Who was that guy?

The one that said "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger?"

I think he must have had a vision of moving cross-country with 4 kids.


And so.. just so that you can experience the past 2 weeks WITH me.. let me back up to give you the full picture: (WARNING- if you are squeamish, look away)





This was kid# 2 to get car sick and vomit:

I know it's probably sick and weird for me to have actually documented it with a camera, but seeing we'd been on the road all of 2 hours before we'd had 2 kids vomit, I knew this was going to be one for the record books.

And no, the picture does NO justice to the aroma of the car at that time.

We got to a tiny town with a tiny gas station and took some creative thinking to try to de-vomit and de-smell the car (the second time) and since it was time #2, we had already exhausted our supplies of plastic grocery bags and rags we keep in the car for just such an occasion

We bought the only paper towels there, pulled up to the outside bathroom (which just to happened to have an outdoor faucet that you'd connect a hose to and proceeded to hose down the car seat and kid.

We asked for a garbage bag and this is what we did:

It still smelled bad.

Really really really bad.

And then we crossed the Tapanzee bridge. (for those familiar with our trip, you know we weren't far before the trouble started

And of course, we were racing to get to VA by Larry's 6pm exit interview appointment, so RACING was the word when we another snag:

Yes. Not 1 but 2 flat tires.

We were traveling around the middle of NOWHERE (and I mean NOWHERE- think Amish country- they don't need tow trucks) PA looking for the next exit with something for lunch and diesel (because we were low- really low) when there was a loud THUD/WHACK/WHACK/WHACK/GRIND/GRUMBLE

We are grateful for our safety after having a flat at 80 mph (or so.. please don't send us a speeding ticket) and called AAA. Now.. the problem when you get a flat outside of your home AA area is they say "oh, we don't go that far" and transfer you to another branch of AAA who says "oh, they transferred you to the wrong area, we don't go that far" repeat.

So.. We unload the car, get the jack and spare while vehicles whizzing at 80 mph past poor Larry's head. It's 90 degrees and HOT HOT HOT in the van, (and on the pavement) even with the windows all as opened as they'd go. We opened the side door away from the road to get some more air, but the kids took that as a sign they cold get out, and we couldn't get them to understand this was not a watch-daddy-and-learn time. Oh, and did I mention the aroma of the 100 degree car?

So- I dug out every fruit snack, juice box and granola bar we had packed and kept passing them around until they had to go potty. (that was us you passed on the side of the road holding our kids over pavement so they could go)

And THEN.. we got oh, MAYBE 20 feet when the spare gave way.

Called AAA again. And we HAVE GPS. We told them we are at mile X on highway Y (and co-incidentally, we landed just infront of a mile marker sign) and they STILL couldn't find us. They must have old maps or something there (ironic, considering they are the ones you go to plan your trips and give you maps, huh?) they said "oh, that highway doesn't have that exit and mile marker on it, you must be in NJ" "oh, no, that was an HOUR ago- I assure you we ARE in PA." "but that road doesn't have that exit, you must be on 81" "I KNOW WHERE I AM! WHAT GOOD IS A ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE SERVICE IF YOU CAN'T FIND THE ROAD I'M ON?????!!!!!!!!!!" it was a good day.

So.. after 1 and 1/2 hours of THAT.. THIS is what we ended up with.

A few hours in the garage.. 2 new tires later and we decided we just needed to do something about the overwhelming aroma of the van.. and THIS is what we came up with:

I will admit, strapping the kid in there with the car seat on the roof briefly crossed my mind in the past, but no, no kid there.

We found a walmart and I took the vomit smelling kid and gave him a head-to-toe bath in their sink. While Larry bought a new car seat and treats for the kids for being relatively patient and good during this entire ordeal.

BUT the story can end on a bright note:

We actually did get there. About midnight. A friend (thanks, Mike) interceded for Larry and got the exit interview changed. And HERE is us at his promotion Ceremony:
Praise God! He graduated!! whoo hoo!

(I have to find the graduation pictures)

And in the next edition:

FLYING (you won't want to miss it, I promise)