We are alive!

Day 2 of living in a hotel.  I was feeling out of sorts yesterday.  I like to to think I can make the best out of any situation but yesterday I think all situations got the best of me.

We ate our microwave lunches and got our swim-suits on so we could enjoy the sunshine and pool.  Get out to the pool (3 kids, 1 in a wheelchair in an environment that does not exactly accommodate wheelchairs, and  a dog that is not allowed in the hotel room alone per hotel policy and also not allowed off her leash) only to find a big lock on the pool gate:(  The lovely young lady at the front desk explained that they were adding chemicals and the pool would be closed for about an hour.  She looked down at all three kids in bathing suits and gave me a sympathetic apology.

I decided we would take Lady out for a jaunt.  As we exited the hotel we were in the way of the staff who was power washing the entrance.  They had to turn off their equipment and wait on us to pass and we are slow!  Got out of their way and realized there were mowers and people weed-eating everywhere.  Still holding onto the dog leash and maneuvering the wheelchair with my foot as needed I decided it was not a good time for us to take a jaunt. We had to interrupt the power wash scenario again to get back into the hotel.  I decided to sit in the hotel lobby.  After all there was free coffee, a large TV, plush furniture and people!  Sure beat sitting in the over chilled hotel room worrying about bed bugs.

I got the kids settled in a seat.  Joshua wanted to stay in his wheelchair-the floor was perfect for him to cruise around on.  In his own little 3 year-old world I was amused at finding him spinning in circles with a big grin on his face.  I read the USA Today-first time in my life so I can cross this off my bucket list.  Was saddened by the shooting in Aurora, Colorado.  The twelve people whose lives were taken got a spot in the newspaper.  The paper put a nicely written summary on each of the victims and as I read them my heart sunk.  "He was always with his 2 children."  "Served in the military"  "With her boyfriend when he died."  SO sad.

Made me pause and appreciate the very moment I was in.  Stuck in a hotel lobby with three bored kids.  Needing a shower.  Sitting in a bathing suit that was wet and musty from the night before.  Drinking bitter coffee that was hours old.  Without a vehicle to take off and do anything.  Without having any money in the budget just for leisure activities like taking the kids to the zoo or going to get ice cream to kill time.  I looked around and saw my beautiful kids. Our belly's were full.  We were with each other.  And we were alive.

The pool ended up being closed for 6 hours instead of 1.  But that's OK.  About an hour before Josh would be returning to the hotel after his first day on his new job I decided to get myself and the kids and the room looking swell.  Asked the kids to pick up anything on the floor.  Took a shower and shaved my legs-ahhhh.  Washed the kids faces and combed their hair.  Emma wondered what all the fuss was about.  I have dreamed of this day for about 7 years.  Josh gets home from work at dinner time and not the middle of the night.  I wanted it to be perfect even though we were not in our home.  I explained to Emma what Dad does for our family.  I then I explained our role.  When Dad gets home I want him to be glad to be home.  Clean house.  Beautiful children.  And myself to not be in the same pajamas that I was in the day before!

He was pleasantly surprised to see us all waiting in the lobby for him when he got there.  :)