Going to Houston

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Hubby had secured a second driver so I wouldn't have to drive on the trip to Houston. With a nursing baby, it would just be a hassle. Baby Z's car seat was placed at the very back seat so I could nurse in full seclusion since we had another brother with us.

Qadar Allah, the brother was afflicted with what might have been some stomach trouble. He stayed in Kentucky, and we proceeded. My husband had lost his second driver, and attained a reluctant moi.

Suffice it to say, the drive to Houston from then grew gradually arduous. It reached its peak worst when we reached Lousiana. I drove us through parts of Alabama and Mississippi, and handed it over to hubby because Baby Z had woken up. It was back breaking nursing him in cramped quarters in the very back seat, and I didn't get enough sleep due to our sudden change of plans. However, alhamdulillah the kids behaved, and Baby Z slept exceedingly well.

The pediatrcician, when he found out we were driving to Houston, said,

"Well, your kids are well behaved, so I'm sure you'll be fine."

As he left us though he said in a conspiratorial whisper,

"Give them some Benadryl,"

and as he walked away,

"I didn't say that. I didn't say that."

Alhamdulillah, we didn't have to give them Benadryl. Allahu Akbar!

It was close to fajr when hubby stopped somewhere in Lafayette, Louisiana to sleep. I woke up to find us at a gas station. Baby Z woke up. S and I went to the restroom to change his diaper. We were honored by two Hispanic moms conversing in Mexican.

We let hubby sleep for a while more and I offered to drive the next leg of the trip.

Bad decision.

My eyelids were super droopy. I slapped my face, asked H to recite to me, talk to me, and even pinch my hand but I kept falling asleep on the wheel. We took the next exit and I almost had a car hit us when I switched lanes without looking. Alhamdulillah hubby is not one of those people who cuss.

Hubby took the wheel, and we proceeded. The plan was not to stop anywhere for the night, hence the idea of the second driver, which of course had fallen apart by then.

The drive from then on seemed so long and torturous. We prayed Fajr at a town called Sulphur. Our spirits were lifted as the sun rose. The dark night sky is truly fit for sleeping, as Allah has intended it to be; that much I can appreciate. With the rays of the sun, our hopes were revived and we looked forward to push on despite lingering sleepiness.

"We're in Texas, where's the welcome sign?" I asked as we approached the border.

"You're not welcome," hubby quipped.

My laughter filled the van. It was probably the first glimmer of normalcy in how many hours of silent worrying.

In Texas the highways seemed wide, unlike Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana's thin, bayou and tree lined highways. It was a welcome change of scenery. Alhamdulillah. Though I have to say I rather enjoyed looking at the misty bayous and swamps inhabited by leafless trees that look like something out of a horror movie.

We set out from Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday at around 9 am, and arrived safely in Houston, Texas on Wednesday 10 am. Alhamdulillah.

The beds in the hotel room were our yusra.