I'm Ba-ack

Did ya miss me? Did ya? I hope so because I missed my computer and my chair and my time alone in this office, writing to anyone who will listen (read?).
We were stranded in P-town! Not exactly stranded, but we did have to stay an extra day. My oldest started throwing up Saturday morning and went all day, all night and a little Sunday. Poor baby, she's the one who bounces all over the place, excited to "go to Grammy's" and be with her cousins. I felt terrible that she wasted a whole day and a half sick. But she got an extra night at Grammy's, and that was good enough for her.
So, we started our journey (did I mention that it was 5 hours and I was alone with my 3 kids...under the age of 5?) back to Texas yesterday around 10:00 a.m. We had been on the road for maybe an hour when I heard something from the backseat. I didn't even have to turn around. The middle one was getting sick. Bless her heart. And mine. The dilemma was: turn around and go back to Grammy's, or just pray that she, like Avery, will wait 4-5 hours between pukes and we'll be home by then anyway. Avery started chanting "Grammy's! Grammy's!" I chose to go on. Avery had school, plus my husband and I are supposed to go on a romantic vacation later this week and I have unpacking, laundry, re-packing and cleaning to do before then. So I got out the wipes and burp rag and cleaned her up as well as I could. And we soldiered on.
And the car started to smell and then Avery started to complain about the smell. And then the baby threw up. I think his was mainly from coughing, but still. So we went to the nearest gas station. I needed gas anyway, so as I filled up, I cleaned out the car as much as I could and we went inside. I bought Pepto for Reese, gave it to her in the bathroom and stripped her down to her diaper. When we came out, I asked the lady for a plastic bag to put the pukey clothes in and found (woo hoo!) a $0.99 shirt on a shelf that would fit Reese. We were back in business.
On the road again....for about 2 hours this time. And poor little Reesie woke herself up, vomiting. And Rhett was poopy. So, ever the cheerful mom, I decided a fresh fruit stand would be a fabulous place to clean up because (woo hoo!) I can clean them all up AND buy fresh fruit and veggies. Can you believe my positivity? And they took out of state checks from people who reek of vomit. How could I not be positive with all this good fortune coming my way?
Thirty-four dollars worth of fruit, jalapeno jam, and tomatoes, a bag now bulging with pukey clothes stuffed in the back. Reese wearing something out of the laundry bag because it was on top. Avery whining that the smell of everything is "really weird and kind of gross." I agree, Baby, but what else can I do?
The last vomiting incident happened about 45 minutes from home. And it was raining. Pouring, actually. I looked at where we were. I looked at Reese. I looked outside at the rain. I didn't want to stand out in the rain. I didn't want Reese to have to stand out in the rain while I cleaned her and her car seat. We were 45 minutes from home. Surely we could all stand it (I'm so sorry, Reesie) for 45 minutes. And you know what? We made it. In less than an hour after we got here, the car seat covers were all in the wash and I was out in the car, scrubbing seats and floors. I got a headache from using almost an entire bottle of Spot Shot in an enclosed space. But we are home. Everything is on its way back to normal. Whatever that means.