Weekend of Extremes

My family went camping on Friday.
I stayed home with Little E, because I thought he would sleep better at home.


THEIR side of the story:
They went to a church owned property in WY, where 1000 girls attended girls camp this summer. The motivation for going was a service project on Saturday morning, taking down tents and placing the canoes in storage for the winter. But someone brilliant turned it into a fantastic ward activity by inviting families to camp out the night before.
My family enjoyed Hobo dinners cooked in tinfoil (and asked for hot dogs, because that was what everyone else was eating). There was a dutch oven dessert cookoff, which Nathan competed in, but no prizes were awarded. His would have won for best home canned peaches.

They sang songs at the campfire and listened to stories about pioneers. Then they enjoyed seeing stars and reading the scriptures in the tent.
Early the next morning they awoke to breakfast, work and play (canoeing, games, a nature hike and collapsing tents), and then later lunch. They arrived home about 4:30 p.m.


MY side of the story:
Since they left around 5:30p.m. on Friday, I planned my dinner on TH night, and prepared it then. With them gone, I ate quickly and went shopping. When I arrived home 3 hours later, my garage door was OPEN.

I thought of all the worst nightmares you could imagine . . . . but felt calm enough to walk into my house. I checked every nook and cranny, walking through carrying my baby and a mop handle (just in case). Thank goodness there was no real peril, because I doubt that I was a match for any body with my hands so full. Although I felt peaceful enough to walk inside, my heart was racing until dawn, which made sleeping a little tricky. I did finally fall asleep, but then woke up about 3:41 a.m. After laying in bed for 45 minutes, I got up, locked my bedroom door, (just in case), and set about sorting out my closet and drawers. . . . I found a whole bag of unneeded items just waiting for me to take them to Goodwill. I laid back down after looking at the clock at 6:08 am, knowing that I needed to try to close my eyes before my baby woke up.

He was SO QUIET during the 23 hours my family was gone. . . .  at one point a thought went through my mind about him having a hearing issue because he was so quiet  . . . (my own sleep deprivation?). 

After his breakfast, we went on a walk/run . . . while he napped I napped, and then we went shopping again.

When my family came home, they were SO LOUD, but I was so glad to hear their noise. Being alone with one child again reminded me how quiet it is. And lonely. Who do you talk to? I was grateful for my helpers (all 5 of them) to come back. I think I will need a job when they leave home.

The garage door? I must have bumped the opener as I put up the shade in the car. And since I was so excited about shopping alone (or essentially alone), I didn't look back.

I would have slept better in WY.