We drove to a local state park that has an amazing natural spring (and camping, hiking, canoeing, etc). Basically a giant, clear, cool swimming pool that varies from about 2 feet to 4 feet in depth.
Awesome in theory, miserable in reality (for us anyway).
The twins are increasingly horrible carseat riders, so there was much screaming on the way there. Still the big kids got a quick nap and we thought we'd be alright.
After hauling everyone and our stuff down to the water (which is no small deal). We picked a nice little spot in the trees and laid out a blanket for the babies. Then we jumped in the water to try and enjoy ourselves.
This is about the happiest we ever were. The water was pretty cool, but you were fine if you were moving around. The kids were a little uncertain about the whole thing so they only wanted to be held. The couldn't reach the bottom most places and weren't into swimming around. The babies were super unhappy and we were all being eaten by ants and other flying bugs. Things were quickly sliding downhill.
So after hauling 4 small children, a cooler, towels, an umbrella, etc through the woods down to the water less than an hour later we were hauling wet, dirty, even grumpier children and all that stuff back up the trail to the car.
Oh and did I mention that it was 97 degrees and humid?
And that when you have twins and two other small kids everyone stares when you walk by and almost everyone has a comment like "better you than me" or "you sure have your hands full" or "two sets of twins?" or "they're all yours?" or something else that doesn't make you feel at all like a freak show which is really helpful in the midst of total baby, child and parent meltdown.
The park really was beautiful and would be an awesome place to go. Clearly our family is just not ready to enjoy it yet! We decided to cut our losses and head back home.
Better luck next time (if not we may never leave the house again)!
Posts
Hi Amanda!!!!
ReplyDeleteOh my...so fun to meet a 'kindred spirit'!!!
#1 - I'm sure it was from Jody, Jody and I are high school buddies from WAY back before we had 10 total children ;-)
did you go to high school with her???
#2 - I'm from Colorado!!! Where are you??? (ok, 'from' not 'in'...but I'm sure that was obvious from all the 'nation's capitol' pictures on my blog ;-)
#3 - it's ok you don't comment, I'm not reliant on that to plug away (but it IS fun!)
#4 - have you gone back a few years on my blog to do some reading from when my twins were babies???
Just for reference, they were born in Nov of 2006 and I had started blogging a few months before that.
Reading it might make you feel normal....'cause I know you're on the verge on 'not normal' right now!
#5 - and YES! There is a NOW!!! AND IT'S COMING!!!!!!! Your days will be and are very very long. It's not going 'so fast' as everyone says it will or should be...right? (or is that just me?) But your now is THERE. I promise.
My days are rockin' right now. Ea.sy. Pee.sy. (I know, I know, the teen years are coming....but for now....compared to a few years ago...I'm goin' with the word 'easy')
#6 - encouragement for 'THEN'...die to self sister...die to self. Ditch all the world tells you about 'your turn' - I know that sounds 'harsh' but I wish I'd have gotten that earlier as a mama - die to self. It's not about us...it never should have been and it never should be in the future....it's about God's glory right? Be a missionary to your babies...all four of them ;-)
You may have already grasped that and are doing awesome and to that I say, YOU GO GIRL 'cause it has taken me a long long time to wrap my heart around those truths....you are quicker than me!
wow...this may have been more appropriate in an email! oh well...
seriously, I get all giddy when I find someone like 'us'!!!
So nice to meet you!!!!
oh. my. word.
ReplyDeleteI just read this post...
yes...you NEED to go back and do some reading from my early years...
just a little similar.
(we went swimming once, early on, I can't remember when exactly, but we almost lost two of our babies to drowning, we decided to not swim again as a family for the next FIVE years ;-)....we haven't had to wait that long, but we did wait for a very long time!)