Or, better named, Tara and Darrell's EXHAUSTING Adventure! But, I'm proud to say I've taken Darrell IV on his first road trip and we both survived, as did Casper and Ghost, our long-haired chihuahuas who accompanied us. I decided to take a trip to Arlington so little Darrell could meet some friends and visit Alice and Russ, Darrell's parents, who hadn't seen him since he was born. I told only a few people I was coming because I didn't want to feel obligated to see a ton of people, especially since I was only going to be there for two days. I also warned people that I couldn't guarantee I'd make it. I figured if I made it to Waco, the halfway point between Austin and DFW, then I could make the rest of the trip, but until I hit that 100-mile mark, I wasn't making any promises.
As I expected, Darrell wailed at the start of the trip. I made sure he had a full tummy, even breastfeeding him one last time at the Riverside service road gas station where I filled up the tank. I also made sure he wouldn't be hot or cold, with the A/C angled toward him and a blanket tucked around him. Nevertheless, a piercing newborn cry was my soundtrack until I was a good 10-15 miles out of Georgetown. Then, suddenly, I realized the crying had stopped. It took a minute for me to realize it because I was used to his occasional pauses, just long enough to take a breath and begin screaming again. So naturally, I breathed deeply and enjoyed the sudden respite, right? Oh no - not me. I was so used to the crying that I worried something was wrong so I arched up high in my seat to take a quick peek over the car seat (the mirror I'd been using to see him in the rear-facing seat in the back had fallen off and I hadn't been able to replace it yet). I saw a foot wiggle and felt relieved. He was alive all right - he just decided to stop screaming.
For twenty minutes. Then it was back to wailing again for over an hour. During the four-hour trip (normally three hours, but I stopped a few times to feed him or comfort him), he DIDN'T cry for one more 15-minute period and one 10-minute period. Beyond that, he screamed the remaining three hours!
To save time on feeding, I decided to pump while I was driving so I could simply pull over and give him a bottle. I use a sports bra to hold the phalanges in place so it's hands-free pumping, and the plan worked beautifully. (Of course, I'm not sure what I would have said had I been pulled over!) During one of our stops, I pulled off at a small gas station to change his diaper and feed him. I walked past the THREE signs telling me that restrooms were for customers only (okay! I get it!), opened the women's restroom... and stared in disbelief and disgust. I've used toilets in over 40 countries, and only once have I seen a bathroom more disgusting than this: an outhouse halfway up Mount Sinai in Egypt that was covered in excrement and swarming with flies. This I-35 gas station bathroom was only missing the flies. The toilet seat and back were covered in diarrhea, as was the floor and wall. There was toilet paper on the floor and every surface - floor, wall, stall, ceiling, sink - was filthy. I didn't want to touch ANYTHING and used my foot to open the door to walk out.
I asked the woman at the register if she had been in the restroom lately. She said no. I said she might want to and told her what I saw. She said the man who cleans it comes once a week and won't be in for a few days. I told her she might want to call him or clean it herself. She said, "I'm not going to do it! I'm a woman!" I just shook my head and walked out, making a mental note never to pull over at that exit again!
About 4:30, I got to Fort Worth and visited my friends Alexis and Greg Gross. Then I dropped off the dogs at my parents' house and visited my friend Jan, recently a grandmother herself. And then just before returning to my parents', I made an unscheduled stop at the home of a former assistant principal who lives just around the corner from my parents and was a wonderful mentor while I taught at Sam Houston. I thought he'd enjoy seeing that I was now a mom, especially since he had once teased me about the idea of me slowing down long enough to get married and have a family. He enjoyed meeting little Darrell and it was great catching up with him, Jan, and Greg and Alexis. At last, I returned to my parents' and damn near crashed. I was exhausted, and I had a busy lineup the next day.
No comments:
Post a Comment