The Big Birthday

We braved many elements to be able to spend part of Emerson's birthday with her yesterday . As God would have it the bitter cold gave both her mommy and daddy a day off of school so all three were home.

Both Ken and I had big reservations about making the trip. They were not mutual reservations, however . You see, my husband goes early in the morning to the coffee shop in town. It is certainly not the place to get filled up with positive attitude. So when he got home, he said, "Well, if we go I think we will bypass 65 and 80/94." I asked what way would we go? Oh through Lowell and Dyer and and and. I looked at him like he was out of his mind. I asked why and he said there is ice and accidents all over the place. I know not to make a big deal of it but it just gripes me. See I was raised by a father that let not snow, ice, hail, or tornado stop him from going somewhere and that is the philosophy in my head. Then I have this man who wants to be oh so cautious. He already had asked me to listen to the travel reports and the gal I listened to and watched speak the words said, "Very cold, but travel is much better than yesterday." I relayed that to him and then he went to town. Enuf said on that score. In the end, no more was said, and we left, he took the normal interstate routes and we never saw an accident and didn't see any ice. Our way home was less than swift because we got caught in a parking lot during rush hour. Once we got on 294 the way was clear. We got off at 2 and 65 to get some cheap gas. Oh darn. It went up 25 cents since we filled up in the morning. The trucks were crawling on 2 just when I had opened my mouth to remind my less than positive driver that we had seen no accidents. Oooops, a little to early. A big semi with a open load of heavy looking product had lost the back wheels of his rig into the little ditch in front of Flying Js. They had a big truck there trying to right it but it didn't look real promising. We got our gas and got back on 65 for our final 15 minute leg home. No more had we gotten on and we saw another big semi that had rolled on its side in the median. Oh my. There were very dark tire marks on the road so my guess is the poor guy got cut off. The roads were dry. So okay, we did see two accidents..........only miles from our house.

My reservations were more of a physical nature. For whatever reason, I was UP the ENTIRE night prior. I could not rest for even five minutes. I'd lie down and was up in no time. Ken rubbed my back until he fell asleep (about five minutes) then Scarlen came to my room and sat on the bed and did for me what I have done for her many times. Comforted and rubbed my back. She was so sweet. I wish I could say anything was successful but I would be lying. Do you know how long it is from when everyone else goes to bed and light comes in the morning. By morning, I was a total wreck. I could not figure out why the Ambien did not work and I couldn't understand how my body would function after having been up over 24 hours. I didn't sleep on the way....just couldn't find it. When we first arrived, we sat in the living room where I laid on the sofa and the sun streamed in over my body. For some reason, I began to relax and fell asleep. I slept an hour and was relieved to know that my body would find rest again. We stayed about four hours and by that time, I was eager to get home.

We enjoyed watching a little girl all of one year old wearing her little birthday tiara and enjoying all the attention by her doting parents and grandparents. I've never seen a daddy so whipped. I swear he watches her every moment. The grin that spreads across his face proves the point. When we celebrated her birthday (picture above) with uncles aunts and cousins, she was unimpressed with the cake. Didn't want anything to do with it......ie...why Kendra is sucking the frosting off her finger. We tried again last night and realized the little kid is scared of cakes. I wonder if its the candle burning. I don't know but it truly was funny. She didn't even want her picture taken near the thing. Grandpa and Daddy enjoyed it even if she didn't. Kendra put a crumb of cake into Emerson's mouth and she spit it out with vigor. Maybe next year.

For Joyce, my sister, Jann, and Bernice, I have a confession to make. This morning I was cleaning off my bedside table. A white pill set next to a glass of water. I picked up that pill and matched it to those in the Ambien bottle. I know that I took a pill that night which I thought was an Ambien. Guess not. Explains a lot but not all. I still don't know why I was so jumpy though perhaps I just put my self in a state anticipating going away the next day. Kendra lovingly told me that I was mental. She is right. I'm working on it or should I say that God is working on it.