And....wait for it...just a little bit longer...now...go?

Yep.  Still in the Fort.  We took a larger amount of time getting packed up yesterday than we had planned but I think that's just how we roll.  None of us are so hard lined about anything that we can't take a break and do something else...this can throw off plans, certainly, but it generally opens a less stressful and more enjoyable path to accomplishing our goals.  So packing and organizing the camper on a hot day is so much more pleasant with intermittent breaks for Rock Band in a highly chilled AC run house.  Thank you Lisa for your brilliant central air system.  That said, we were also able to spend a few extra hours with Lisa and Mike, play some Rock Band all together, I got a ukulele lesson from Mike, and Lisa made a scrumptious mannicotie dinner with a side of steak, followed by a game of Risk before all heading to bed.  Now I am awake.  Really awake.  Fresh pot of coffee and head streaming with ideas and wants to do kind of awake...but there's really nothing TO DO.  Packed and ready we are, as in grab the dogs and our day bags and off we go.

All that said, it's been a pretty heavy Gabapentin use kind of week as well.  I don't know what sets my body off but this week has not been happy.  Tightness in the shoulders and back, chest, throat, several dizzy/near fainting spells. I can get so busy that I barely notice what's happening but then when I pause for a moment...it's right there.  Shrug.  This is life now.  I am not giving up and saying I guess I have to deal with this but I am so new to learning and living with my MS that I have to accept and inspect whatever my body does right now.  I have been keeping a journal over the last few weeks to track things.  I hope that it will help with figuring out how I can help myself and how to tel doctors they can help me as well.  I feel like I'm my own experiment which is actually a fascinating way to feel.  At least, I think so.  

BUT...the week here has been very, very nice.  Here come the pictures! 

Pop up camper set up at Lisa's for the week. 

Rosie hiding in my mostly unpacked, strewn wherever I feel like it bag.  Cute. 

This gathering of magical people (not all of them in the photo) needed to be photographed.  Our friend, John, mentioned that what we were heading towards must be something truly great to leave behind so much love.  He is right.  Not an easy choice to make with all these amazing people to learn from, spend time with, and love.  Thank you friends for the pieces of you that have been shared and will be coming with us as a part of who we are because of you. 

Dog time!  Crumpets loves the days when she gets to be a true dog-dog.  

Blurry but must have.  Elisa and Pearl in dance mode inside the Shack. 

Pearl still dancing. 

Andrew with Rosie and Holly (beautiful lady in the yellow scarf) with her daughter Amina.  I loved Amina's naked little body and smiling soul as she ran around all day, in and out of the water, being an example of how good life REALLY is.  Blessings to you little one.  

So is it just me or does traveling suit Andrew?  I love this picture of my handsome, handsome husband. 

Video game break time with Rosiekins at Lisa's. 

Fourth of July dinner!  This series of photos cracks me up. Megan (middle) had been Miss Serious Face until she couldn't anymore.  I love the interactions in this photo! Lisa playing Betty Crocker, Megan cracking up, and Christopher being a happy participant in the silliness.  

And this one!  Ha! 

The kitchen is always the gathering spot in any house I'm in.  Lisa was learning how to whip cream from Megan and I think Mike just wanted to hang out with the pretty women :)  Or, he was asking about when it was time to get meat on the grill.  The best picture of the evening isn't even in existence but it would have been of the six adults that were hanging out standing around devouring meat from the grill like the carnivores we all are.  Mike marinated some rockin' good steaks and Megan and Christopher brought over ribs (from one of Megan's dad's pigs!) that they had made a cherry rosemary marinade for.  Oh so good! 

Aw!  Happy newlyweds :)  Christopher and Megan were one of the couples we couldn't miss getting married and they had an absolutely beautiful wedding.  Grand Traverse Yacht club was certainly a lovely setting for lives joined together.  

Rock Band!  Have I mentioned this game enough?  I think we may need to look into purchasing it at some point in the future.  Two guitars, two mics and a drum set make for an entertaining night for sure.  Megan was doing a great job on the drums and the smile on her face cracked me up so bad, especially compared to the absolute concentration Christopher is giving to his job as a video game bassist. 

Lisa on vocals. 

Mike and Andrew.  

Mike and Lisa.  I have actually seen them do this same thing without the video game.  Mike plays guitar and Lisa sings along with him when she knows the song...which seems to be a lot of the time...which is awesome and fun to listen to.  Way to be awesome, friends. 

Fun for the whole family!  We were able to get a weekend in with the faux bros.  They will be deeply missed by us all. 

Risk at Megan's.  Are you sure you want to do that? 

Board game in full swing. 

When you ask a smart phone a question, you never quite know what answer you are going to get.  I have to say, this is very good advice. 

Lisa and Nadia hanging in the camper.  Candy crush saga and the "great outdoors".  How spoiled are we? 

Color choices for the someday renovation/personalisation of the camper. Any suggestions are welcome! 

Darlin' ukulele that I've been dreamin' of...This little ukulele is the perfect thing for me in so many ways.  Small enough that I can play it in the car and easily carry it around and  the best part (well, they might all be best parts, who knows) is the amount of hand strength and dexterity I will gain from playing.  My hands are so important to me and they are the first thing that seems to go in a flare up situation.  I have had times where I couldn't open and close my hands. My physical therapist said the best thing I could do would be to exercise and strengthen my hands.  She gave me putty to squeeze, Conyers gave me a ukulele.  What an amazing gift, little brother! I can't thank you enough for the generosity you have shown me and my family.  

Did I mention packed and ready to go?  

Oh.  And I asked Lisa if she would let me redecorate her kitchen...just a little bit.  The brave girl said yes.  

And this is what she got.  Aw yeah.  Projects like this give me so much happiness and a vital sense of accomplishment.  Joy and Mike hung out with us for a while that evening as well and we knocked out the rest of the things that needed done to pull everything together. 

Celebratory Risk game and snacks. 

Lisa agreed to let me cut up her green table cloth and re-cover her chairs.  Not bad, huh?  

Even Aydan is excited. 

Lisa :) 

Silly.

Another finished picture of the kitchen.  I am just so pleased with how it turned out :) 

Packing things up and this was the basket that came together.  So thankful that Aydan is still in that in between boy and young man phase.  

First lesson with Conyers!  

Making music.  Sort of. 

That son of mine.  

At this time, I am in Evansville, IN.  We were able to get on the road by about 1:00 yesterday and arrived here close to 9.  Good drive for the most part. I believe it is just beginning to sink in.  The fact that we won't be going back.  Well, we will at some point but it will be so different.  Thank you to friends who hosted us, fed us, partied with us and have loved us so well.