Mendonite Welkers: Bar J Wranglers

Last weekend (August 28), Dave and I took a trip to Jackson, Wy for a night at the Bar J Wrangler Ranch. It has been five years (where has the time gone) since we have last been to Jackson to see the Bar J's. The last time we went, I was barely pregnant with Ashley and this is the trip that we hit the deer and totaled our Jeep Cherokee.

Of course, as mine and Dave's luck goes, it always has to be an adventure. This adventure actually started Friday night. I was at my Mom's Friday night because Dave was working the Mt. Crest football game. Nicole fell to sleep on my Mom's lap at 7 p.m. and woke up at 8 p.m. running a 103.5 fever. I quickly gave her some Ibuprofen and brought her home.

At home, I took her temperature before putting her to bed and it was down to 102.7 so I decided to give her Tylenol. It was no more than three minutes later when she decided to start throwing up. I was so thankful to have Hannah still up. She was such a big help in taking care of Nicole after I had her cleaned up so I could clean up myself and the bathroom. Of course her first course of action was to call Grandma Peterson and get her on her way to help! I remember Hannah always calling Grandpa Peterson when the llamas or cows got out to get him started on his way to get them corralled back in. I guess it's nice to know that she knows where to turn in case of an emergency. It took awhile but Nicole's fever finally broke and she went to bed for the night.

We were going to play Saturday morning by ear to see how Nicole was doing and then we'd decide whether or not we would be going to Jackson. Nicole seemed fine all morning. She woke up with a fever around 100.7 but with a little Ibuprofen she was happy as could be. We decided to go ahead and go and we'd have Grandma Peterson keep her medicated and all should be fine.

We got to Alpine, Wy, which is about 30-40 minutes from Jackson around 4 p.m. We checked into our hotel room and called to say we had made it safely. Grandma Peterson had to call back because Ashley had been riding her scooter and fell and smacked her head on the cement. When I received a call back, Ashley was finally under control and had an ice pack on her LARGE goose-egg. I had them give her Ibuprofen and she was fine the whole rest of the time.

Dave and I got to the Bar J Ranch and received another phone call around 6 p.m. that said Nicole's fever was 101.5 and rising. She was medicated with Ibuprofen and Tylenol and it wasn't breaking the fever, In fact, the fever once again reach 103.5. Thank goodness my brother and his family were with my mom to help and keep everyone calm. They put Nicole in the bath and everything else they could think of to break the fever. Finally, Mike gave her a blessing and 20 minutes later she was down from my Mom's lap playing with the other kids and her fever was down to 100.

Can I just say how helpless you feel as a mother to be 4 hours away from your child that is sick. Dave was the one stepping outside to take the phone calls. He can stay much calmer than me. It's quite a gift he has. I was inside saving our seats and my stomach was in complete knots. All I could do was pray to myself that she would be alright and for the fever to break. I was so relieved to call back after dinner and before the show began to find that she was doing great!

When Dave and I woke the next morning we did learn that Nicole fevered again through the night to 102 but my Mom was keeping it under control with the meds. So, we checked out of the hotel and made our way home. It took until Wednesday before she stopped fevering. Poor girl!

On a brighter note, the Bar J's were great! Dave and I really enjoy going to Jackson and enjoying the atmosphere at the Bar J Ranch. We enjoy the yummy steak dinner and the entertainment. I sure hope we make it back sooner than five years from now!

Some of the outdoor decor.....

Here's the Bar J Wranglers.......there is one more guy off to the left playing the steel guitar but he wasn't in enough light to show up in the picture.