Aug. 12, 2006 - The Idlewild Trip
Oh, I'm in a storytelling mood. Want to tell about another of our summer fiascoes....er, I mean, lessons....
We took a trip to an amusement park about an hour from home. We'd decided to drive to the area the day before and get a hotel, visit a nearby state park, ride bikes and then head to the amusement park the next morning.
We arrived at our hotel, checked in, paid cash for the room and then went off to the park about 22 mountainous miles away.
It is was a beautiful, sunny day albeit in the 90 degree zone. We found the bike trail and got everyone saddled up. We had borrowed a bike trailer for the 2 littlest to ride in. 6 yo ds and 5 yo dd were on their own bikes...dd's bike has training wheels.
We started off and I wanted to go last because my bike is a little tall for me and I wobble when I'm just getting started....didn't want to wreck into the dc! So, I got on and pushed to pedal, hear a nasty scratchety kind of sound and look down to see my chain lying on the ground....in two pieces.
Not to worry. This park is huge for bicycling and there are tons of rental shops within walking distance. I tell the family to go on....because I knew I could catch up at the rate my dd would be pedaling....even if it was an hour later!
I got my rental bike and within 15 minutes am back on the dusty trail. As I catch up with my family, they are making a u-turn in the middle of the trail. Baby is asleep in the trailer and dd is done riding for the day! 
Ds and I decide to go on while the others go back. And about 2 minutes later he says "Mom, how far did you want to ride?". We made our own u-turn and caught up with the others.
Once back at the car, we loaded everything and everyone back inside and the car doesn't start. Several tries and nothing. Now it had been acting up and I had mentioned it to dear hubby. Several more tries and nothing. Hubby ascertains that it is the fuel pump. It is 5:00 p.m. Sunday in a state park in the middle of nowhere Pennsylvania. I called good old AAA -- good old Verizon phone service! hubby's Nextel had NO BARS -- and they dispatched a truck but said it was a 90 minute turnaround time....which turned into a 3-hour turnaround time.
So, as we waited in the shadeless parking lot, the children rode their bikes, the baby climbed around in her chair as much as she could and we thankfully had the portable vcr thingy with us. We had packed food like we were going camping so we were set in that department.
We were in a dilemma (is that an understatement?). Even when the tow truck did arrive. There were 6 of us, 4 of whom technically (er, legally) had to be in car seats or boosters. As we pondered whether to split up (there was a hotel in the state park), the tow truck driver said "I'll call my wife. She can pick you up in her van." This may be shocking to some but if you live in Western PA, it is not so surprising. People are just NICE. The tow truck driver even found us a motel and told us about a car rental place (we figured we would just go and enjoy the amusement park the next day while our car got fixed). By now it is dark, and I really didn't fancy being separated from my hubby and any children so we piled into her van. The town where our Suburban was towed was about an hour from our amusement park destination but it was the nearest town with a Chevy dealer. So, our car went to the dealer and we went to the motel. (I was trying not to think about our room that was all paid for in a MUCH nicer hotel in another town that we couldn't get to!)
Our sleeping quarters were not the Marriott but as I had to remind my oldest son (and myself), Jesus slept in a manger...I think I can sleep on 150-thread count sheets for one night....and enjoy it.
Next morning, we realized that all of our food was in the car. We had nothing to eat and nothing to drive. When we opened the drapes in our room, there was a little diner right behind the motel. God is so good. He gives us just what we need when we need it.
The car rental guy delivered the mini-van to our motel. And as we were driving him back, I asked if the a/c was on. He said it was...but it was a little weak. Did I mention that it was in the 90 degree zone? The car rental people tried to charge the a/c to no avail and we just wanted to get going, so off we went. No a/c, tiny mini-van (when you're used to a Suburban, mini-vans are tiny!) stuffed with all of our gear. I must say that only at traffic lights was I really bothered about the lack of a/c. And we were on our way to the park! The children were thrilled.
We had a wonderful time and hit the water park for the first part of the day. It was awesomely fun. However, we did manage to lose 3 yo ds for about 10 minutes which seemed like 10 hours. I kept circling and circling this big water "ship" where he had been playing (with 75 other children) and I could not find him. Tears were filling my eyes every time I circled and didn't see him. I was about to burst when I saw a security guy and said "What do I do if I can't find my son?" and he said "I will help you find him." and I just burst into tears. As I was describing him and where he had been, I heard my hubby call me and up he came carrying my son who had been wandering and crying and some wonderfully kind lady stayed with him. Thank you, Lord. Thank you.
We had our intended picnic in the woods surrounding the park and then spent the second half of the day riding rides.
The rest of the trip went quite smoothly. Whew.
My husband and I just hope that our children learned as much of a lesson as we did from this trip. They were watching us and, thank God, for the most part, we were good examples for them. What's a little inconvenience? What's a little dependence on others? Being outside of your comfort zone?
Big lessons for parents and children. God is bigger than all circumstances. God is in control of all circumstances. God has a plan for all circumstances and works them together for the good of those who love Him. If all of that trip was to simply turn our focus back to Him, it was all more than worth it.
Comments
Aug. 12, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by TOSPUBLISHER
Wow! That was quite the trip! I'm sure your children did learn a few things from it. Patience, perseverance and abundant blessings.
-gena
www.TheHomeschoolMagazine.com
Aug. 18, 2006 - You amaze me!!!
Posted by kimahrens
I think I would have pulled my hair out in your situation, but I'm trying to get better with my temper. Hey, call me sometime! I think I also have your number. Glad to know you and your family are doing well. I miss seeing you!!!
By the way, with your own water world, I'm amazed you actually went on water rides just days later. How funny! I don't imagine there were enough socks in the world that day to sop up such a mess.
Kim
