We hoped yet again that the next day would bring better health, but alas, when the morning came Brittain began complaining about her throat…and her fever was creeping back up, so all four of us piled in the car and headed to an urgent care center up the road. After a throat swab where there were many tears shed (and yes, Brittain was crying, too), and a look in her ears, it was confirmed that there was an ear infection and possibly strep throat. The day was a wash, but it was raining anyway, so we enjoyed our time together and decided that we wouldn’t have had it any other way.
The rain cleared up by the evening, so we took advantage of it and cooked s’mores…grill style.
After a sleepless night with Brittain up running a high fever, Dan left for work at 7 a.m. and mom came over to watch Brittain at 10:30 while I went to sing a 45 minute program for an 80th birthday party. Hoping to be done with the party by 2, I ended up not getting out until almost 3:30 which was putting us much later getting on the road. I arrived home to Brittain asleep, her fever up to 103 despite the Tylenol dose she had a couple of hours before. Not knowing whether or not we should hit the road with Brittain in the condition she was in, after a conversation with the pediatrician I felt confident enough to go ahead and leave with the knowledge that it was probably just a viral fever that had been going around and would be gone in a day or so. So, Mimi, Brittain and I set out for what was about to be the longest trip of our lives. After 3 30 minute phone calls to the nurses hotline, a pitiful child with a 104 degree fever that just wouldn’t go away, and 5 stops, we finally arrived in Jacksonville after 6 1/2 hours.
But when we pulled in the driveway and saw the look on Brittain’s face when she saw her Aunt CC, it was all worth it. We walked in to the most beautiful, welcoming home. We also walked in to this, (which was just what the doctor ordered):
We were officially on vacation so time was not an issue. Even though it was late when we arrived we still managed to fit in some playing. Brittain also hit pay dirt as she was showered with gifts from her Aunt CC. We finally called it a night at 1:15 a.m.
