Well, there we were. Thursday morning we all got up and proceeded with last minute packing, arranging, showers, etc. The kids got a little restless as we made our final preparations to go back home for Benjamin’s baptism. The kids were good. Too good. I asked them all to go potty and they complied eagerly. One by one, I strapped them into their seats. Roxy and I made final rounds of the house, turning off lights, shutting doors, making sure that the house was secure. And so we started out of the driveway and onto the road. A tiny voice crept into our ears from the back of the van.
“I have to PEEee!”
2 miles later, we stopped at McDonalds so that Caitlyn could pee. The rest of the trip was largely uneventful. As we got out onto the open road, the kids immersed themselves into their gaming apparatus’s and Caity looked on, bored. I saw her in the rear view mirror. She grimaced. I made note of it to Roxann who then prompted her to open her travel bag and get her crayons and coloring book out. We did not stop again until we had reached the northern half of Kentucky. We stopped for potty and lunch. It took too long. I noted that we had lost about 40 minutes. Roxann reminded me to relax as she always does and off we went. We made it all the way through St Louis without a potty break. But I had an agenda that would soon prove to be the downfall of my good timing.
There are two things that we do not have in Tennessee that should be required by any state. These things are Chipotle Burritos and Quick Trip. I conspired to find a QT to stop at for potty break… and a sweet, sweet eggroll. I reasoned that we would stop, but at the very last moment. As we passed St. Charles, I realized that there were no Quick Trips until Columbia. I was foiled. What was worse was yet to come.
Roxann let me know that she had to pee. So did Caity.
“Kingdom City is close.” I pushed on not really knowing how far it was. I had remembered seeing a sign, but couldn’t remember how far. I continued on, trying to push the envelope of distance as far as I could. Finally, it was too much for poor Caitlyn. She began to whimper. I looked desperately for an exit but found none. I pulled to the side of the road. We brought her potty chair. Roxann jumped out, grabbed the chair and rested it on the cooler. Caitlyn was pleased with herself. She thought it was exciting to pee right there in the car on the side of the road in the middle of Missouri. We packed it all back up and started back on the highway. ½ a mile later, I saw an exit. D’oh!
Again, I pushed on trying to make up lost time. Roxann turned to me. It was over. I found the nearest exit with a gas station. I was defeated. We did stop in Columbia for gas at the QT. I was excited. I finally had my drinky and my eggroll.
As we neared Oak Grove the sky started to get dark as the storm ate the horizon. By the time we got to Blue Springs, the heavens had opened and the downpour was torrential. I reasoned with myself and with Roxann on how to carry on in the low visibility and pouring rain. We exited at Woods Chapel as we heard the hard repetitive pinging of hail. Looking for cover, we found it at the BP station right there off thehighway. Seeing an empty pump under the awning, I moved quickly to secure it.
There we sat, watching the rain and hail, assuring the kids that everything was OK. Then we saw it. In front of the garage was a half collapsed canopy. The man under it was trying in vain to keep It up. Roxann looked at me and said, “go help.” So I did. I ran out and asked him if he needed some help. He did. So I stood there, holding up the tent poles futily while he and his wife gathered up the cooking supplies and hastily threw them into the back of his maroon Cadillac. When we were done, we introduced ourselves to each other. He graciously thanked me and we ways. I sloshed back to the car. There was not a single spot on my body that was not soaked. I reached over and change the controls to heat as the A/C was making be cold. We finished the last 3 miles to Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Mark and Bo helped me unload the bags and I got into dry clothes. It was good to see everyone. I was re-introduced to nieces and nephews and got some time to catch up with a few of my siblngs. We got the grand tour and as we have always done, we sat at the table and had dinner. Not as the whole family, but there with Bo, Merilee, their kids, and Mom and Dad. It was familiar, warm, and pleasant. I felt relief as we all settled back into each other's lives. Home again. Home at last.
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