12 Hours and Counting...not that I am counting...

Is this the calm before the storm? Will there be a storm? There just was a storm - with a ton of thunder thrown in - an hour ago. Tomorrow night in the RV park. Oh god, another anxiety nightmare – we are in a tin box in a lightening storm. Cue the visual of the lightening bolt hitting the RV Toaster. 4 pieces of bread that look suspiciously like Evan, the boys and I are popping out slots at the top and we all have permed hair...

Simon was better today. During the day he decided to pitch the idea of making a cardboard box into a replica of our old house in London because he was feeling better. He drew a bundle of pictures to put up in the RV, even a picture of a Dream Eater that eats the bad dreams and puffs out beautiful dreams. I think I might need that picture above my head tonight to keep away the thoughts of lightening frying the RV.

But then this evening before dinner I found him in our bed quietly sobbing to himself saying he just couldn’t go on the trip at all. Evan overheard us chatting about his worries and suggested that after a dinner of pizza we could spend some time in the RV looking at all the cool storage boxes (always a crowd pleaser!) and then have a family meeting to discuss Simon’s feelings and to check in in general about the trip.

Simon perked right up – unsure if it was the pizza, the storage boxes, or the chance to be highlighted on the agenda. We have been holding Family Meetings pretty regularly for the past 5 years and Simon is very familiar with the format and to have your item first – with your name right on it – makes you feel special and that you are being heard. Isn’t that what we all want? To be heard? To be first on the agenda? Having your needs addressed?

Family Meeting Agenda

I. Simon’s Worries
II. Pace of the next couple of weeks
III. What we need to do before we leave tomorrow
IV. Thanksgiving Plans (Evan’s parents were over and we wanted to be sure we talked about when we would see them next, with them and the kids)

During Simon’s Worries we all discussed how overwhelming the trip is and to think about living in an RV for a year is just too long and makes us want to scream. Starting anything new can be scary and could make you want to scream. Simon and I went out on the balcony and screamed a really good long scream and felt better.

Talk calmly. Go outside and scream. Come back in and continue conversation. This is normal yes?

We then came inside and we all discussed how we were excited about the first couple of weeks.

Tomorrow we head out to Cooperstown to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Simon got all excited about seeing Babe Ruth’s bat and Grandpa told us all some stories about The Babe and Lou Gehrig.

So, we all decided that we would leave tomorrow as discussed but we will check in once we are in St. Louis next week and see how we are feeling. But then we remembered my mom, Mama Jo, is coming to meet us in Springfield and then there is the family reunion and we get to stay at Aunt Jackie and Uncle Paul’s house and they have a sneaky club house with a trap door and everything. So, we decided to just think about the trip up until then.

Phew. I like this idea too. 10 months in an RV is too long to think about. What is that old line? How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I have to say, I prefer a year in an RV to eating an elephant…