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Today we had every intention of getting on the road early, but everyone was exhausted from yesterday’s trip and it takes time to cycle 5 people through their morning routine in 1 bathroom. We got out of the hotel by 9, but then Ben needed gas, and because we went to the gas station instead of directly onto the highway, Adlani spotted Krispy Kreme. Meanwhile, Norah was trying to take a Dramamine pill because she she has gotten carsick several times lately. I don’t know if it’s just a fear of getting carsick or if she’s actually got motion sickness, but I do know that when she takes a Dramamine it knocks her out for a while and she can’t obsess about the possibility that she’ll throw up.
So…I’m chomping at the bit to get on the road, Ben and Adlani are in Krispy Kreme, Norah is standing outside my car window crying while trying to take the Dramamine, and Aliya is trying to help hold the whole thing together. Finally I made Norah get in the car without taking the Dramamine, and tried bribery, threats, and even reasoning with her. The pill got “powdery” from being held in her hot little hand, so I had her put a new one in the water bottle cap and tried to get her to throw back the pill like a shot, with a water chaser. After almost 2 HOURS – really! – she finally took the pill, and then immediately passed out.
We tried to keep the stops to a minimum, and combined the gas, food, and bathroom stops as much as possible. The best part of the day (other than arriving at our destination) was when we crossed into the next time zone and got an hour back. Suddenly it felt like we were on track – not a familiar feeling lately. I’ve noticed that with these long stretches of driving that my eyes get really dry and tired, so I’ve started taking 15-minute catnaps every few hours. It’s kind of amazing, actually, how I can pull into a rest area, kick the kids out of the car, set a timer and immediately fall asleep for 15 minutes. It really helps!
We made it to Texarcana, although our first stop in town was the wrong La Quinta, at 5201 North State Line Ave, Texarkana, Texas instead of 5102 North State Line Ave., Texarcana, Arkansas. The hotels are literally across the highway from each other – very confusing. It’s not as nice as last night’s La Quinta, but I’m not picky.
Tomorrow’s challenge will be to make room in the car for 5 people to ride from Laredo to San Miguel, along with the cat (Ben and Adlani have been riding in the truck so far, but we’ll be returning the truck in Laredo). In our rush to leave Framingham on Thursday, we threw in the last few boxes without even sorting them. We can’t just put them on the truck because a) it’s full to the brim, and b) only the things that are on the menaje de casa can go on the truck (more on that later). We hope to deal with that issue early, so we can get going at a decent hour. Send positive organizational vibes our way!
