Not the Thanksgiving we Hoped For

Life does not always go as we plan.

Last weekend, Emily got a stomach virus.  Monday she was fine and we had a good day.  Tuesday, despite a terrible sore throat, I packed our bags to go to my parents for Thanksgiving.  We were so excited to see them, be with family and Steve had plans to hunt.  The girls were so excited to play with friends and their cousin.

Wednesday morning we loaded up and headed for South Arkansas.  We had been on the road for two hours when Sarah Kate told us she did not feel well.  Within one minute she threw up all over the truck.  It was just awful.  We were in the middle of nowhere.  We made it to the next town and stopped at a Walmart for Steve to get us towels, wipes, bowls and trash bags.

I called my parents and asked them what we should do.  Should we keep driving or turn around and go back home?  We still had about three and a half hours to go. We just did not know what to do.  My parents said that they would be agreeable either way.  They wanted us to do what we wanted to do.  We decided to drive on to my parents and then after about 15 minutes, we decided it was just crazy to take our sickness to them.  Sarah Kate would not be able to go to the big family gathering and we did not want to expose my parents to this illness.  We made a very hard and sad decision to drive back home.  I did not know for sure if we were making the right decision.  Sarah Kate wanted to go home because she felt so bad and Emily cried and cried about not getting to go to Meme and Grandaddy's house.  We were all just pitiful.  Steve and I had NO conversation on the drive home because my throat hurt so bad. We were all just sad and disappointed.  I knew my parents were feeling the same way and I was so sad for them too.

We got back home and Steve went to Honey Baked Ham to get us a Thanksgiving dinner for Thursday.  He spent a small fortune.

I woke up at 2:00 a.m. Thanksgiving morning sweating and sooooooo sooooooo sick.  The stomach virus had hit me!!!!!     I don't remember ever being that sick.  Not only did I have a horrible sore throat and stopped up ear, but I had a virus on top of it.  MISERY.  But, it confirmed my decision to drive back home.  So, I spent Thanksgiving in the bed sipping on Gatorade and telling Steve I never wanted to eat again. Ha!  I watched a Leave it to Beaver marathon which gave me a little happiness.  The girls played really well all day and Steve put together a Thanksgiving dinner for them.  Emily was so excited about the dinner.  Steve was very good to me and the girls would look in the doorway and tell me they loved me and were praying for me.  It was a sad day to be away from all my family and be so sick.

Friday morning, I was better.  I had made it.  My virus was gone, but I now had an ear ache. 

Today, I made it out of the house to take the girls to Chuck E. Cheese.  Steve had promised them that we would go there, since we did not go to Meme and Grandaddy's house.  I did manage to play a little Skee ball.


So, it was not the Thanksgiving we had planned.  But, I am thankful to Steve for giving the girls a good day.  I am glad that he got this picture of Emily and the Thanksgiving dinner that I hope we never have to eat again.  I like home cooked Thanksgiving meals.  But you never know what life is going to throw your way.