For the past few weeks I’ve been traveling like a gypsy, and I’m sick of it. I’m now grateful to be back in my own bed, to not have to suck it up and walk and walk and walk and pretend I’m having fun as I strive to not pass out.
Plus, I missed my Bear like crazy because I am a goober and we are joined at the hip.
First I went to Girl’s Camp, which is where LDS teenage girls all get together in the woods and learn about wilderness stuff as well as church stuff. Plus we sing silly songs and do skits and have a grand old time. For me personally, the experience was so so. I had a couple run-ins with some nasty leaders, I got in trouble because, gasp, I actually like my husband and want to call him, and I was absolutely physically beat up by the end of it. But it was also amazing to be there when my girls needed me, to watch them blossom as they got to know each other better and develop a testimony of the gospel, and I was given so much strength to get through the experience that I believe came straight from God so I could serve these girls. Overall, it was very hard, but I’d go again next year.
Then, right when I got back from that I had to jet off to Vegas with my Mother in Law Sally. Every year Sally and her sisters and all the girl cousins on that side of the family get together and go to Vegas to celebrate Sally’s sister Marsha’s birthday. Every other year I’ve managed to get out of it. As cool as Marsha is and as fun as Vegas is, the thought of a week without Bear and with a whole group of his extended family has always forced me to run screaming. Coming in as an outsider to a tight knit family can be daunting, and it hasn’t been a completely seamless fit for me. Without Bear as my safety net, it just sounded like one awkward moment after the other. This year I didn’t have an excuse, and no matter how many times I said, “I’m sick! I can’t do it!” nobody would listen. Bear finally begged and begged me to go, and I thought my favorite cousin was going to be there, so I caved.
She ended up bailing, but I didn’t find out about that until I’d already flown down to OC and was in the car to Vegas. And by then it was a little too late to back out. But despite myself, I ended up having a great time. I think the key was that there were only 11 of us, and every other time we get together there’s at least 30. This time there were no kids, no husbands, no place else to go. We were thrown together and forced to get personal. I think it was really good for me.
So now I’m home and I wish I could say I’m never leaving again, but in two weeks we’re back down to the OC for Bear’s high school reunion.
I wish summer would end already.