Today is an atypical Florida day. Instead of an afternoon shower, we’re in for heavy rain all day long. Fortunately, it started just as we walked in the door after a morning of horseback riding, so at least the kids got to get out and do something, and I didn’t have to race to the car in the downpour to get them home.
We’ve been away from home for just over a month now. So much has gone on, you wouldn’t believe it!
I drove with the girls out to Gurness, IL so that Brighid could attend boot camp at Great Lakes Navy base in IL. Not only did she totally and completely enjoy the opportunity, but out of 182 cadets, she graduated with the honor of top overall cadet. Definitely something to be proud of.
My friend Beth flew in to meet me, and we had a great weekend! She came in on Friday night and we ordered deep dish pizza and vegged out at the hotel. On Saturday, we spent the entire day shopping at the enormous Gurnee Mills Mall – if you can’t find it there, you don’t need it! Had Jim been home that weekend with the girls, I could have seriously done damage to the credit cards and spent even more than the 7 hours we spent there! Beth treated us all to a great lunch at Rainforest Cafe, and then we went back to the hotel for a little swimming. The weekend ended much too quickly, but with the great honor bestowed upon Brighid, it was worth getting to Sunday.
While I was shopping on Saturday, my MIL called to tell me that my FIL had been taken to the hospital overnight by ambulance. With a history of serious heart problems, this was news you never want to get. It turned out to be mostly his gallbladder, but it took a few days to make sure his heart was okay and everything else was stable before they did the surgery to remove his badly diseased gall bladder. My friend Dori was coming in to spend the week with us, and I worried about how to balance everything, but as we sat in the hospital on Tuesday afternoon, in walked my Knight in Khaki armor, carrying STARBUCKS! Jim got the week off and flew in from Minneapolis to help out while Russell was sick. That was a HUGE help.
We had a nice week at Saratoga Springs and visiting the theme parks, and then everyone left. Jim went to California to be an instructor at a Sea Cadet training out there, and Brighid followed two days later. Dori and Aviva went home, and we moved over to my MIL’s house in Poinciana. It was a few days before Russell would come home, but since he’s been home, he continues to improve and is getting out and about.
Eilis did two weeks at Sea World camp – she LOVED it! The first week was called Red, White and Shamu, and they did patriotic themed crafts all week and had a great time. The second week, her program was called What’s For Lunch, and focused on what the animals eat, how they get it, and how much of it they consume. She learned a lot, and the learning activities were great fun for her.
Brighid finished two weeks at Camp Roberts in CA, but not unscathed. She ended up with a temperature right around 105 and dehydrated to the point that they could not start an IV because her veins had collapsed. She was treated out there on the military base, but she is SO tired, I think it’s going to be a few days before she starts to feel like herself.
And we are SO potty trained! Granuaile is even asking out at stores and such to use the potty 🙂
There are only a few weeks until our trip to Rome and the British Isles. It’s getting so exciting now that things are falling into place!
Now the summer continues…we’ve got a few visits to theme parks ahead of us, and a college visit or two. We’ll be heading home in 2 weeks, and packing up to leave again!