Road Warrior Momma: Day 2

June 28, 2013

Monroe, LA – Allen, TX

310 Miles/4 ½ hours

Temperature: 103 degrees@ 4p.m.!

Marriott Courtyard Allen, Room 706

We had a very, very, very slow morning. I think our long day wiped everyone out! We didn’t get up (Barrett was the only exception – started delivering his soliloquies around 6a.m.) till 8! I had a bag of powered donuts and some hotel coffee and wha-la…breakfast. After catching up on e-mails, we were headed west on I20 by 9:45.

Drive was okay, until we got to the Dallas area – lots of traffic, made worse by the kid’s excitement and anticipation of reuniting with the Berniers.

We finally go there about 2:30and the kids picked up like they’d been living down the street from each other all along. Same for the mom’s! Barbie and I had so much, too much, to catch-up on. We kept marveling at how easy it was, even with time and distance, to be together again. I first met Barbie in 2001…when I would constantly walk the twins, in their double stroller, in our old neighborhood, for a mental break (I was in phenomenal shape, let me tell you!). Her mom was staying with her and stopped me, to mention that she was helping her daughter, who was pregnant with twins and on bed rest – Barbie. We became very close and she was one of the women who held me up when autism knocked me down. She, Jen J & LynnAnn were constantly taking me out for much needed Ladies’ Nights. She and her family moved to Dallas, about 7 years ago.

At one point I snuck away, to check in to the hotel, while Barbie held down the fort. Well the Courtyard in Allen, which is one of my favorites, was a mad house! Apparently the Miss Texas pageant starts next week and all the contestants are staying here. Wow. The hair, the heels, the skirts, the glitter, the luggage and the mothers, should be interesting! Think Toddlers and Tiaras – on steroids. Audrey’s going to have a field day! I think I need to hang out at the hotel bar tonight, I’m sure I’d gather tons of material for a blog.

Alas, there was not a luggage cart in sight! It took four trips to get our stuff to the room. If this had happened the day before, I probably would have slept in the car.

Back at the Bernier ranch, everyone was in the pool – it was hot, hot, hot! Seriously, you had to go in the pool because you literally could not stand on the patio without burning your feet. It’s so cool how all the kids get along. Barbie made a wonderful dinner and Jeff arrived home about the time her parents dropped by – so it was a party. Very nice, very relaxing.

After dinner, I bugged out, with Bear and Cammy – I’d forgotten B’s medicine, and the clock was ticking! Hunter and Audrey are having a sleep over, so it’s serenely peaceful in the hotel room tonight! The heat and swimming wore the boys out, and Barrett displayed no effects of not getting his meds on time. He’s exhausted. I may even attempt to read tonight.