So, how do you describe nearly 3000 miles from north to south and east to west and a continual monologue on Batman and/or theology? Answer........summer vacation in the car with N.I.C.K! ;) For some reason, Pat and I had 5000 miles stuck in our head but maybe that is just what it felt like at the end! ha!
Luckily there is not a picture to commemorate what we looked like upon arrival several days ago but there is also no pictures period because the camera was lost (we think) in St. Louis somewhere, possibly a park in Lake St. Louis.
We had a great time at Kazapalooza in Milwaukee this year. I am not sure we (the coordinators) can top the Milwaukee Children's museum but we will try. I think everything went quite well with just a few snafoos here and there. Nick had a great time which is really all that matters and our men even seemed to start to enjoy as they are finally getting to know each other and have more than two word conversations! :) The weather was fabulous and we ventured down to the shoreline to visit with Pat's college room mate Scotty and family. We dined with them at a Drive in, Diners and Dive place that was known for serving unlimited bacon instead of chips or popcorn but apparently that is only on Sunday....and it was Saturday. bummer! It was still good food though. We also had breakfast with Pat's Aunt, Uncle and cousin that was at another local place. Nick entertained cousin Katie with all things Star Wars for the entire meal and thankfully, that was about the last we heard of Star Wars because Batman became the obsession of the month. Not sure why, he has never seen a batman show, just owns a few batman imaginext figures but I guess that is enough.
The hotel had a mini waterpark which was perfect for all the Krazy Kaz kids. Nick was not tall enough for the large slides but could do a swim test to get the "special" armband that would allow him to ride them anyway. He is not a stroke swimmer but an underwater dog. I told him he would have to work on his arm strokes. He practiced for like a half an hour over and over across the pool. He said he was ready and we grabbed a life guard and he took his test. He did so great. He did great strokes from one side of the pool to the other. The lifeguard made a big deal out of it for him and I nearly burst into tears when he finished and started jumping up and down so excited and proud. We made a huge deal out of him practicing and not giving up. It was truly one of those parent moments that just gives you chills.
It was so great to see everyone although my visiting time was cut short often as one of the busy coordinators. I now know why they (the coordinators) all said last year that they wanted to rotate duties around and add more help because they never saw the light of day til it was over. It was a great privilege to be able to help out and spread the work but shew! it was hard work no doubt! Thanks to Pat for totally taking the kid responsibilities to the max!
We made the trip back and Nick had spanish camp and I tried to get caught up on adoption stuff before we left again. We received our fingerprint appt and it was for Friday of that week which any other day would be great but that was the day we were leaving for STL in the opposite direction from Cincinnati where they decided we should go for our appt. Still not sure why and neither was the Cinci fingerprint guy; but, thanks to my dear friend Cincy Karen who not only gave us perfect directions to an open air parking lot (no garages with a kayak on top) but met us at said parking lot with fresh donuts and provided child entertainment while we got the fingerprints!!! That in and of itself was worth the 2 hour detour up and over the hills and back down to STL. THANK YOU AGAIN CINCY!!!!!
So off to STL we went to see my parents, sister and family, friends and the big 25th HS reunion! EEk. oh, and of course, the pizza, always the pizza! High School tour on Saturday was crazy! Everything looked different because they had combined several of the buildings that were separate so it was hard to figure out where we were but finally we went to the gym which had not changed in the 25 years and it smelled exactly the same.....so weird! We had dinner at a brewery (it is STL after all) in our little downtown area in Ferguson. It was fun to see everyone although I think very few people recognized me at all being the "quiet" type and then not really living in STL after I graduated does not add to the "remembrance" part. Oh well, at least being in my 40's has helped me realize I got nothin to prove to these people....and thanks again to my long-suffering husband who sat by my side and made me proud.
We had lots of good friend and family time at the City Museum in downtown STL which we highly recommend for all peoples with children of any size and age. It was sooo much fun and those pictures are the ones that I am the saddest to lose in the missing camera. Nick was in climbing, hiding, running, and swinging heaven! The adults and children were so exhausted but it was a happy tired.
We left STL and headed back to Wisconsin and as we headed north the weather got cooler and cooler. Heaven! The first day we were there it was in the 60's but then it warmed up to a perfect 80 or so at the lake. Nick had a blast tubing this year and went on his first solo outing and flipped and learned what life jackets are for....Pat said once he realized the jacket held him up, he totally relaxed and was then only upset because his older cousin stayed in the tube and he didn't .....typical! We had our first ever Kitzman firework rain-out. It was a bummer but we had a nice dinner at the house and saved our ears for another year. Although, I think their labor day celebration may be a loud one! ha! Pat ,his brother, and 16 yr old nephew kayaked a river this year....in their really good "lake"kayaks by the way.....apparently it was fairly harrowing as Pat and Mike spent alot of time in the water while Dakota, his nephew, conquered the wild with the safest and most stable kayak. I think they will take the appropriate "river" kayaks next time. They had scratches, sunburn and bruises everywhere....boys!
Pat and I were given the night off by his parents and we went just down the road to a lodge and ate some great pub food and had our first night "away" since Nick came home 3 years ago....we were so happy that he had no trouble being away from Mom and Dad and only inquired in the morning where we were and then proceeded to eat breakfast. We have tried to be good about datenights but just hadn't been able to "get away". Now, we will shoot for a weekend.....babysitters, anyone, anyone? We found out the day we left that Pat had been awarded an NIH grant worth 1million. We are so elated. He has worked so hard with his other team members to get this organization up and running and it will be so fun to see all that they can do with these funds to help the rehab patients of eastern Ky. We celebrated at lunch with his folks and then headed out.
We were all three very tired pups headed home last week. We did have a momentary highlight on our way home when we stopped and visited with Alaina (Kazmom) and boys for an impromptu playdate at McDonald's outside Indy. It was good to chat with her since I did not see much of her at Kazapalooza with all the running around. The boys had a good time playing!
Looking forward to doing it again at the Kaz Walk in September that Alaina is helping coordinate in Indianapolis.
So that is about all I can say about our 2010 Vaca trip.....it was an eventful June for sure! I am sure not nearly as interesting without pictures... :( While we were gone, we received our Immigration approval and now we are hustling to finish up the last of the paperwork to finish up the dossier and apostille. Not really sure what happens next but it will be good to get the paperwork finished and out of the way since it is hard to "do" paperwork with a certain someone home for the summer. School starts when?...... :)
Hope everyone is enjoying their summer.
Now, I know you are going to ask what happens next. I don't know. :) I emailed our coordinators to tell them the dossier was on the way and then asked the what's next question. We do know that most likely we would not be traveling til after Christmas at the earliest, most likely spring/summer.
