Jeremy and I had talked extensively throughout the year about our family and traditions. We had decided that we REALLY needed to get some family traditions going because we have children that are getting older as we speak. The older two believe in Santa Claus, Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy because they choose to. They know the truth but they firmly believe in the magic that is behind them. Well ... at least the magic behind Santa ... the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy are just for fun. We decided that this year we wouldn't travel for the holidays so we could have a chance to get some traditions going.
Then ... my husband changed jobs and didn't even have anything but the day of Thanksgiving off anyway, so that sealed the fate on us traveling. We had a GREAT family Thanksgiving. We had a nice sized turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, deviled eggs, and I even made a pumpkin pie. Oh, and we also had egg nog with Sprite to drink!
Cue my older sister. She KNEW that I REALLY didn't want to travel for the holidays. She also knew that she didn't get to see me in October when she gave Bullfrog his first "slow dance." It was important to her for us to be there for Thanksgiving meal, so I made it important to me. We moved the meal to a time when I could make it down to Manhattan with the family. We told the kids .... you guys ... NEVER EVER EVER tell children with special needs ANYTHING until you are ON THE WAY. This is known as "setting yourself up for failure."
The first whammy hit late Thursday evening. My sister posted a picture on Instagram letting us know that her family was sick and that Thanksgiving plans were ruined. I immediately freaked. I commented and asked if that included Saturday, to which she responded with a "very possible." I took some deep breaths and ONLY conversed with my husband about the possible situation brewing. When it became a reality on Friday, we decided to let the kids know. They asked to make sure we were still going and we said yes. NEVER EVER EVER answer with a positive until you are ON THE WAY.
Cue the second whammy. I start reading the weather reports talking about an ice storm. Ours was supposed to be completely done by 7pm Friday, so I didn't think anything of it when I initially told the children yes. Then, mid day, I find out that the storm was supposed to continue until 7am on Saturday. Oyi. We immediately told the children that it was going to be a situation where we checked the roads before leaving, but 9am SHOULD be safe because it is several hours after the sleet ends.
Mother Nature had a whole different idea. Manhattan was SLAMMED with the storm on Friday and then SLAMMED with a second storm that started overnight and ran into the end of Saturday. There was NO traveling. We called it on Friday night when I was watching the radar. We could get down to Manhattan, but there was no way we would have been able to make it back up to Kansas City.
Oh the tears ... the anger ... the meltdowns. Y'all ... it was AWFUL. Bullfrog was so upset with the change of plans. He had spent the ENTIRE WEEK telling himself that it was okay that someone didn't call him on his birthday because he'd just see her on Thanksgiving. We tried and tried to tell him that we were trying to make it right, that we could at least do a phone call, etc. It wasn't until I told him that if we went, I couldn't guarantee him another birthday because the roads were not safe. Holy Toledo. He still has to wait until Christmas to even get his birthday present, so we are PRAYING for nice weather. Why he can't get it before then, I don't know, but that is just the way things are.
The lessons we learned ... even if it makes your life easier to tell the children in advance ... do not. I repeat ... DO NOT! Abort that thought process IMMEDIATELY. It is not worth the pain that comes with it when plans have to change.
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