Our Family Vacation to Houston Part 9
Day four of our trip began with packing everything back up and heading to the Galveston area. Originally, I had planned (here again I’m a planner) to spend a day at the beach, but the day before we left, my husband heard that Moody Gardens was the place to go and offered to buy our family a year’s pass. I had mixed emotions. Hotels were already bought and I knew that if we spent the two days he suggested at Moody Gardens, there would be no way we were going to have time to go to the beach too, but with him excited about paying to take us to this neat place, how could I refuse?
It took us about an hour to drive there; meanwhile, I was stuffing myself with Cheez-Its. Since Jason had decided not to take us out for breakfast, I didn’t want a repeat of the day before. Well, when we got to the island just a few minutes before the park opened, my husband declared he was hungry and was going to stop for breakfast.
Stop here. Ready yourself for another test that I failed. I had been happy to eat Cheez-It’s for breakfast, even though I would rather have gone out, but by this time I was full. “No fair!” I cried out, sounding ever so much like my children. So instead of going happily with the change of plans, like a godly wife would have done, I spoke the ugly thoughts that came to mind. Jason matched my words and accusations, equally unhappy that I made such a big deal out of it.
So on the morning of our fourteenth wedding anniversary, I sat in the van bawling my eyes out while my family enjoyed a nice breakfast. By that time I was more hurt than mad, but pregnancy limits my ability to control my emotions, and I could not stop crying. I did not want to sit in the restaurant crying, so I just stayed in the van. I actually felt stupid and horrible about the whole thing, but the damage was done. My husband was not happy that I didn’t join them, but I really I was full, and I would not have been able to eat anyway.
I could have left this episode out, but you need to know that as much fun and laughter as we share, we can also be very stubborn and selfish. We work at not being so, but we are a very average family with our ups and our downs. I want you to see the whole picture. We struggle and don’t have it all together!

I love the picture!
We’re getting ready to go on vacation next week! I’m glad you shared this because as much as we are relaxed on vacation, there are stressors and mixed opinions from my hubs and I on who should be leading the activities and so forth and sometimes we totally disagree on what to choose! Mix that in with the kiddos opinions and it can get ugly. I’m hoping for smooth sailing, LOL!
Oh I can so relate!!!
Our first “real” family vacation, my husband left a bag at the airport bus stop. It contained our checkbook! I was furious!!! Since then I’ve forgotten – twice – to pack his underwear. He now packs his own.
Once in the “happiest place on earth” everyone got to do what they wanted but me. I threw a little hissy fit and stormed off. Really!!!! Not cool.
Each time, I learn that life — vacation or home — is too short to snivel over petty things. Families that succeed get really good at trying to improve communication, forgiving, asking forgiveness, and laughing! Often! Even at our own mistakes!!!
I’m sorry you guys had a hiccup. 🙁 One of the issues we had during my pregnancy was the fatigue in the 1st trimester. I’d get home from work, sack out on the couch, and be unable to move for the entire evening. It really irritated him for a while – he thought I was just using being pregnant as an excuse to lay around. Until I burst into tears one evening and said “Do you think I LIKE being incapable of doing ANYTHING? Trust me, this is not my first choice! I literally am physically unable to move, I am so stinking tired!”. He was a little more understanding after that, but those first few weeks were tough.
Glad to hear you’re a normal family 🙂
But even with pizza flying and pregnant mommies crying there is so much love and that is a beautiful thing!!
I’ve had my share of “no fair” moments where I sound younger and more rotten than my children in their tantrums.