how I pissed in God Corn Flakes, and if he was God he would not have to eat Corn Flakes (I ate Corn Flakes for six months.....and never again....).  I said, "Really, a flooded kitchen, my Dad, our roof, etc. etc. etc. Can't we just be free for ONE VACATION?!?!?!?!?!"  I guess that is just life.  But when do you pay your dues?  When does it end?  Does it end?

And then, through all of the crap, Mason says to me...."I wrote a song."  And he plays it.  OMG.  $1000s of dollars later, and a feeling.....he is amazing......and then all of it and any of it is worth it.  Driving with snorkel gear, swimming alone, identifying fish I don't even know, LOVING HAWAII, NOT stepping on coral, understanding the breeze on the back of your neck, and exhaling.....they have it......I gave it to them......they got it.......my boys.......I did it......

So now, after all that, the good, the bad, the ugly and the worst....shockingly, we are good and looking forward to the next vacation.  They are thinking a cruise with Manta Rays......OMG....so much research!!!! (but, of course, I am up for the challenge....)

Happy Spring Break!

Love, Ang