I woke up and didn’t notice anything wrong with me, until we were just about done reloading the van. Then I remember pausing to hold my stomach and realizing: I wasn’t feeling so good.

But all I do is sit in a van all day, it isn’t exactly strenuous. I figured I would be fine.

And we were going to a used book store! This place was supposed to be huge.

It was huge.

After a few minutes of stooping through books (and hurting my bad knee), I told myself I could no longer stoop down. It was making me sick. It finally got to a point where I was just looking for someplace to sit down.

I saw a stool and made it my sanctuary. I don’t even know what section it was in. Something nonfiction. I stared forward to pretend I was actually interested as opposed to just taking up someone’s stool.

It never fails that a lady with a huge cart of books comes by and needs to start working in that EXACT section where you are.

I did my pretend “finishing scanning these books I have no interest in,” put back a book called “Mole People,” which I might actually rent from the library. I just didn’t need to buy it, then went to find my mom.

I was ready to go.

My little brother was in HEAVEN, because he found a series of comics he’s been looking for and a video game, all which he bought. And my mom said something that made me very happy, “we’re going to find another hotel to stay for the night – NOT a Red Roof Inn. You can’t travel like this.”

Before we left, I ran in and ultimately threw up in my first public bathroom.

Right by the bookstore there was a Holiday Inn. . There was no room at the inn.

The twelve minutes it took to find the hotel we’re now in were excruciating. We quickly found out which plastic bags in the van had holes in them. And made sure the second bag I got didn’t.

I couldn’t even walk by the time we got there. My little brother was trying to support me, but I basically told him to drag me the rest of the way.

The hotel bathroom was my next sanctuary. To the point that they had to drag/pull me off the floor and into the comfiest bed I’ve ever had, and once my stomach stopped flopping on the high seas, by God’s grace, I eventually fell asleep.

It was kind of cool, because I woke up to this.

It was snowing!

Though we were told it’s getting warmer.

I guess no one was expecting this. But it was super pretty. I’m sad the picture didn’t come out that great. There were all this fluffy white dust bunnies floating to the ground.

My family had taken the hotel shuttle out for McDonalds and to get me some saltines. When I had woken up, my mom told me all about it, how the nice lady driver waited for them at McDonalds and even was the one to get me the saltines from the cafeteria AND found some sprite for me. That was so sweet.

I had munched and drank it all. Soon we ordered in pasta, of all things! I love ravioli. Or Italian food as a whole.

I ate about half, then started to over-think the ratio of grease in regards to my upset stomach. But the fact that I could eat at all was a big deal. It even came with garlic bread sticks, and the people were super nice.

It has now subsided to a stomach ache, and I’m exhausted. So sweet dreams, everyone.