It’s been a busy week. I turned 50 on Monday. I took a week off work and planned a trip with Travis that I had been thinking about for some time. Things don’t always go as planned. 

Friday, I got a call from the school nurse that Tayden appeared to have a broken wrist from a fall during a flag football match in gym. Travis was already on his way to the school to bring Tayden to the hospital. Apparently even my kids will defer to Travis for medical issues. I tried to stay at work since Travis had this, but Patty (the shop owner) kicked me out to go meet them at the hospital. Perhaps stressed workers on sharp slicers are a bad idea. 

So, the wrist was broken in two places but everyone thought a cast would do the trick. Taryn saved our trip by rescheduling her one in-person class at Ball State to Friday so she could be at home to drive Tayden around and bring him to get his more permanent cast Monday. So, we left Saturday, stopping to visit friends in Wisconsin before heading to the upper peninsula to see the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. 

On Monday, Tayden was not feeling well. Fine, go get a Covid test in the morning before getting your cast in the afternoon. Meanwhile, Travis and I start what was supposed to be a two mile hike at the Pictured Rocks. We also call our friends in Wisconsin because Pa P (what we call my bestie Laura’s dad) is in the hospital and thought we should say something because Tayden feels sick, and Ma P visited with us and will visit Pa P. Although Tayden doesn’t check enough boxes to be tested, he is on painkillers for the arm, so maybe they are masking symptoms.

Our two mile hike turns into a four mile hike, then a six mile, then an eight mile, and finally a ten mile hike. Yup, it was so beautiful we couldn’t stop ourselves. But of course, we brought no water because it was going to be a two mile hike. Thank goodness it was cool and even drizzly at times. Still, ten miles is a long way with no water. By the last mile, my calves were seizing up. Of course it was the worst terrain yet, with a hilly, narrow, muddy path covered with tree roots. That was the longest mile. 

When we get back, we immediately drive to the town to get water and a sketchy phone connection and spend a half hour on the phone so the wrist specialist could tell us that Tayden needed surgery. WHAT?! I’m shivering and consuming whatever ten miles worth of water is, sitting in the parking lot of a Mexican restaurant in the upper peninsula in Michigan and you’re telling me my baby needs surgery and sooner will be better then later. 

So, our trip is cut short, Tayden will have surgery on his wrist Friday, and we still don’t have his Covid test results (however unlikely a positive is) so Ma P can resume her visits with Pa P. That was my 50th birthday. 

Have a great week everyone!! Here’s to the next 50!!