A Random Post...

Lest some of you think I have sorely neglected my blog, I decided to write a random-y vacation blog to catch you up on where I have been this past week.

We left on Wednesday morning for a mini-vacation on the East Coast. We drove from Middle Tennessee to Central North Carolina. There we spent Wednesday night with my husband's brother and sister in law. They took us to a terrific local restaurant called the Blue Mist. For those who are unfamiliar, this is one of those country-styled meat and three restaurants, where you'll find "creamed" potatoes on the long list of fresh veggies along with fried squash and sliced tomatoes... and the waitress calls you "Hun." It was awesome!

The next day, the four of us piled into the rental car and drove to Virginia. We made a quick stop for lunch and met up with some of my husband's family members. Then, we drove to Williamsburg, where we stayed for the next several days.

Funny story... On the way into Williamsburg, we got caught in some construction traffic. Our four lane route was down to one single lane for both directions. We had been traveling for several hours by this time and it had been a long time since our last pit stop. We were just a few minutes from the hotel and I was pretty sure I could last until then. Yours truly is known for having one of the world's smallest bladders. I am only five feet tall and most of my vital organs are about the size of a ten to twelve year old child... with the exception of my "girls"... but we won't talk about them. Everything on the inside of my torso is compact. And stuff sits on top of other stuff... like my ribs sit on top of my hips...even when I am skinny. And the cone-shaped muscle called the diaphram sits on top of my bladder. When I have to go, I have to go right then. And I often do a "little dance" when I am trying to make my way to the bathroom. HH calls it "duck walking." Anyhow, I think you get the picture.

I am also well known for laughing -- hard, loud and often. Those who know me personally know that when I start cackling, it becomes contagious and others often join in with the laughter. Having said that, however, as much as I hate to admit it, sometimes when the laughter and the diaphram meet on top of a full bladder, disaster takes place.

Back to our little story. While we were waiting for our turn to get through the line, I made the comment that I needed to "go." Keep in mind that this line of traffic had not moved one inch in fifteen minutes. With that came a comment from the back seat (in jest) that they might decide to let the folks in front of us through and then stop the line with our vehicle and make us wait again. At that point, my loving husband (who was in the driver's seat) said (indirectly to the man in the vest who was holding the stop sign and to the one who made the comment from the backseat), "You'd better not (stop the line with us)! I'll have my wife wet on you!" (Ok. That wasn't quite the word he used. But I am trying to keep it clean.) I was in such shock that he said such a thing that I just lost it. So did everyone else in the car. That doesn't bode well on a full bladder. So much for going into the Williamsburg Marriott Residence Inn with dry undies...

On Friday, we met one of my close friends and her two very small boys (both are under age three) -- my "sister by another mother" -- and my two "nephews" -- at Colonial Williamsburg. We had a great time there -- seeing all of those historical sites and meeting some of the costumed interpreters. The boys were really too little to enjoy it much, but I certainly had fun seeing them and their mom. The oldest came to visit us along with his parents last summer for a week, and knows me already as "Aunt Bitsy." He is just starting to talk, and has stolen my heart. His little brother (he's eight months old) hasn't figured out what to do with me just yet (who has?), but I did get to hold him for a few minutes yesterday... and he seemed to warm up to me a bit then.

On Saturday, we met some more of my husband's family in Chesapeake, and ate dinner together at the place where senior adults rule: Golden Corral. HH and I were the youngest two in our group of eight... and because we didn't fit the senior category by a long shot, our host had to pay full price for us. I was the youngest of all.... I felt like a five year old!

After lunch, we sat around and talked and caught up as family sometimes does. It was a good visit. It was the first time that the aunts and uncles had seen my husband's brother and his wife since the death of my husband's parents in 2005. While we were talking, I had the treat of explaining to the group (the average age was 79) just what a "blog" is and all about the MID facebook group and the MID blog. I think they were still clueless, but nevertheless, we gave it our best shot.

On Sunday, we visited our former church in Hampton Va, Liberty Baptist Church. Liberty is a mega-church and is growing by leaps and bounds. God has been doing some amazing things there. The church has been without a full time worship pastor for the past year. They are taking their time in getting the right person for the job. Please pray for the worship ministry and those in leadership who are charged with filling the position.

Following the second service, we had lunch with some close friends and their families. One of the girls in the group at lunch is one of my former writing co-horts from Liberty. We wrote a couple of choir musicals together, along with our former worship pastor. She told me that she is in the process of writing a book about three generational families living together, and caring for elderly parents and children at the same time. I am really excited for her. This is a much needed ministry. She said her new book will be called, "Whose Diaper Shall I Change First?"

After lunch on Sunday, we drove back to NC to drop off the in-laws. When we arrived at their home, we found out that the power had shorted out while we were gone. Apparently, a small animal found the transformer the hard way. Yikes! Anyway, it knocked off the power. So, they had to wait for a few hours until it was fixed. In the meantime, we still had a long drive ahead of us today, so we found a hotel nearby and got some rest.

We drove back to Tennessee today and arrived home tonight at about 6 pm Central. My seventeen year old cat met me with a little bit of hesitancy. She wasn't crazy about being left behind to mind the store while we were gone. She is not letting me out of her sight right now, and I am doubting that -- if left up to her -- that I will be allowed to leave the house for the next 3 days.

Anyhow, we're back. And I will start posting more in the next couple of days.