It was the beginning of July in Iowa where the weather is sweltering hot and the air is damp and steamy from the humidity. It was time to wake up the heavy-eyed children and head out on our adventure for our lengthy drive to our first much anticipated retreat to the searing hot Wisconsin Dells.
Carefully, we checked over our extensive scribbled on vacation list to make sure we have not forgotten anything and crossed off as my husband loaded up our Chevy outdoor diesel truck that was a struggle to get into as it was lifted up high with big over-sized tires. Being seven months pregnant with swollen feet and ankles that looked like my skin was going to tear open just by touching it and having a sizable stomach and aching back and hips from the extra weight; it was not an ideal time to be going on vacation during the midst of blistering muggy summer.
Truck was packed to the brim with bags of clothes, necessities and sluggish children who had not quite realized we were finally leaving for our week long vacation. The drive was long and tedious and thankfully we had left in the middle of the starry night so that the children could sleep most of the way. The ride was quiet and peaceful until he morning sun brightened up the truck and the children woke from their slumber. Then the adventure began. The in-laws where already there as well as grandparents and sister-in-law and their families.
One two floor, five bedroom house with seventeen people in the midst of 100 plus degree temps and humidity through the roof was not the ultimate situation a seven month pregnant woman would want to be in. There was a fire hazard warning in the state of Wisconsin due to the rain scarcity with neon signs posted up along the highways and towns warning travelers and locals not to burn anything or throw out cigarettes. It looked like a dessert scene with brown grass and tumble weeds blowing, rivers subdued from the lack of rain waters in the past months.
The children were disappointed about the fact that we were not able to watch the 4th of July fireworks because of the fire hazard. The week was a long extensive exhausting week but we survived the first large family vacation. All the children had an enjoyable time with lots of stories to be told for years to come. They experienced lots of new adventures including going to the world’s largest water park, hang gliding and going on duck boats. As for me, it was a vacation I will never forget.
