I forgot that even though it can be trying to clean up after a sick child, they do love to snuggle and just be still, and that is delightful! Also, the other factor I forgot was you can’t go out. Well, that is, if you are nice person and don’t want to get other people sick. The last time we were sick we both got on a plane the next day and flew, probably infecting the entire plane, and when we landed in San Diego for Christmas, we single ruined Christmas. Okay, not that bad, but we did take down five family members. Five.
So this time, I was determined to quarantine ourselves. And that I did. Even though Eliana was better by Monday night, we didn’t leave the house for three more days. We missed out on a few little ‘events’ we had planned, planned in order to distract them and me from that fact that daddy isn’t here. But alas, home bound we were! Alright, I’m being a bit dramatic. Laying low and having an excuse to watch more than normal amounts of Nemo and Frozen was fine by me. But by Thursday I was ready to join the outside world again. Thankfully, many prayers were said for us, because I believe it’s nothing short of a miracle that Hudson or myself didn’t get sick. (so thank you to those of you who were praying, you know who you are!)
And don’t worry, we came back with a BANG. I resurrected my old beach cruiser, and we took her out! Yes, the one that I bought 10 years ago when we lived by the beach and had nothing to do in our free time but cruise up and down the ocean sipping iced coffee. Ahhhhh the good o’l days. The same one that my in-laws oh so lovingly stored for me, in their covered car port, for five years. Yes, five. Five years of taking up their space, slowly rusting to death. The same bike that when we loaded all our belongings into the Uhaul ready to move to Texas, Brandon tried to conveniently leave behind. I wouldn’t hear it, and neither would my poor father-in-law, who I may have seen out of the corner of my eye sprinting towards the truck with the bike on his back!?
I wasn’t sure I would ever ride that bike again, but once I saw how flat it was here, I realized it could be perfect biking terrain. Minus the fact that four months out of the year it’s so hot my wheels might melt off, I was pretty excited about the thought of cruising again. So three months ago I bought a little bike trailer attachment, and it’s been collecting dust in our garage.
It was time. Brandon got me some chrome polish, I scrubbed away a decent amount of the rust, and then I took it to a bike shop. The guy was trying to sell me all sorts of things, and just had to laugh. ‘does it look like I want to sink money into this beast?’ I asked. So, we compromised on new tubes and a new chain. I brought her home, and with the help of a neighbor friend (who mind you, was so impactful on his helping mama resurrect her bike and consequently we were able to go for an epic bike ride, that he was mentioned and thanked by Eliana in prayer time tonight!)
So, off we went! Callie and Shepherd and me and the kids. We were quite a sight! Maybe the scenery was different, the burbs instead of the Pacific Ocean. And the cargo wasn’t iced coffee but wide eyed children who were clearly loving it. My heart wanted to burst out in song! And I don’t sing. But my heart was so happy, so full, I forgot just how much I love a good bike cruise.
Jessica Stone 
You rock Mama!!
Love that you held onto your bike!!!