☀️She's Extraordinary ☀️

Are We There Yet?

Wilmington, North Carolina (Tuesday, July 24th) (Leia's Perspective)
We have been driving allllllll morning! Mommy and Aunty Eve said we'll figure out where we're going when we get there. That doesn't make a lot of sense to me but I guess that makes it a surprise?
"Mommy, are we there yet?!"
"No Leia, and asking me a million times isn't going to get us there any quicker."
"This is so boring! The only thing that's not boring is along you stuff a million times and bugging you." Mom chuckled.
"I guess I can't blame you. You know, there was something Bella and I used to do when she was bored."
"What was it?" I asked while holding Maia, my American Girl Doll.
"We would ask each other questions! Anything under the sun."
"Even if it's silly?!"
"Yes, even if it's silly."
"I wanna try!"
"Okay, you can go first."
"Mommy, what's your favorite color?"
"Hmmm, purple.......and yellow sometimes. It puts me in a good mood." I giggled.
"Leia, what's your favorite memory?" I thought for a second.
"My favorite memory is when me and you went to the Poconos for the weekend because we went on a lot of rides and played games, and I had Mommy all to myself."
"Aww, that's one of my favorites too." I giggled a lot as I thought of the next question.
"What is it?! Do I have food stuck between my teeth?"
"No!"
"Then what is it, giggles?" That's what Mommy calls me when I laugh a lot!
"Is it true that you had a lot of boyfriends?"
"Boyfriends?!"
"Bella said you had a lot of boyfriends!"
"She's exaggerating. I've had a couple."
"That's weird." I said.
"Boys have cooties, so I don't even know how you have a lot of boyfriends."
"Well, one day-"
"Lalalalala!! I have to go get another cootie shot! You have cooties!"
"Leia Mae, I do not have cooties!" Mommy couldn't stop laughing.
"You do, but I still love you, Mommy! I just can't be around you because you're contagious."
"That isn't good! How can I be cured?"
"You need a shot too." I got my doctor kit and opened it.
"It's gonna hurt just a little bit! But then you'll be all cured!" I gave Mommy a shot and she looked in pain.
"You're all better now! I can be around you again!"
**********************
The RV (12:05 PM) (Bella's Perspective)

Me: I don't want to argue with you anymore
Me: I'm done arguing.
Jake: We wouldn't have to argue if you TOLD ME THE TRUTH
Me: But I am telling you the truth. Nothing happened between us.

"Bella, Mommy said that she left your lunch in the kitchen." Leia said cutely. I put down my phone and I broke down.
"Are you okay, sissy?" She climbed up and hugged me. I hugged her back.
"I-I'll be okay."
"I'm gonna give you more hugs until you feel better! Don't cry, BB! Don't cry, Leia's gonna make you feel happy." She rested her head on my chest.
"It gonna be okay!"
"I know, but I'm just a little bit sad right now."
"Leia, come finish your lunch."
"No, Bella is sad! I gotta make her feel better, Daddy!" Oh gosh, Leia. Elliot came over and I felt immensely embarrassed.
"The best way to make Bella feel better is to give her some space. Come on down and eat."
"I promised I'd stay until she was happy."
"You can come back after you've finished. Go eat please." Elliot set her on the ground and she went off to the table, pouting.
"Hey, what's the matter?" He helped me down as well and we sat on the bottom bunk.
"Boys suck." Elliot grabbed me a tissue and I wiped my face with it slowly.
"Honey, I think we've always known that." I chuckled.
"What did this boy do?"
"We've gotten into a bit of an argument because he thinks that I went out with his friend because his friend has been going around saying we did stuff that we haven't because he's jealous of our...friendship, but the guy won't believe me. I explained so many times but he keeps believing his friend. I don't know what to do."
"You've told him the truth countless times, right?"
"One time too many."
"Mhm. If you care about this friend, you give him one last chance to listen and then after that-"
"After that what?"
"Reconsider your friendship. Friendships are built on trust, and if this person doesn't trust you, and is being rude to you, take that as a sign of their true colors. You don't deserve to be crying when you know you did nothing wrong. Cut them loose, let them go. Keep good friends only." I nodded.
"Thanks, Dad. You always give good advice."
"Do I? My other children disagree."
"Well, they're wrong. I just think I'm going to take a break from my phone and talk to them after the trip maybe."
"Alright, kiddo. Tell me how it goes, okay?" I nodded again. Cut them loose, cut them loose.
******************
Myrtle Beach Travel Park (Olivia's Perspective)
You know, I'm really sticking to this whole happy thing. Let Elliot be moody, we don't have to deal with that now! This trip is for making memories!
"What are you girls scheming?" I asked.
"Scheming?!? Liv, look at this. Wine tasting reservations."
"Ooo, that does sound nice."
"Perfect for a girl's day, come onnn, I know how much you like your wine."
"Alright, you've got me." I relented. Eve basked in her win.
"Finally got her to loosen up, I take all of the credit."
"This entire thing was my idea." Addison stated.
"But you didn't execute it, did you?"
"Girls, girls, you're both pretty." Jake, Addison's husband appeared laughing.
"While you ladies are talking about this oh-so epic girls' day, we're planning a guys' night."
"Oh really? Is this a competition now?"
"Maybe, but what I do know is that you're not going to stop us from having a good time."
"And what happens there stays there." Garrett said.
"That could go both ways."
"Excuse me!!" I looked down to see my adorable daughter. She ran up to Eve and hugged her.
"Yes, my darling?"
"If you're having a girl's and boy's day, can we have a kids' day? Where we do whatever we want?!?"
"Hmmm, we'll have to think about that. If you guys controlled the day we'd be full of sugar and broke."
"Sugar is good though, Aunt Addie! You ate an entire cake with Mommy and Aunty Eve and you guys were happy! Sugar makes people happy! Everyone wants to be happy!" Leia pointed out.
"Until the sugar makes you crash."
"Nu-uh! It just makes me hyper."
"Alright, go change into your bathing suit so that we can go to the beach missy."
"On it captain!"
*********************
Myrtle Beach (Elliot's Perspective)
"Leia, go get more water!" Gabby said.
"Okay, come help me! And get sand too!" The kids rushed over to the water and I watched as they hurried to grab as much as they could for our sandcastle.
"Are you and Liv doing better?"
"How do you-"
"Alex comes back every night with gossip." We both laughed.
"Yeah, it's just sort of calm right now."
"You guys sorted everything out?"
"More like put it on pause. We both agreed to deal with everything when we got home. I still feel a wreck though."
"I can tell, I haven't seen you that angry at Leia this entire trip."
"I know and I feel horrible about it. I've been giving her extra hugs and kisses and sweets. That made me realize that I had to control my anger better."

"But Daddy, I don't like green beans. Please can I not eat it?" I set the plate back on the table.
"I don't like green beans!" She protested.
"I do not care! You're lucky to be able to have a well-balanced meal placed in front of you, not everyone has that. So you are going to eat it whether you like it or not! You do not have a choice in this matter! That is the problem with a lot of you children these days, you think you have the choice. Well, not today. You're not leaving here until you finish your dinner." I banged my fist against the table, causing Leia to cover herself and cry. She ran behind Eve and Niko's RV and refused to come back until I left.
"Daddy's gonna hit me." I heard her say to Eve.

"I know this might not be the best thing to say, but maybe it's a good thing that that happened. It made you realize-"
"That I had to fix it." The kids reappeared.
"Garrett we got some sticks and rocks for the sandcastle."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah, and we came up with an idea."
"Yeah, we did!"
"What is it?"
"We sound have water around the castle like in the movies."
"Yeah, to like protect the castle. We got a piece of wood for the bridge."
"That's perfect! One more thing though!" I told them.
"What?"
"We need some shells to decorate the castle."
"I'll find some!"
"No, I will!" Garret chuckled at their eagerness.
"Hey, you never told me exactly what got you so mad." I thought of how to start.
"I was married...before Liv to my ex-wife Kathy. We loved each other dearly and had 5 kids together, but then we started to drift apart. We separated and got divorced. I got with Liv, she got with a man named Charles, and a couple of days ago she got engaged to him."
"Ohh."
"Yeah, and I don't know why I'm so angry and hurt. I shouldn't feel this way, right?"
"No, it's okay to feel this way. You guys were together for your entire adult life, but have you considered that maybe...."
"Maybe...??"
"Maybe you're still in love with Kathy?"
*******************
Myrtle Beach Travel Park (11:45 PM) (Wednesday) (Noah's Perspective)
"How's Singapore?" I asked Morgan.
"It's pretty freaking great, except-"
"Except?!? You're halfway across the world, what could be the issue?"
"Gum is illegal! They confiscated mine at the airport! I can't live without gum!"
"Who would've known that it would be your gum addiction that ruin your trip."
"Oh please, it was a traumatizing experience. But jk, this trip has been awesome. Singapore is so pretty and super clean. And the food is delicious. I wish you could try it."
"Me too."
"Well, you might be in luck, I looked for some Singaporean places in Manhattan. We could go to them when we get back. It'd be a cute date."
"Sure, that sounds good."
"How's your RV trip? I see you got your phone back."
"It's way better now. They sort of let us older ones do our own thing so we went by the Lazy River, played volleyball, basketball. It was pretty cool."
"That's great, I'm glad you're not being yelled at anymore. Pissed you is not the same as happy you."
"Hey Noah, I snagged you some leftover s'mores!" Bella handed me the plate.
"Thanks, Bell."
"Hey, Morgz! How's Singapore?"
"Great! The Wi-Fi here is awesome, but no gum."
"She isn't going to last." Bella whispered.
"I heard that!"
"Just kidding! Bring me back something! And text me."
"Alright!" Bella waved goodbye and went to go talk to Lila.
"It looks like you're missing out on all the fun."
"Nahh, they're just making s'mores and stuff."
"We'll go join them! Go make those memories! We can talk later." I smiled.
"Alright, bossy. Have a great day."
"And you have a good night."
"Love you, bye!"
"Love you too!" She hung up and put her phone away. We got a couple of days here in South Carolina, I should make them count. I headed outside and the fire was ablaze. Everyone had a stick, either roasting marshmallows or a hotdog. Jonah, Nathan, and Eli were fighting to see who could toast the best hotdog like this was Masterchef, the girls were busy recording themselves, the littles were tired, and the adults were all laughing. This isn't going to last forever, I should enjoy it.
"Noah, you're back! Hey, tell me who's hotdog looks the best."
"Look at mine, I used a special technique to make sure the fire hit every single spot, making for a pleasant meal, and I have a tomato reduction on the side alongside some pickled cucumbers."
"You guys know that you're not on TV, right?"