Grandma: Part 5

~Saturday, February 16~

We left my Grandparents’ house in Ohio early Saturday morning. We stopped at a McDonald’s for breakfast a little while later. We were going to eat lunch at Steak n’ Shake, but it was so full we couldn’t even get through the door. Considering the fact that it was windy and cold, we quickly decided that we’d eat somewhere else. We ended up driving to a Wendy’s a few miles down the road.

This was the first time we had driven through St. Louis in the daytime, and I was actually awake. It’s a little hard for me to believe that people can actually go up inside the arch. One of these days maybe I’ll get to do that.

Photo Credit: Roma.

We arrived at the hotel around dinner time, and after we unloaded we headed to Cracker Barrel for dinner. The restaurant was really full, so we waited inside the store for about ½ an hour before we were seated. As I walked around the store, I found my eyes filling with tears. I just wanted to be home, away from all the pain, stress, and difficult emotions that we had faced over the past few days. I was physically exhausted and emotionally drained. In the middle of a crowded restaurant was the last place I wanted to be. On top of that, Grandma and Grandpa often stopped at Cracker Barrel when they came to visit us in Michigan.

I made it through dinner without breaking down, but I so desperately wanted to be home.

~Sunday, February 17~

After eating breakfast at the hotel, we continued our journey homeward. I was looking forward to finally being in my own bed that evening.

We stopped in Joplin, MO for lunch at a Fazoli’s. It was a nice treat as we haven’t eaten there in years. Unlike the Cracker Barrel, the restaurant was very quiet which was nice.

Dad had seen a sign for a Justin Boots outlet store. He asked if we could make a “quick” stop to look. Forty-five minutes later, he and Ben walked out as new owners of genuine cowboy boots. J Ben had saved up for his, and Dad was finally cashing in his “Christmas boots” gift coupon. They were quite happy.

We made it home pretty late that evening, and quite literally collapsed in bed. I was so tired that I didn’t even cry myself to sleep as I had so many nights that week . . .

To be continued . . .