Just the Four of Us

Last Friday the whole family loaded up in the van and headed to West Georgia with T. He had forgotten something he needed over the weekend so we decided it would be a fun adventure to make the trip together instead of him going back alone.

Sweet G wanted to see T's dorm room but it is against the rules for children under 12 years old to be in the building. Did that stop us? No! Did the fact that T's room is on the second floor of a building with no elevator stop us even though one of us requires the use of a wheelchair? No!

You may ask how you get someone in a wheelchair to the second floor of a building without an elevator. That would definitely have been a question I would have asked before becoming G's Mom. The answer is simple (sort of). You carry him. But being in a college dorm made even that tricky. We would typically leave the chair at the foot of the stairs but knowing how crazy college kids can be we thought a cute red wheelchair with tricked out blinking lights might not be safe alone. We carried it up the stairs, too. Remember, Sweet G isn't supposed to be there so we are trying desperately and unsuccessfully to suppress his excited chattering and laughter.

We did make it in and out without getting caught and we finally met T's roommate we were beginning to think didn't exist. After lugging G and his chair back outside we spent some time walking around campus before heading home.

Back in the car and on our way home T asked to stop at a convenience store to use the restroom. While pulling in and trying to decide what everyone wanted to drink G announces that he wants a bannana milkshake from Sonic. We decide to go ther after T gets back from the restroom. He goes into the store but immediately returns because there was not a public restroom. As he is buckling up his seatbelt Sweet G (in his most sincere voice) says, "T, are you sure you can hold it, because we don't need you peeing in the car," then bursts into fits of laughter. We all had a good laugh at that one.

It is funny how impromptu events like that one can turn out to be such great experiences and things we spend lots of time and money on can be so disappointing. It was a simple trip to pick up a forgotten item but it turned into a great family adventure. I dread the day that trips like that stop forever. I wonder how many more we will share with all four of us together? I know that soon there will be only three of us again and the days of having us all together will fade away. For now I treasure every opportunity for us to be together as a complete family unit, even if it is just a ride to pick up a forgotten item.