Virginia {Day 3}

Grammy & Kaleb playing peek-a-boo at the museum

Anyone who knows me and my side of the family knows that we like to take our time in the morning. We sleep in. We take our time at breakfast. We're not in any rush. :) Which is why our first stop on day 3 began at noon. The Norfolk History Museum opens at noon. Perfect. I don't think the museum staff is used to visitors lining up waiting for the doors to open, because the staff didn't show up until 12:15. We used the extra 15 minutes to walk through the garden and take a few pictures.

Today is the day we met up with my cousin, Nicholas. He and his wife followed their jobs and moved across the country 3 years ago to settle in the eastern shores of Maryland. I love Nicholas. Our lives couldn't be more different--but we're cousins and we've always been close. He drove for almost 4 hours to meet us in Norfolk, and I was so excited to see him again! While waiting for him to arrive, we walked around the MacArthur Center. This mall is huge. Of course Kaleb liked all the escalators. I did my best to steer him away from the "Bra-ha-ha" event going on. (an event showcasing all different types of bras--yikes!) We had lunch at Johnny Rocket's and finished just in time to meet Nicholas.

can you see Kaleb?

 If you ask Kaleb what the best part of his trip was, he'll tell you it was this part: touring the USS Wisconsin. Nicholas is the one who suggested this tour, so it was great to have him join us!

The famous 16 inch guns; I say famous because I learned in Hawaii that 16 inches refers to their diameter, not their length. :)

pretending to fire the 5 inch guns

Nicholas with Kaleb and me at the stern

Kaleb needed a boost, and Nicholas was right there for him

Mom and Dad with the city in the background

You can't tell from my picture, but I was beginning to feel awful at this point in our day. Living in denial and hiding how I felt only made things worse. What a terrible, awful, horrible time for a migraine...I've only had two in my whole life and they're separated by years. Why did number 3 have to come on this day? Riding in Nicholas's car on our way to Logan's Roadhouse for supper, I thought the worst was about to happen. Finally confessing how bad I felt, he told me I needed to get back to the hotel and go to bed. I agreed, although I wanted to cry. He drove all this way for this? I flew across the country for this? And now I might be sick in his car? I felt so awful...

Back at the hotel, I crashed in the dark bedroom. Nicholas stayed and visited with my parents and Kaleb in the living room. Every now and then I'd hear them laugh, but mostly I just slept. Eventually Kaleb came in to tell me Nicholas was leaving. I made myself get up and tell him goodbye. He told me not to feel bad about this happening...it was okay...but I was so sad. :( I had so much I wanted to ask him, so many things to talk about and share with him, but it didn't work out the way I'd hoped and planned. He didn't even get anything to eat for supper.

I wanted a do-over for this day. I still do. And that's day 3.