Thankful anyway

It was not the trip I had planned, to drive 13 hours so I could lay in bed next to my husband, both shivering and coughing for 3 straight days. Beautiful weather, lovely hills, and the flu. Our stomach muscles ache from coughing, heads still ache and stomachs still churn, 8 days later. Ugh, H1N1 sucks. I almost cracked on day 6, fighting the urge to cry like a baby all day. It didn't help that I missed my Dad something fierce, he seemed so present in those hills he loved. Childhood memories flitted through my mind and welled my eyes with tears, which thankfully hid among the sneezes and runny nose.

No, it was not the trip I had planned, but I will count my blessings:

Our kids are old enough to take care of themselves and the dog, allowing us the luxury of our weak, sickly states, and they're either immune, or have already caught it this year, hidden among the littany of sick days this fall.
We were able to make the return drive safely, taking turns while the kids slept, read or pinched each other out of boredom. We show no signs of pneumonia or further complications, despite our lingering symptoms. And best of all, I can stop obsessing and worrying about the lack of vaccines, and the chance that we might get sick. We did, and here we are. One less catastrophe looming in my little worry filled world.

No, it wasn't the Thanksgiving vacation we were looking forward to, but we have much to be thankful for.  Sunshine and scenery, and snow that passed us by, and mostly, each other, in sickness and in health.