Aunt Rhonda

Rhonda is Donnas BFF from way back, actually they were a couple way way back. That didn't work out for them obviously but they've stayed close friends for the past 30+ years. Rhonda was my store manager at the second Home Depot store I worked at. I only worked there briefly before transferring again but we stayed in touch & became good friends.

When I transferred yet again, to Tampa this time I spent a lot of time with Rhonda, her partner & her family. When her "good friend Donna" came to town on vacation of course I was around to meet her but never did anyone expect what happened next...

Well to keep this post short, I'll just say almost 15 years, 3 dogs, 3 kids, 4 cats & 4 states later, here we still are!

So this past week, Rhonda, her sister, niece & great niece were in town on a girls getaway. They were staying on Jekyll Island. Donna was suppose to take Wednesday off so that we could all go hang out but something came up at work, so just the boys & I headed out to see them for the day & Donna was going to meet up with us in the afternoon.

We started out at their hotel beach, not the best beach on Jekyll island & the brown water freaked my gulf coast friends out just a little bit, but the boys enjoyed playing in the sand for a little bit before we headed to the pool. Garren & Kellan loved playing with Malia, Rhonda's great niece & the friend she brought along on the trip. Caden seemed to be in his own work Wednesday, I would find out later in the day why. After working up an appetite in the pool we all went for pizza. There is a playground at the pizza place so the boys played for a bit after eating. Donna called about then & said she was done for the day. The boys were tired & needed a cat nap so I decided to meet Donna at our place & drive back to the island together. The plan for the evening was dinner & cocktails at the hotel.

Kellan, Garren, Caden

 

As expected, on our way home to pick up Donna the boys fell to sleep. What I didn't expect was for Caden to start throwing up all over the place.

I should have known though that something was up, when we first got to the beach he asked to go home. He didn't say why & I thought it was just because it wasn't the beach he was use to. He seemed fine once we were at the pool but kept mostly to himself while swimming. He refused any pizza at lunch & asked again to go home when we were at the playground which is when we were about to head home to get Donna anyways.

Definitely should have known something was up when he payed down at the beach! :(

 

He seemed deep in though here, or maybe just trying not to get sick? :-/

 

I snapped this & sent it to Rhonda just before Caden woke up & got sick

 

So needless to say, the boys & I were not heading back for dinner, I told Donna to go on & see Rhonda but she didn't want to leave in case the other 2 boys started getting sick, so she made plans to meet Rhonda for breakfast before she left town & we stayed in nursing our sick boy & praying the other 2 didn't come down with the stomach bug.