Monday, Monday...

It's a little before 1pm as I sit here in my office typing. Today is technically a "village day." And I did make it out to the village. However, an hour into our visit, one of my female staff members became very ill and I had to accompany her back to the city with one of our male drivers. We had to make a few stops along the way (I'm sure you can guess why) and every time afterwards, S would apologize for the delay. I really didn't mind. They've all had a chance at 'mothering' me, so today it was my turn.

As we drove back into the city, I was reminded of a vacation our family took the summer before my 5th grade year.

The night before we were to leave, my little sister began feeling ill. I began to worry a bit and I kept telling her that she was fine and that she shouldn't say anything or else we might not be able to go on vacation. I think she listened as long as she could, as the healthy fear of her older sister and the possibility of missing out on fun loomed over head. But the truth would show itself around 7pm and my sister would spend the rest of the night running to and from the bathroom.

My parents, of course, immediately began talking about waiting a day to leave. My dad, as perhaps all dads do, has this theory that driving for vacations should always begin promptly at 4am (or some other un-godly hour before the sun is in the sky). They were pretty sure it was going to be a long night of taking care of my sister and since it would be unheard of to leave any later, they thought it wise to wait a day.

Enter Super Sister.

Me, being the caring one, volunteered my services to stay up with L for the rest of the night so my parents could sleep and we could leave on schedule. (I promise there were no selfish motives in this at all. ;-) My parents reluctantly agreed and for the next however many hours, I laid on the floor of my sister's room, half asleep and half alert in order to attend to all her needs.

I think it was around 3:30am or so when my parents woke up, checked on my sister, and began finishing preparations for our journey to Tennessee. I, on the other hand, wasn't sure if it was because I hadn't slept or was hungry or (gasp) was getting sick....but my stomach had also began to churn.

About 5 minutes before we were supposed to leave, I ran to the bathroom and my worst fears were confirmed. I, too, now had the stomach flu.

My parents asked if I still wanted to go and I assured them I would be fine. Had I had known what I would feel like by the time we reached our destination...or how miserable it would be to share a bucket with my sister in that back seat...or how a simple drive to TN seemed as though we were driving half-way around the world...my answer probably would have been different.

Hindsight is always 20/20.

Now we look back at the family vacation with fond memories. Once we got through with the flu (oh yeah, and my parents finished battling their round of the flu in the hotel) then we all really did have a great time.

So what's my point?

I don't know that I have one. I just know that right now my stomach is feeling a little like it did at the end of the night with my sister and I'm just hoping it's all in my imagination. Especially since I have to go back out to the village in about an hour to pick up the rest of my staff.

We'll see...