There and Back Again

Alright, let's write some things down before I forget.

Let me warn you in advance this post is just a jumble of thoughts in slightly chronological order. But they're worth remembering.

So what's the bravest thing I've done this year? Well, the boys and I drove to the Cities and back for Asa's heart check up. All by myself. I hate making decisions where you know it's either going to be an ok idea or a really bad idea, and there's only one way to find out.

A couple things that made this hard was me being 36 weeks pregnant, plus bringing Lincoln, plus because of a scheduling conflict we had to go to the Cities instead of Duluth, so that doubled our drive. Can I handle this? I've never gone to one of Asa's appointments without Micah, and now is the time I decide to try it out by myself?

So here I am. Ready or not. We're going on a trip in our favorite rocket ship. 

Ah my traveling companions. Nice sweatpants boys.

Hurray again for movies. DVD player to the rescue.

Well isn't this such a cute little place to spend the night.

Huge bonus of the trip was seeing my best friend. Who I never see. I feel like I just keep saying this but getting down to visit her was something "I really want to do before the baby comes" Poor little girl, I will have a life after you are born, surely. But I'm trying to live it up as much as I can before you get here. I'm heading to Vegas next weekend. (I wish).

Alright, after all the packing, driving, and directions, this is why we're here. I was so distracted by all the logistics of the trip I almost forgot why we were really doing this. How's my little boy doing?

One of the huge advantages of going to the cities over Duluth is that this place is geared for kids. They have warm blankets and cartoons to watch during the checkups. It makes such a difference. 

This little guy did great. Minus Lincoln's sobbing breakdown through the hallways because I told him to come with us right away instead of finish playing with the toys, it was a completely smooth appointment. 

Something this photo doesn't show, but is worth mentioning, is that when you're traveling by yourself with two little boys, you don't go to the bathroom alone. Oh you're pregnant and have to go to the bathroom every 45 minutes? Well guess what, you're not stopping at a gas station and running in quick. No, you're stopping and unbuckling, and unloading, and parading into the bathroom, where you all pile into the handicap stall. Where you go as fast as you can while you pray that neither of the boys unlocks the door and that no one turns on the turbo air hand dryer blaster of death! (which sends Asa into tears). Anyways, just some fun memories...

We stopped for lunch on our way home. The boys had been through a lot, we were all crabby. I could just feel the people looking at me thinking "and she's going to have another one? she can't even control the ones she has"... No, no one actually said that to me, and maybe they weren't thinking that, but I was. 

Yeah, we're glad to be home. Overall it was a very successful trip. Asa's heart issues are improving, which is amazing. We don't have to make this trip again for another year. And by then I'm sure to have this mom thing down.