Parenting Ain't for Sissies - Part 5

Bon's BFF on the Ichetucknee trip

I’ll never forget the first time I realized that my children’s schedule will dictate what we can and can’t do.  When Bonnie started pre-school and I wanted to go to the mountains, I realized we needed to work it around her school schedule.  As you can imagine, with 5 kids it’s completely insane.  Every time we try to go anywhere someone has to miss something.  Usually it’s some VERY important Miami game.  I had planned to spend 4 days this weekend at the river.  I am not joking.  There was a conflict EVERY DAY until I finally had to acknowledge God that maybe we weren’t suppose to go for some reason.  

Bus Accident

One of the conflicts was Bonnie’s first Youth Trip to Ichetucknee.  I almost threw up leaving her in the parking lot with the yellow school bus.  I have had some traumatic bus experiences in my life.  Once on the way to a Young Life youth camp, Southwind, our school bus wrecked but it was just a minor accident but still freaked me out because those school bus drivers act like they are driving a sports car half the time.  The most memorable bus trip of all time was when our bus driver fell asleep, crashing into a tanker, almost killing 48 kids coming home from the Young Life camp, Windy Gap.  God totally protected us and Dan was the one who suffered the most being on crutches for weeks and not being able to drive.  All and all I have to remind myself that my children are on loan to me from God and they ultimately belong to Him. This year of letting Bonnie go places without me has been somewhat excruciating and I really miss my elementary baby girl that was always with me.  I am so very thankful though for James and Kelly, Bonnie’s Youth Pastors, who I trust and love very much.

Bonnie's 1st Youth Group

When I have forged ahead with vacation plans even though a faction of the family didn’t want to go, it bums me out and I feel bad.  The bottom line is there is never a perfect time to go on vacation.  It’s always this big negotiation.  Almost every trip we go on, it’s such a hassle working through the details, I question whether it’s worth it.  Of course, once we pull out of the driveway, it totally is.  Not sure if I will get that River trip I was dying for before school started so I am just focused on enjoying every moment I have with the kids until they go back to school whether it’s home or away!