The Griswold's (aka Barrett's) Camping Vacation

This was the big camping weekend. We'd been planning this for 2 months, our daughter was excited to finally find out what camping was all about after we had talked about it for so long. This was the first camping trip with kids, as the hubby and I used to go often before we were blessed with children, so it's been at least 6 years...but the camping gear was still in good condition, so the trip is ON! This is the prettiest time of year to go, since the fall season brings out the most beautiful colors of nature! We decided to go to Mt. Cheaha, a new camping place for us because most all of our previous camping trips were at Guntersville State Park. Once we began climbing that mountain, our breaths were taken away when we saw all the gorgeous colors of the leaves! The excitement mounted! Little did we know, that was going to be one of the few exciting moments of the entire weekend...So we find us a camping spot at the bottom of the mountain near the lake. Not our first choice, but it turned out fine in the end. Hubby gets there and starts the camp fire, and begins assembling the tent. I let the kids out of the van to run some energy off and as the sun begins hiding behind the trees, they're getting cold, so we huddle up near the fire. Yes, we've been "camping" for less than an hour when suddenly, my 5 year old is bent over vomiting! OH YES! That NASTY stomach virus that the kids and I have been dealing with for the last 2 weeks IS BACK! I say a quick prayer for her to not to do that again. She would have been absolutely heart broken to have to pack up and go home...but luckily that was the only time. We made it through the night, even though it was 38 degrees outside and let me remind you we are sleeping in a TENT! But to no avail, we came prepared! We have an air mattress to keep us elevated off the ground, covered with an electric blanket (it's not camping without the electrical hook up and extension cords bringing you the warmth of heaven!), and the best little $10 investment we've ever made: a space heater that we had sitting on a small cooler that kept our entire tent nice and toasty ALL NIGHT LONG! As a matter of fact, my 2 year old got SO toasty, he was kicking our covers off during the night. OH-Did I mention the fact that the 4 of us all slept on that queen size air mattress???? Packed like a can of sardines, but it worked. Not much sleep for me, because every time my girl moved, I was panicked that she was going to vomit again, so I had to be ready! But we made it through the night all clear! The next day...I was thinking we were over it, and we all went down to the lake. Hubby was eager to teach our daughter how to fish with her brand new Princess fishing rod. She was eager to try. But disappointment ensued when there was not one bite. But I guess it's hard to make a catch when a 2 year old is throwing rocks into the water...go figure. Not long after that, we abandoned the idea of fishing and went for a hike around the lake...a good walk away from any restroom...therefore, the stomach virus comes back. But this time, it was the other end! (Yeah, if you have weak tummies, get over it! IT HAPPENS!) My poor girl was so upset, we once again, abandoned our hike around the lake, and went back to camp. After cleaning up, and multiple trips to the bathhouse that was luckily only 1 campsite away, it was official, we were in for the long haul with this stomach bug. LET ME REDEEM MYSELF AS A PARENT HERE! I know it sounds bad, but she wasn’t so sick that we had to come home, she was fine, aside from the multiple trips to the restroom. She was having so much fun, and frankly, we were too. So with only one more night to go, we stayed. Later in the day, I noticed the wind was blowing a lot. So, since we were “roughing it”, I got out my cell phone, and stood on the top of the picnic table to get a signal, & connected to the internet to find a weather report. Yes, the rain chances had gone up from the forecast I watched just a day ago. It was no longer a “slight chance of rain”, it was now “Thunderstorms likely, chance of rain 60%”!!! The doom set in. I begin suggesting we go ahead and pack up the van, not to go home, but just to have everything ready if in the event it DOES rain and we need to go in a hurry. Well, my suggestions were shot down. Fine. We’ll deal when the time comes I guess. AND WE DID! At midnight, it began raining. No problem…the tent is surviving so far. I fell asleep, and at 2:30 am I awaken to find everything on the tent that is not on the air mattress is soaked! We were dry, at least. I begin changing my clothes, and as I took the shirt off my back to change, the COLDEST raindrop hits my back and makes me scream! Yeah, not only do I have to run to the bath house in the rain to go pee, but now the tent is leaking from the top! Hubby wakes up, and makes the decision: Load up the kids, and the wet clothes, blankets, shoes, etc…he’s taking us home. No time for taking the tent down…he’ll come back. So by 4 am we are on the road in what can only be described as a monsoon, headed home. The 2 hour drive home was rough, and poor hubby had to utter the words I will cherish, and I’m sure, remind him of for years to come, “Honey, YOU WERE RIGHT AND I WAS WRONG”! So, will we go camping again????? Yes, but next time, we pack the van and be ready for ANYTHING! After all, I WAS RIGHT!