the things we do for love

My head is still ringing, my body aches, my skin feels desiccated and I could sleep for three days straight.

Sunday went something like this:

Drive a zig-zaggy course across town to pick up five 12 year old girls before 7:30 am. Yes, 7:30 in the MORNING. Before the caffeine had time to soak into my cells, the guy and I, got in the car, Giggles in tow and piled all six 12 year old girls into one car.

Drive 2 ¾ hours to SplitRock Resort.

Why there? Because Giggles wanted to spend the day at Split Rock for her birthday with a few friends, hitting the pools, hiking and generally taking over the place as a gaggle of girls are wont to do when given free reign. It’s one of her favorite places to go and there are some great hiking area’s that are easy with beautiful scenery. We go there for vacation just about once a year, if we can swing it and the kids can run around, explore, and have a great family vacation.

But then the weatherman, that bastard, told us it was going to rain. All day, with temperatures hovering around 50. There would be no hiking, no outside exploration. But there is an indoor water park.

Once we realized the weather had indeed crapped all over the initial plans with rain and fog so thick I could barely see my toes, we decided to surprise them all with the day at the water park. Girls can squeal with ear splitting decibels when they are suddenly presented with a surprise day at an indoor water park that they knew existed but hadn’t a clue they were going to. I think my left eardrum burst when the happy shrieking began.

We are masochists obviously. It cost a small fortune, but had there been a birthday party at some other place closer to home, invited more of her classmates, fed and caked them all, prepared the annoying goody bags (whose idea was this stupid goodie bag thing anyway? isn't the damn party enough?) etc, etc, the costs would have been similar. At least this way, SuperHubby and I got to have fun, too.

And it was fun, no question. We rode the waterslides, we splashed, and played water tag. We watched amateurs at the flow rider takes face plants and lose their bathing suits. It was awesome entertainment and I regret not having my camera handy.

We fed the girls junk food all day; this type of adventure requires processed food and high fructose corn syrup to fuel it.

I swam back and forth across the front of the wave pool and realize today that my muscles do not appreciate my backstroke technique. They are protesting wildly, clamoring for ibuprofen.

The noise level was humongous, brain numbing humongous, with the constant sound of cascading water, music piping through the space, shrieking children running and laughing, and human voices rising over the din in an effort to converse.

I’m not sure what chemicals this place uses in the pool, it lacks that chlorine scent but it sucks the moisture from your flesh quicker than embalming fluid, I believe. I slathered so much lotion on this morning and it still feels like my skin could be used to sandpaper the floor.

By the time we left five hours later all I wanted was some ibuprofen and a quiet space.

The girls were a delight. I suppose if I ever have to be stuck in a minivan with six tween girls again, it would be these six. Nice, well behaved and funny kids. They were enormous fun. Silly, entertaining and sweet, all that I could hope for in my daughter’s friends.

When Giggles threw herself at her dad and me to say thanks with huge hugs and kisses for the great day she was having, all the noise, the long drive and the ungodly hour of departure, that all disappeared with her mile wide grin and sparkling eyes.

But oh man, I’m still looking for a quiet place to nap.


(This is not a sponsored post, just so y'all know.)