Yep…stuck. 

  
Although Sunday I didn’t really know that yet. We went to church. It was small. After church we went to the Little Bighorn County Museum. This is one of my (and my kids’) favorite small museums. It is a collection of buildings, original and replica, with historical artifacts in them. A church, a schoolhouse, a dentist and a doctors office, and more. At least 20 buildings you can walk into and explore.

   
    
   
It was a great way to spend the afternoon. I knew we were probably wearing out our welcome (it’s hard not to when you are a group of 10, 8 of them children, descending upon a house), so it was good to make scarce.

Monday rolls around. Van goes into a new mechanic. Electrical issue, really common in these vans. Kids go swimming at the local pool. Tuesday, still working on it. I’m vascillate get between my strong optimism, and depression. It’s hard to be here in this small town with no car and nothing to do. The kids watch a lot of tv. The rv gets clean. We visit all the local parks.  

 By Wednesday I am absolutely stir crazy. I feel like I can’t stay another minute. The Ketchum girls need to be on a plane in rapid city Friday night. I feel horribly guilty that they are wasting their vacation watching tv instead of seeing cool things. They reassure me that they are getting to spend time with their cousins, and that is important to them. 

But, I gotta go. Deon checks in at the dealership where the van is, and explains our situation. They kindly offer us a loaner car that I can take to rapid city (with 7 seat belts) and I decide to leave that day. It is exhilarating to escape. 

After the kids get back from swimming, they pack up. I invite my nephew to join us, since I have to return the car in Hardin anyway. Book a hotel in sturgis. We have dinner altogether at subway, and say our goodbyes. It’s hard to watch. These girls are my kids best friends. They hang out more than a few times a week. They love each other so much. A year feels like a long time. More than a few tears are shed.

And, we’re off! It’s a four hour drive, mostly through a gorgeous part of Montana, highway 12. I spend the whole time talking to my niece Cassandra, which is great.

  
I feel like I have wings.