Alive and Kickin’
December 27th, 2005Black top blazin’, hometown fadin’
Out of sight in the rear view mirror
Stevie Ray blasting on the radio
As I slam it into higher gear
It’s not exactly a Christmas tune, but it’s certainly what came to mind when I started thinking about doing this post.
For those that care…
The kids and I are at Mom’s in OH, finishing up the second day here. We didn’t hit the door until 6:20 Christmas morning, but I’ve now celebrated all 36 of my Christmases on this planet in this very house. Though some of the other players have come and gone over the years, I’m also 36 for 36 celebrating Christmas with my mother, my sister and my grandmother. My kids have been here for the celebration every single year of their young lives, too.
Just try stopping me.
I proved this year it can’t be done. The story is far too long to tell, but after the wrangling, wrestling, screeching and biting were over:
I covered nearly 2200 miles, 8 states and 2 time zones in 31 straight hours on the road to make sure my daughters and I were here for Christmas. I stopped only 7 times and no stop was more than 15 minutes. By the time we arrived here, I had been 36 hours without sleep and spent 31 of them driving.
My family assumed I would want to postpone the Christmas festivities and get some sleep when I got here. I said, “No way! I need a shower and a shave and I’m ready to go. I didn’t do this to myself to sleep through Christmas. I’ll sleep when Christmas is over.” I finally went to bed at 3:30 am Christmas night after 57 hours without sleep.
We had a great Christmas, though and my girls are asleep downstairs. There’s no price too high to pay for that.
I hope your Christmas was as joyous as ours and didn’t cost as much.
The story is far too long to tell…
And he ain’t kiddin’ neither.
Wow! That is one amazing road trip! Your girls are amazing little troopers. I’m glad you were able to be with family for the holiday. Do you get to stay a few days before you have to turn around and drive back?
Yes, Heidi, but not nearly enough. We’ll be here until late New Years Day. But since we usually only get here for a week a year there are more people to see and things to do than there is time to get it all done.
Oh… and my little girls really are troopers and more than you know or I can say here. I draw strength from them too many times when it should be working the other way.
They’ve been through hell in their young lives and much of it is confusing to them. But they just laugh and sing and let it roll off of them like life is perfect. That’s proof that prayer works. If it didn’t, they would be seriously screwed up by now.
Careful, DC – 72 hours without sleep, and permanent insanity can set in!
Wait, it’s too late for that, ain’t it? ;)
The Chinese believe that the year with the sign you were born under is unlucky for you. They have 12 signs. You had 36 christmas celebrations,so you are just finishing up your third unlucky (according to the chinese) year.
How did it go for you?
Man, that made my 11 hour trip from Florida yesterday seem like nothing! I’m glad you are able to spend time with family. There’s nothing like being with the ones that you love and who accept you as you are. I hope you have a great 2006, DC!
[...] But I’ve never had to do anything like I did this year. Not quite two hours ago now, I finished the last leg of the Christmas gauntlet. I already told the story of the trip to get my daughters and then to Ohio. But that’s still 1200 miles from home. I didn’t mention it then because my time with my family at Christmas is so important, so short and so difficult to accomplish, that I refuse to think about the drive home until the day before we leave Ohio. If I did, it would ruin Christmas and my time with the people I love. I could begin dreading the trip home almost as soon as we arrive if I let myself. [...]