Well, I am sick (again). Once I finished my last medicine, my eyes started running (again) and my nose got all stuffy (again). Daddy and Mommy got stuffy too, and Daddy felt so yucky that he stayed home from work. Well, I started feeling pretty yucky and school had to call Mommy to let her know that I had a 104 degree temperature. Daddy picked me up and took me to the doctor right away! Now I have more medicine (my ear infection came back) and am taking infant Motrin and Tylenol. I don't like having a fever, it makes me feel pretty tired. Mommy is staying home with me tomorrow (I can't go back to school until I am 24 hours fever free), so I will get to cuddle with her and stay in the house during these rainy days. I don't know where you all are, but it feels like the sky has been leaking for a long time. And now there is water, water everywhere (kinda like the book I have). This weekend is "Good Friday" and "Easter." These are more days with funny names that I don't understand. All I know is that Grandma and Grandpa are coming for the weekend. I am not sure if that is why they call it "good" Friday. I don't know what "Easter" means either, but Nana, Uncle Rob, Aunt Jeannie and James will be here along with Grandma and Grandpa, so "Easter" must mean "really good Sunday." Mommy told me that we are celebrating Jesus Christ, and since we talk about him every night during my prayers, it must be a really important celebration. I am going to wear a special dress and go to church to see all of our new friends to celebrate Jesus.

Mommy went on another business trip last week. This time she want to Arizona. She said it was "west" of here, and although I don't know what "west" means, she kept pointing to my left. I keep looking for it on my left, but all I see are the normal things in the house. And, when she was gone I did not see her to the left either. Maybe this Arizona place is invisible! Anyway, she wrote me a story while she was gone. I liked the story and I liked it that she wrote it for me. I know she misses me when she is gone, but it helps me know she is thinking about me when she reads the story. And boy did her story sound like fun. Her friend, Trekker, who is with her made it sound like a grand adventure. I hope that I can go with Trekker and Mommy on a trip sometime.

Here is the story Mommy and Trekker wrote, just for me:

Dear Abigail –

My name is Trekker and I am with your Mommy on her business trip. She asked me to come with her anytime she is not with you so I can keep track of our adventures and then tell you all about the places we go and things we do. We will write home to you when we can, but more than that we will come home and share our tales as our gift to you when we return. I know, I know, some kids get shirts or toys when their mommies and daddies return from trips. You might get these sometimes too, but the stories are your special gift.

Mommy got this idea a long time ago on a business trip when a “plane talker” told her all about the stories he writes for his kids when he is away. His gift to them is to read the stories when he gets home. He went into great detail about how much his children love the stories and look forward to him returning home so they could all enjoy his tales. Mommy was reminded of that long-ago event when the nice people at USAirways announced that there were free books in the seat backs on the airplane (Come Fly With Maizie) and thought it would be really neat to write stories for you. Don’t worry, she got you a book since you already love Maizie. That will be an extra special gift after this trip.

The other reason your Mommy asked me to come with her is because she loves you very much and misses you when she is not with you. She thinks of your smile and giggle and wonders what new thing you are doing. She often sees little girls on her travels and can’t help but think of you. She wishes that she could hold you and kiss you and show you all of the sights she sees in person. I help her feel closer to you and by writing my stories she feels like you are here with her.

To get places, we go on an “airplane,” something that has lots of chairs (kinda like the ones in your “SUV” – sport utility van). There is a tiny walkway between the seats and even some seats are right next to each other. Everyone files into this little van-like thing down a long hallway. Some magic person starts talking and every person puts their diaper bags (they look like diaper bags to me) by their feet or above their heads. I don’t know what’s above our heads and at first I was worried that something might fall on our heads, but nothing did yet. Anyway, then it starts moving, but after a bit, it gets really loud “vrooooom,” and we start moving to the sky! My stomach felt a little wobbly but it was fun.

We are in a place called Phoenix visiting a really big building with loud machines that go “ratchety ratch” and “swooshity swoosh” and lots of people with odd toys over their mouths. Boy is it hard to understand them when they talk, it’s all muffled and sounds like “ra ra ra ra ra.” I am not sure if this is a new language that they use with those toys over their mouths, but it doesn’t make much sense to me. Everyone also wore white coats, nets that went on their heads, big plastic glasses (not as cool as your sunglasses) and plugs in their ears. Mommy did not have the fancy shoes like everyone else so she had to wear rubber shoe covers. They kept falling off and she had to walk really funny!

After the meeting during the day, everyone went to dinner at a local restaurant. Boy did we have fun. There were 16 people there, it was a really big table! We had Mexican food and Mommy ate too much. But, when Marie, the nice lady who works with Mommy, suggested that they get ice cream, Mommy was in for an adventure. They drove back to the hotel (in their big yellow car they got from the car rental company) and asked for a close ice cream shop. They found that one but decided they wanted something different so went driving. They were on their way to Cold Stone and pulled into a lot with a wonderful place called “Swensens.” It’s just like Friendly Ice Cream in Dayton. They each ordered a sundae and ate every delicious bite. Someday Mommy and you will have ice cream, it will be lots of fun. Mommy actually was remembering how she, Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa went out for ice cream the night before you were born.

The next morning, Mommy got up at 4 am Phoenix time (this is 7 am your time, we will go over the differences in time later). It was very early but she was excited to come home to see you. She and Marie had to wait a very long time in the airport line, but made it on the plane to Chicago. Then they had some lunch at the airport and flew in a plane one more time to Dayton (that is where Nana, Uncle David, Papaw, Uncle Rob and Aunt Jeannie live).

Boy was Mommy glad to be home to see you!