Vacation....

I needed a rest.  I fought for a rest.  Vacation was coming and I was ready.  I cleaned the house, scrubbed out the refrigerator, packed and unpacked and packed again, planned for every possible scenario.  I rearranged piano lessons, therapy sessions, doctors visits, and more.  I even squeezed in my daughters tonsillectomy so that we wouldn't have a nasty ear nose and throat situation whilst on my dream getaway.  Puerto Vallarta called to me.  Sandy beaches, swimming in the waves with my lovelies, building sand castles and my tan all at once, my dreams were lofty but I felt they were coming.  I had crafts ready, floaties inflated, meal plans and shopping lists at the ready.  I even packed each outfit with coordinating underwear and hair accessories for each child in marked, airtight ziploc baggies - a secret that pinterest claimed would simplify and uplift by travel experience.   My husband and I were going to provide our children with the trip of a lifetime.  They would thank us for this for years to come.  They would appreciate each coordinating outfit, plane snack, and coloring page I had created for them.  I could barely sleep the night before in pure anticipation.
Then it came.
We waded through the mess that is traveling with three children under the age of 6 and a pregnant mother to an international location.  We found taxi's and paid tips, opened endless fruit snacks and sang "twinkle twinkle little star".  Through it all I maintained my hope, my enthusiasm, my vision of what life would be like on "vacation." This dream that I would find myself relaxing on a beach with a cool drink in my hand while my husband frolicked in the pool with my perfectly obedient and exceptionally clean toddlers.
We finally arrived.  We checked in to the resort, dragged 8 pieces of various luggage up to our room, opened the ziploc baggies labeled "new swimsuit", sprayed ourselves with spf 50 and headed out.  That is precisely the moment where reality and the "vision" collided.  When we reached the pool and someone was crying because they had sunscreen in their eyes.  A floatie came off.  This one needed a snack, that one needed to pee.  Someone went out of turn at the water slide causing immediate chaos, mosquitoes, pouting, etc. etc. etc.  So this is vacation.
The reality of vacation is this:  moments of pure bliss surrounded by real mom-ness.  There were bug bites and sun burns, threatening glances to menacing strangers, hot sand, peeing on beds, blown out diapers on pirate ships (yes, you read correctly and there is a long, disgusting story to go along with that one), sandy bum cracks, diaper rash, threats, terrible picture taking, endless correcting and kissing of owies, and one strung-out mommy trying to keep two eyes on three children all the while needing to take her pregnant bladder to the bathroom. 
I have to say though, there was a moment when it was all worth it.  When my vision was so real it literally made my cry with excruciating happiness.  We had gone on a pirate ship adventure that is geared for families.  It was amazing, wonderful, entertaining, delicious, etc. all rolled into one.  They take you on a short cruise in a real pirate ship, staffed by pirates who sing to you and bring you food and drinks (yeah baby!), to a private beach.  When you put your feet on sand they have beach chairs with umbrellas waiting, cool drinks, and activities for everyone.  It was magical.  I was amazed when one pirate scooped up my two little boys, loaded them up on a canoe and happily rode them out to a lagoon to feed fish.  Shannon played with my husband in a small inlet where they watched minnows.  I stood watching it all in amazement.  Each person whom I love most happy, entertained, and feeling cherished.  I was in heaven.  I literally stood there with tears coming down my cheeks.  I was on a perfect beach, on a perfect day, with the perfect people - it was well - perfect. 

So, vacations are what they are which is kind of a mess.  They are humid, dirty, stress-filled chaos with moments of absolute loveliness woven in-between.  In the end, it was worth it.  If I get to choose one day, one moment, to pattern my version of heaven after - I know exactly which one it will be. 
So now I'm off to wash the mountain of laundry with a smile on my face.  I am exhausted and could really use a day off after my vacation but you know what?  I can't wait until next time.  :)