real life curve balls

we decided to take a spontaneous trip to vermont on saturday.

a drive to see "big nana", my husband's grandmother.   she is 92 years young and her smile is as big as her heart.

we packed up the car and headed out.  we needed to grab a bite to eat for lunch, all of a sudden kellen got sick in the car.  we pulled over, he felt better, so we got back on the road figuring he was car sick.  we cracked the windows and kept an eye on him...  i have distinct memories of being so very car sick on long rides as a kid.  i would will myself to sleep just to try to avoid that feeling.  hubby had the same curse,  he too has horrible tales of car sickness...  an hour in kellen got sick again.  we armed him with plastic bags just in case,  but like vomit can do, it sneaks up too fast and a bag is sometimes missed.  that happened  the third time, about a half hour from our destination.  this was the worst time,  he got sick on himself, on his blanket, on his school buddy "Hershey Bear", and the car seat.  oh my.  that only made it all worse.  feeling sick is bad enough,  getting it on yourself and the things you love only makes it worse and brings on big tears...  :(   we all  felt so sad for him.  we did our best to wipe up what we could with the wipes i had in the car and we trudged on knowing we would soon be out of the car.  once we were he seemed to perk up and even asked for dinner.   we ate and he kept it down and he looked as good as he had all trip,  still chalking it up to car sickness.  we got to nana's and sat and talked with her and then said we would see her the next morning for a good long visit all together.   took the kids and got them tucked in for bed,  i even snuck a visit in at my friend Diane's house.  it was looking good for day 2 in vermont.  then morning came, we woke and guess what?  casey takes her turn.  so now we know it was not car sickness but a stomach bug of some sort.  isn't that just how it goes?  you have the best of intentions with your plans and then life steps in and throws you big curve balls. so casey and i stayed at the house, she fell asleep on the couch,  kellen and my hubby met family at church and then had lunch together. i am sorry casey and i did not get more time with nana and pa but it was just the way it had to be this trip.  

i am supposed to be heading out for an even bigger and longer drive this friday,  driving to PA to see family and friends for a full week (spring break week for the kids here in maine) that takes me about 8-9 hours with pit stops for food and bathroom breaks.  i guess i am glad to know that kellen was not actually car sick but just sick.  i was truly fearing friday when i thought he was suddenly developing an aversion to car rides.   so now i guess i pack lots of wipes and buckets this time just in case.....  oh my.

 all was worth it seeing nana's face light up when she saw the kids.