Twice per year my husband takes his class to Yosemite National Park for a two night getaway. Therefore, a dilemma results. Do Isabella and I go on a 9 hour car trip for just 36 hours of Yosemite or do we stay home? Well, as I continue to watch the news and 48 Hours/Dateline style television shows, I am becoming a wuss about staying home alone. Especially since we do not have a dog to guard us. I wake with every bump in the night. So we went.
I talked to my sister-in-law on the way down. With the cell phone pressed to my ear, and one finger in the other ear, I tried to pay close attention to her end of the conversation. When she told me she prayed that God would allow both her toddler boys to nap at the same time so she could get some work done, and they were both asleep at that point, I could not help but be jealous. So I said, “Since God is listening to you today, could you pray for us?”
Isabella finally fell asleep for about 1 1/2 hours of the 4 1/2 hour drive down. I could literally feel all the stress melt away. I physically felt better. Is that terrible? Maybe it is. But I was reading in my current Parenting magazine that 80% of mothers would rather go through 12 hours of labor than 12 hours in the car with a fussy baby. So I must not be alone in this.
Yosemite was beautiful though. The weather in the valley was a warm 68 degrees. We went on easy walks through the village and to the base of Yosemite Falls and Bridal Veil Falls. It would have been a peaceful getaway (once we were there) if it had not been for the ancient beds we slept on. They creaked with every miniscule movement. So, of course Isabella woke up a million (or close to it) times per night. The funny thing is, in August, when my dear husband is scheduled to go again. We will go. We will just book a different cabin and continue to PRAY for Isabella to be good in the car or maybe I will just pray for patience to endure. Once you pray for patience though, you never know what might happen! What do you all do for car trips? I would love to try any tricks of the professionals.
