Our New Normal

Posted by B on February 12, 2013 in Ramblings | 2 comments

We are trudging forward with heads down and heavy hearts searching for our new normal. Tye would be heartily laughing at us about now.

This morning we loaded the truck and headed into town for breakfast and one of our old haunts, Sammons bakery. I heard Tye in my child when she started laughing and said, “Mom is says they have the best buns.” Then we walked the new piece of land and tried to decide where we might build if we might build and what on earth we would do to earn money in the middle of nowhere.

There have been tons of people in and out of this house over the last few days. I have three little girls and boy who has BARELY mastered the potty. We needed toilet paper and we needed it right now. I reloaded the car with kids that were tired of being in the car and tortured Mom by dropping off Ray so he could pick up Tye’s car. Then we headed to big town, Paducah.

There is something we call a short cut to the mall. Honestly, I’m not sure it’s a shortcut but it’s just the way it is, traveling one winding road after another. Around curve number 23 I heard “Mom! I need to ” and before she could say it, she did it. Vomit was everywhere, in every crack and crevice of our rental truck. Oh my word. I gagged when Mom changed my diapers. How I managed to maneuver into the Wal-Mart I have no idea. I grabbed a clearance towel, some antibacterial wipes a shirt and a new jacket. I ran for the line. It took forever. Then the elderly gentleman in front of me had NO IDEA how to use a debit card. On swipe number six I said, “Sir, you need to press the debit button to proceed.” He firmly told me that he had already pushed the button. The elderly cashier had no idea what was happening and I was seriously worried about what was happening the car.

This is what was happening… Hanan was weeping. Jack was screaming. Arleigh was gagging and yelling at her siblings. Bria and Grandma were stuck in the backseat because Hanan threw up all over the seat that moves to let the people in back out. Not a good day. Hanan stood up. Holy Toledo. I should have bought her pants too. Mom went back to get some. As a side note… Hanan got jeans, a t-shirt and a new jacket for under $12. Grandma flew out of the truck and headed in with Arleigh for pants.

At this point Hanan is sitting in the back of the Suburban with no pants. I’m cleaning out the middle. Jack is still crying and Bria is asking me about 153 questions about the source of vomit, what the spray pattern means and exactly when that darn smell will go away. All I could think is on any other day Tye would have been in the car. He would have been gagging. He probably would have called a patrol car for back up. I started to laugh. I’m sure he was laughing his head off at me.

We made it to the mall. We got toilet paper from Sam’s and dog food. We headed home with kids yelling and screaming to Disney Radio. Tye would have been fussing the entire way that his ears were bleeding. He would have listened and complained on the entire ride home, switching once to some rap station that the girls would have been screaming about and turned it right back for them.

At home, we were settling in, going through mail and Bria is dancing around the kitchen singing “Red Solo Cup” at the top of her lungs. Barkley is dancing right behind her. She turns and they make eye contact. Barkley stands on his hind legs, puts his front legs square on her shoulders and they both go down. Tye would have caught it on video.

Nothing is the same and everything is still happening. I go to text him about 20 times a day to tell him what Jack did or Hanan said. You missed it Tye… We’ll get there…