Fortunately, my husband had an opportunity to go to a conference in Orlando. So we decided it would be the perfect chance to spend some quality time with Bobo, and take her to The Magic Kingdom.
Unfortunately, we couldn’t get on the same flights as Jay.
Fortunately, we had a direct, 5 1/2 hour flight, with no layovers.
Unfortunately, we had a direct, 5 1/2 hour flight, with no layovers.
Fortunately, the trip logistics went relatively smoothly. Sure, some luggage was temporarily “misplaced” by the airlines, and a few meltdowns occurred here and there… but overall, there were no major snafus.
Unfortunately, our lucky streak came to a halting screech around 10 o’clock Sunday night. That was when Bobo woke up, sick.
Fortunately, Jay took the late shift, and spent a good part of the night holding our daughter’s hair back… while I was able to get a few hours of sleep.
Unfortunately, she was still ralphing the next morning. We had an early morning flight back home.
Fortunately, I had plenty of plastic bags I had pilfered from the hotel room garbage can.
Unfortunately, I ended up having to use most of them. In the hotel room. In the ticketing line. In the security line. And a couple of times on the plane.
Fortunately, we found out the hard way that a quick way to get through security is to be the proud owner of a vomiting child. It was like a parting of the seas. People gladly moved aside to let us by. There was no mention of body cavity searches.
And, fortunately, we ran into some good folk on the way home. Like the woman who inched my bag through the ticketing line while I held my sick daughter. Or the grandpa who bought us a bottle of water and some hard candy from the sundry store, and then disappeared before I could offer to pay him.
Unfortunately, we also encountered some Grade-A jerks. Like the businessman who rolled his eyes and made snide comments about having to sit next to a barfing kid on the plane. Just count your blessings you’re not the one having to holding the bag, buddy.
Fortunately, we made it over 2,000 miles across the country without a single drop of vomit spilled outside the plastic bags.
Unfortunately, not more than 5 minutes after we set foot inside our house, she spewed everywhere.
Fortunately, after a hot bath and some popsicles, she was feeling better. And, fortunately, Bobo was so exhausted last night, she asked to go to bed at 6 pm. Fortunately, there were no cookies tossed in the middle of the night, and Bobo woke up feeling like herself again this morning.
Unfortunately, she woke up, feeling like herself this morning… at 5 am, still on east coast time.
Fortunately, we’re home. And, as I sit here in the wee hours of the morning, my daughter watching Scooby Doo, I’m glad we’re here.
Home. It feels like the happiest place on earth.