Montana Trip -- The Grass Isn't Always Greener

This past holiday weekend Jon and I went to Montana to stay with some friends in their parents' cabins. We left Thursday evening and arrived at the cabin at about 10:45 pm. In the cabin we were staying were two other people, one I am friends with and another I hadn't met yet. I was exhausted when we arrived, but sleep was not coming for at least another hour. Instead we all stayed up talking until past midnight. Finally we were off to bed.

Rays of sunshine lit up the room at 5 in the morning. After not getting much sleep, this was not a welcomed wake up. For the next couple hours I became trapped in a cycle of broken sleep, waking up, falling asleep, waking up, falling asleep. Waving my white flag I got out of bed trying to wake my groggy self up completely.

I suggested going for a walk thinking we'd get outside for a little bit until we went back to shower. We ended up walking to the other cabin and the idea of a shower quickly diminished as our day got started. We ended up gathering our stuff and going to Bowman Lake in Glacier National Park. After some kayaking and canoeing we headed back to the cabin to sit around and relax.

Saturday, the 4th of July, we attended the local parade, which turned out to be more like a thrown together march of the rednecks. The parade lasted about 20 minutes at the most and that included them going up the road and back down it. As we walked back to the car, Loran and Ryan (the couple whose parents own the cabins) started snapping at each other. They continued to argue a few times saying mean things back and forth to each other. On one hand it made them seem less perfect and on the other hand it made things very uncomfortable.

Before the parade Sarah and I walked back to our cabin to get our cameras. On the way I mentioned how there seems to be some tension between Loran and Ryan. Sarah told me a few things I didn't know. She started with how he doesn't help Loran with the kids. Rather than stay at the cabin with her, he came over to our cabin and stayed with Jed. (Loran had to deal with one kid under 2 years old and a 2 week old baby. She was getting no sleep and no help.) Sarah told me that right after Addie was born, Loran woke up in the middle of the night to a crying baby and asked Ryan to go get her. His response was no, that's your job. The next morning he told her to never again ask him to do that. I found myself thinking what a sexist jerk he was.

Previously I had thought he was such a great guy and how lucky Loran was to be married to him. (Please note that I do love Jon and I wouldn't have married anyone but him.) But after hearing what Sarah said I found myself being grateful I wasn't in her shoes. To not have the help of my husband when I have a baby would be a major let down. I know my Jon would always be right there willing to help out, even if he was tired from rafting all day.

Back at the cabin, Loran and Ryan stayed outside to talk. The other four of us, Jed, Sarah, Jon and I, decided we were going to go on a hike to Cyclone Peak Lookout. We weren't quite sure where the trail head was but we thought we would try to find it. Sarah had been there once. Eventually we found our way to the trail head and started up the hill. We continued at a fairly quick pace and after about an hour we reached to top. The view was amazing! We could see mountains and lakes all around us. It started sprinkling so we headed back down. We reached our car in 30 minutes. We headed back to the cabin.

After finding Loran asleep we headed to the barn where Ryan was to play up in the loft. Sarah and I decided to go into town to get some cookies for later. When we returned Loran was up and she proceeded to give us a long shpeal about how sorry they were for fighting in front of us.

Sunday finally came and after cleaning up we headed back home to Washington. I was grateful to leave, ready for a break from everyone and ready to be at home where I would feel more comfortable. Finally we made it home, after 5 hours and 15 minutes in the car (with about 3 stops for gas, food, and the bathroom). We unloaded everything, my muscles aching from the hike the day before.

I'm grateful to be home. Grateful to have a loving husband. Grateful to find out that my favorite sister-in-law is expecting a baby. (We're hoping for a girl since she already has two boys.) I'm just grateful for the life I have, the husband I married.