Home for the Holidays

We spent the Easter weekend in Rochester, NY, (where I grew up) visiting my family. It went as these trips always do, starting out enjoyable and ending with a crash.

I actually enjoy the 8-hour drive there and back, as does the rest of my family. We listen to favorite music and audio books, munch on snacks, and take naps. Even my husband, who does all the driving on family trips, enjoys the ease and solitude of the four of us together in our cozy truck.

So, I felt good, really good, when we arrived Friday evening. We met my family for dinner. It was lots of fun, I was glad to see everyone, and I wasn't even too upset about having to avoid dairy and alcohol in an otherwise delicious meal.

Saturday was a little rougher but still nice. I woke up feeling exhausted (I sleep so poorly when I'm away from home, like a little old lady), and I was back in bed by 10 am. That helped, though, and we enjoyed spending the day with my dad and his wife and my aunt and uncle. We took a nice walk in the park, enjoyed the beautiful day, and had another delicious meal at my aunt's house. Despite it being a 2-nap day, it turned out pretty good.

I crashed on Sunday, predictably, I suppose, after climbing hills in the park with the boys the day before. I also made the mistake of going to church. I thought it would be nice to join my family for Easter Sunday service and hear my little cousins sing in the choir. And it was nice, but the hour and a half of standing (always a killer) and sitting up knocked me out. This time, a nap didn't do much to revive me.

I spent most of the time at our family dinner lying down in a quiet room alone. My throat hurt, my legs ached, and I had that all-over flu-like feeling that signals a bad crash. My husband and sons were out in the yard with their cousins, aunt & uncle, and grandparents playing a rousing game of soccer after dinner. I was in the living room, with my feet up, hanging out with the over-80 crowd. Holidays seem to do this to me. It can get a little depressing, although I rebounded the next day, with another 8-hour drive to keep me off my feet. Sometimes I just get so sick of feeling sick so much.