Travelin' to Texas

Six and a half years ago, JD and I packed our bags and drove I-20 all the way from Texas to South Carolina. We didn't really enjoy 18 hours in the car. We knew the day we drove it again would not come too soon! We praise the Lord that we have not had to drive that interstate since June 2004. That is until this Christmas. JD's mom is moving this coming spring and since we have some things (furniture and childhood keepsakes) at her house, it was time to load them up and bring them home.

I was nervous. A four year old in the car for 18 hours. Shew. I planned and planned for this adventure. Lots of snacks, movies, games, gifts, letterboxes, etc. all along the way. Each marked on the map so they were evenly spaced along the route. Little did I know how much of an adventure it would really be!

The original plan (a) was to leave after school on Friday (around lunch) and drive straight through, arriving mid day on Saturday. But after looking at the school calendar, showing LilE's party on Thursday, we changed our minds and decided to leave early on Friday (plan b). Our plans changed once again (plan c) as the kids were out of school on Thursday due to ice, therefore moving the party to Friday. Then after 9 days of having a cold, I decided I needed some antibiotics if I was going to be in the car for 24 hours. My OB was closed, therefore I was worked into my primary's office at noon on Friday. We ended up pulling out of town at 2:45pm on Friday (plan d). AHH!

3.6 miles out of town we hear the first "how much longer?" Really? (But that was the ONLY one we heard over the 2 days until we were 10 min from Nonnie's.) We hit Atlanta at 5pm. Really? That took way to long to get through. And since we wanted to drive a little over halfway, stopping in Vicksburg, MS, and it was already getting dark while we were driving, sitting in Atlanta, I knew it was going to be a very late night!

LilE opened trinkets during the daylight and watched lots of movies by night. We stopped for dinner in Birmingham and changed LilE into her PJs. She slept for about 2 hours in the car and was wide away at 11:30 pm. We continued on, movie playing in the back and were asleep in our hotel room by 2am. (Did you know you get a prorated room if you check in after midnight? Just sayin').

Our sleep was abruptly stopped at 3:30am when LilE woke up screaming and crying. Her ear hurts. What in the world? We get her to fall back asleep, only to wake up again at 4am. That is when I realize this is NOT good! We are in the middle of no-wheres-ville Mississippi. In the middle of the night. I did not bring Motrin. Have you ever tried to teach a 4 year old how to swallow half of an adult Tylenol in the middle of the night while they are crying out in pain? Well, I have. And it didn't work. So, she crawled into bed with me in hopes of allowing JD to sleep a bit since he is the driver. But she continued to wake up every 30 minuted for the remained of the "night". After 8am, I went downstairs to ask about an Urgent Care. Praise the Lord there was one! We got ready and ate breakfast and then headed to the hospital to find this Urgent Care. The hospital was empty on a Saturday, but I finally found the clinic--It was a Pediatric Clinic!!! Thank you Lord!

We had to wait 2 hours (we were called back at 11:30am) to see the doctor. While waiting, LilE asks me if she is going to get a shot. "No, it is just an ear infection. They will give you medicine to drink." Do you see where this is headed? The nice doctor comes in and tell us, yes, the ear is really infected. And since we are traveling and it looks so bad, she wants to treat it aggressively and start with a dose of Rocephin (translates into shot) and also Amoxil. What? And this clinic says she is too old to give it to her in the leg. What, what? So there I am, a big fat lier to my kid and then I have to go and hold her belly down on this table. "LilE, I am so sorry. You can have whatever you want!"

Oh, but it just gets better. The doc writes her a prescription to take to the pharmacy. This is small town, so there is no Target or CVS, just Mom and Pop pharmacy. They proceed to charge more than double what I pay for Amoxil at Target. And I bought a bottle of gold, I mean Motrin, to help with the pain. I took the Amoxil out to the car and before driving off we gave her a dose. If my memory serves me correctly, Amoxil has always been pink bubblegum at Target. But this was white chalk flavored. She about spit the whole dose on me. I go back inside to said Mom and Pop pharmacy and ask for them to flavor it for me. It cost $3. Target flavors their medicine for free when it doesn't come preflavored. (And I have even had them to tell me if it is not enough, to bring it back and they would add more flavor.) But, after some Dr. Pepper and the Grape Gold Motrin, she was better.

"LilE, what do you want for lunch? Yes, you can have ice cream! Anything you want!"

Now it is 2pm and we are just now leaving Mississippi. Whatever. We drive and actually stop a couple of times to pick up some fun letterboxes. Lots of gifts open. Way to much TV. But, zero complaints from the back seat. ZERO! And that was both days. She never whined, complained, anything. Ear infection and all. We were flabbergasted!

We praise the LORD for getting us there, even if it was 11pm! Not in any way we planned, but HE provided for our every need. I am so thankful for the MD we saw. She was super aggressive with the infection. Otherwise we might have had a repeat of two years ago--ruptured ear drum. JD is thankful for Bubbllicious. It kept him awake during those late night/early morning driving hours. And LilE is thankful for "Princesseses".  I think she watched every single one on the drive!