Coughing our way through California to Joshua National Park

We coughed our way through California. One week ago, we left on our road trip after a bout of flu. We were all still sneezing and coughing when we left, but were hopeful that some good old California sun would cure us. Well, it didn't. Yesterday, Steve napped in the RV on the verge of a fever, while the kids and I explored Joshua Tree National Park. We did it with sore throats and snot, but at least we were out there, enjoying ourselves. I couldn't believe my kids' energy. They bounded off rock walls, sped by cacti, and jumped on boulders. Even little Eva jogged one mile on the trail to Skull Rock. We were happy to move our bodies, because the day before, we were cooped up in the RV on a 400-mile day.

We passed through Joshua Tree National Park two years ago, and I fell in love with it then. This time, I'm still in love with its stark beauty. The Doctor Suess-like Joshua Trees are still as bizarre as they were two years ago, and so are the dramatic rock formations. The Cholla Cactus are breath taking, as are the other cacti.

We are traveling well as a family. Despite being together every minute of the day and night in a little 25 foot RV and navigating this stupid sickness, we still like each other. We have our moments, of course. The other night, we were all hungry and tired, it was dark, and we couldn't find a RV park. We had driven hundreds of miles that day and were road weary. The kids were sick of being in the RV and bickered. Steve and I snapped at each other. But an hour later, with a home cooked dinner from our own pork that we brought along, glasses of Martinelli's apple cider, soft lights shining on our faces, we were okay again.