How About a Quiet Ringing in of 2013?

This Christmas week has had some major ups and downs. We have just spent two nights in Redding. The first night we spent at a sub-par hotel and got very little sleep. Have you ever tried sleeping in the same room as two young children? I don't recommend it. I am a very light sleeper (unfortunately), and let's just say that no happy amount of caffeine could even attempt to rectify the last two nights! We stayed at a nicer hotel last night, but alas were on the ground floor under what we believe to be kids running and jumping on the bed. While we were trying to go to sleep (because of a 5:30 alarm set for this AM)- we frequently heard the thudding and banging from above. Barrett called to complain three times before going to the front desk clad in his pajamas, where the unhelpful clerk told him she had been too busy to call and gave him the key to a room on the second floor. At this point Isaiah is asleep and I've unpacked (yes- I can't stand to live out of bags). As Barrett moves us the clerk gets a call from me. I ragged her up one side and down the next for not taking care of the noise in the first place and then having to move two children to yet another room. Turns out unhelpful clerk was also rude, so she got many pieces of my mind,as well as her coworker getting a complaint from Barrett this morning and a corporate email to send a complaint to- that I guarantee I will take the time to do.

So this morning we are sleepy, grumpy, and on the road again. My doctor and I have yet to get bladder medicine that does anything, and my bladder thinks its a fun practical joke to play the you just peed but desperately need to go AGAIN game- a road trip crowd pleaser. Bathroom we just stopped at was a high class one with no toilet paper but handy seat covers.I have joked about writing a travel guide called Bathrooms of the I-5 Corridor with toilet paper ratings for each.

We had a good visit with Barrett's grandparents as well as great aunt and uncle, and have decided to add onto our home to move them up to be with us. He is the only grandson, and right now they live 14 hours away. This way we could be a bigger help as they get older (they are both in their 80's).

On another note, I am unsuccessfully trying to quench the renewed doubt about a career in nursing. The visits to the hospital reminding me that it is rarely a happy place to be. Last night I dreamt of begging my former boss at the dental office to give me any job he could, and then had a nightmare about teaching first graders.

I am happy that tomorrow we will drive nowhere, except maybe a grocery store. Barrett has booked a cabin for just he and I for my birthday to stay one night in. Quiet sounds really good right now.