Home Again

We're back from our annual Holderread reunion in Indiana. And once again, though I'm glad to be back in our house in sleep in my bed tonight, I already miss the fun we had. I so wish this kind of thing could be a daily, or even weekly, or even bi-weekly, event...then I think my life would be so much richer and the blows seem so much less intense.

Wednesday the kids were fine during small group. Rugger was asleep when I handed him off, so he did fine. Only four ladies were in the group, though, so it wasn't as in-depth as normal. After the kids went to bed, I packed everything and put it in the car, except for the food and water since I wanted to put it in the cooler as late as possible.

We left a little after 5 AM and it actually went well. Rugger woke up an hour before breakfast, fused some, but not bad. Then we stopped, ate and moved around, and he slept again and only fussed a few minutes before our next stop. Same thing the next time around, and then we were there. Pumpkin, however, didn't act like her usual songbird-in-the-car self, she chose to whine instead. But otherwise, a good trip out.

The kids enjoyed the downtime when we got there, and the next day we went to the College Football Hall of Fame. I love it. There were so many comparisons to high school football, and I really enjoyed seeing the footage of other coaches talk about how it's not the game that matters to coaches in the end, it's the players. And that's how it is with Boom. We also got to kick a football, throw a football, tackle a cardboard lineman, and do other silly little things in the "training camp" area. My cousin, Travis, who is around 10 years old, had fun with us. He's such a cute, good kid. I hope he stays that way. Too many of my cousins...well, I save that for later.

Afterward we went to the Notre Dame campus and walked around a little. We didn't have strollers, though, and it was so hot, that we stopped to sit and play at a bench, and then decided to just go back to my Uncle's house. But it was pleasant, anyway. Boom had wanted to see the stadium, but it was closed and there were a ton of teens and kids around for summer camps. But I personally had a blast the whole day.

Saturday was okay. It was a little too hot to be outside, and we had to move the reunion because of Boom, so the location was changed, as well, though in the end Boom's schedule cleared up on the original date, after all, but that's all right because we voted to keep the location at the relative's house it was at this year. Not much of the food I slaved over was gone, so maybe next year I won't work as hard. And the gift I made for the white elephant auction (which my sister so kindly bought, which saved me later embarrassment) broke, of course, after all the work I put into it. It figures, which is why I hate polymer clay now, and want a kiln more than ever. *sigh*

We played beanbag horseshoes and rode go carts in their path made for the purpose in their backyard. The only really disappointing thing was that no one in our generation was there, again. After my uncle Kenny dies someday, I don't know what we'll do. If we're the only ones going our age (me and my sister that is) then we might as well just meet at my parents house, which is much closer. Since much of the reason we go is for our Uncle. He's always been what we look forward to out there.

Anyway, we left there at 5AM our time and I felt so down. I didn't want to leave then, but knew it'd be easier on the little tikes. And the whole way home I felt down. I knew everyone else was at church listening to my dad play trombone (OH! how I miss that! And he does, too...) and then eating another carry-in of sorts. They would be talking, laughing, and having fun, while I was heading home, alone.

Don't get me wrong, I like being with Boom and the kids. But I want friends. Friends who I can play board games with, card games with (which we also played Friday night with Kenny), beanbag games with, joke with. Friends who don't wait for me to pester for weeks, pinning them down until I get a date, and then we have one lousy good time never to be repeated unless I pester them again. I want socialness. *sigh*

So, I didn't do a thing when we got home, so down did I feel. But we got pizza and wings and I am reading Leota's Garden by Francine Rivers, so I feel better. But I still miss being with family and friends...