Saturday, November 12, 2016

Family trip to Helen

At the beginning of fall, we make a bucket list of all the fun things we want to do to embrace the season. We decided a "mountain trip with Nana & Papa" was a definite on our list. We had done this the past two years and it became one of the things we think of when we think fall. We picked a date and hoped the rest of the family would be able to join...and even with our busy schedules, it worked! All 11 of us in one full, happy, not so quiet house. ;) 

Turns out, we booked this trip the night before my dad went to the doctor and found out his lymphoma was stage iii. That morning was a gut punch/walking in circles moment...but I was so happy to know that this trip was already booked and only weeks away. 

Then, would you know one week before we were supposed to leave my mom ended up in the hospital for FIVE days being treated for sepsis. She's kind of a complicated patient ;)...so some of her days in the hospital things got worse before they got better. We let the doctors know she had her 60th birthday coming up and a family trip to the mountains--we were going to need her to get well and get out. 

All that to say, the trip came at the perfect time. One chemo treatment down for one parent, a 5 day stay in the hospital for the other...and we were finally off for some family fun. 

We explored Helen, hiked Anna Ruby Falls, visited Brasstown Bald, and did a lot of hanging around the cabin. 

All the little monkeys jumpin on the bed. 
Lauren was either studying or taking my parents vitals most of the trip. ;)
Brasstown Bald 
Target practice 
{with a bb gun and extreme parent supervision...still not sure how I feel about this}
Little game of rolling acorns down the steep driveway.
Looking forward to next year's trip with this crew again.