2005-02-24 - 7:10 a.m.
I'm back, riding the tail end of a sinus infection that has been kicking my ass for 6 days now.
The visit went well. I picked my daughter up Friday - I had to do the exchange with her oldest cousin and my former mother-in-law (Mrs. T). It was a bitter-sweet experience, as I haven't seen Mrs. T since the separation and divorce. We were once very, VERY close...but the divorce and everything following has created a divide between us that will never be overcome. I have a great deal of love and respect for her, so it makes me sad. She cried at the airport as she gave me a long, crushing hug. I miss her.
My daughter was sick when I picked her up, so I ended up sick and so did my son. I'm going to refer to my daughter as "9" from now on. Anyway...9 got better the next day and 4 (my son) got better the day after. I am still sick.
Due to the fact that 4 was sick, my wife volunteered to stay home with him and 1, so 9 and I could go into the city. We saw all the major monuments, drove around the city, and went to the Museum of Natural History. I think she had loads of fun.
The next day we went to a kids fun place and played around and then took a trip to Harper's Ferry. I had to see a doctor on Tuesday, so we didn't get to go tot the Baltimore aquarium, but we had fun at home.
She seemed to have the most fun playing with our new kitten (Bart) and playing outside, which she doesn't get to do at home much. She interacted with 4 and the baby like any nine-year-old-only-child will do, "Stop touching me!" But by the end of the visit the three kids had settled into a rhythm and seemed to be having fun with each other despite the bickering.
My wife, of course, was a saint the entire time and really kept the whole visit on track just by having the right attitude and keeping her eyes open. She kept me strait the entire time - I'm so thankful for her.
At the end of the visit I was left with the knowledge that 9 wanted to have a return visit, which in my book spells success. Even though we made her eat vegetables and food that didn't come out of a box and drink water instead of chocolate milk - she still wants to come back.
Not bad.
I feel like dookie.
