Going it solo (with four kids) to Kansas

God helped me accomplish something I NEVER IN MY WILDEST IMAGINATION would have thought I would (or could) do during my lifetime. I was the "tour guide" of a 16-hour, two day car trip to Kansas with the four kids ALONE!

95% of our trip was super duper! The kids watched their movies, played with whom they were sitting beside and talked to me. I navigated the Davis bus, while occasionally talking to friends and family on the phone to keep me company while the kids snoozed or watched their portable DVD players. They went to bed within 1 hour after we hit our hotel room the first night and we got away pretty early the next morning.

5% of our trip got a little interesting, but nothing we couldn't roll with. Jillian started having terrible (explosive) diarrhea a few hours into our trip. Three outfits and about seven diaper changes later, we arrived in Paris, Texas, where we spent the night in a hotel. Madalynn and Justis acted so calm and grown-up the next day just before lunch time, when Dawson (sitting beside Madalynn in the back seat) threw up all over the place. She, holding her nose (but being soft-spoken and encouraging) assured them that we were all with him and it would be okay. I randomly picked up a beach towel right before we left home, but I remember wondering to myself why in the world are you putting a random beach towel in the van. God prepares us for what he gives us, in this case diarrhea and vomit. Lets just say the towel saved us TWICE!

My parents welcomed us to my hometown of Ulysses Friday night (June 27) about 7:30 p.m. We ate and the kids got busy getting their pent-up energy out. I got out the huge black Hefty trash bag with the four diarrhea/vomit outfits and blanket in it, laid it all on the lawn and gave it a good spray down and "presoak" with the good ol' garden hose. My sister and my nephews got in that night. We had a good "family reunion" chat and went to bed happy and full of love!