We have not taken a trip with our adult children in years. It’s often difficult to agree on a destination or coordinate calendars. When children have their own lives, it is a challenge. But, after a few weeks of wrangling, we did it. We planned a family trip to Costa Rica. Three different areas: cloud forest, surfing, and white water rafting.

We’ve been to Costa Rica before, but we were bringing along a lovely girlfriend and one newly-minted fiance this time. It was going to be an amazing trip. Everyone could do as much or as little as they wanted. I was set to relax and put the final touches on my latest first draft while everyone else chased their adrenaline and learned new things.

We left on July 4th and nearly missed our plane, but it worked out. Our first hotel was a lodge in one of the cloud forests. We took a walking tour and then a night tour where we met a timid scorpion and a beautiful tarantula. It was fantastic. A great start, but Michael’s throat was raw, and my lower back hurt.

We were surrounded by everything beautiful in nature, about to be consumed by the one thing we’d avoided for nearly two years.

After a ziplining trip akin to Mission Impossible, Michael went first with a fever. I followed close behind with joint pain and a headache from hell. The remaining five, save my son, who miraculously managed to escape, followed us into temperatures over a hundred and varying degrees of sickness. As a result, we canceled the remainder of our trip and were quarantined in a foreign country for ten days.

Most of it was a haze of medication, never enough water, and Tate’s cookies. We are home now, negative on paper but still chasing away the yuck COVID leaves in its wake. Today is my first day back at my computer, and here’s what I’ve taken away from our ruined vacation.

Things happen.

All the planning and prepping goes out the window when Mother Nature or COVID invites themselves to the party. There is no controlling most of our lives. I know that, but what are the chances you finally manage a family trip, and the whole thing goes to crap? Pretty good, it turns out. Life derails. Often.

My thoughts from the laundry room. Under the Covers.

acceptance coping crazy life health thoughts travel vacation Costa Rica COVID fail family life thoughts vacation