Well it has been over a year since I've posted a blog, and my friend Julie encouraged me to use blogging as almost a scrapbook as Matthew grows up. I thought that was a good idea, since who knows when I'd ever get to making one for him! So, here begins my blogging life (well, I'll try to keep up with it!) What better opportunity to begin than a documentary about our road trip to SC in the 2009 blizzard!
First, let me go back to say that we have been so blessed to have such a healthy, beautiful son who has already brought us so much joy! Matthew Kemp Campbell was born on September 30, 2009 and he was 9 lbs. 13 oz.....2 more pounds than the doctors thought....and 22 inches. He's now between 14-15 lbs and he's not quite 3 months old. He LOVES movement, as evidenced by his enjoyment of the swing, being rocked, swung in his car seat, and car rides (praise Jesus for that one on our 16 1/2 hr trip!).
So, David and I don't like missing out on something fun, so when we heard that it was going to snow we decided that we would still try to make the Kemp's party on Friday night and then we'd leave to drive through the night to South Carolina to visit our folks, instead of leaving Saturday morning like we intended. We frantically packed in record time, then left to pick up Katie on the way to the Kemp's. We left for SC right after I fed Matthew at the Kemp's, at about 9:45 pm. We knew it might be a treacherous journey when we saw cars sliding and spinning on the on-ramp from the Dulles toll road to 495. We came out okay and then traffic was moving pretty well until we got on 95 South.
We had no idea at the time the gravity of our decision to enter the most traveled road on the east coast, (right?). First of all, I must have heard 100 times or so (from David) how all of VDOT must have had the night off because nobody was plowing 95. Oh, I take that back. We passed one snowplow and, though it had its plow down, it was missing most of the snow for some reason (I mean, how do you tell the snow plow guy that all his efforts are in vain....he can't see he is of no use because he can't see the trail of snow behind him). Back to my point about the decision to get on 95 being so huge.....you see, we had no idea that once we got on the freeway, we would not be able to EVER get off until we got out of the snowstorm.....which was at about the NC border. ALL the exit ramps were nightmarish in that the cars that attempted to exit 95 ended up fishtailing and turning sideways and blocking the exit, or in a ditch. We began to see that we wouldn't be able to stop at a hotel for some sleep even if we wanted to (unless we bailed on the side of the road and walked to the hotels like some others did). Not only that, but we wouldn't be able to stop for food for us or to feed Matthew, nor the typical bathroom or rest breaks (more to come on those stories). We didn't want to pull over because the snow was piling up and it would be difficult not to get stuck. We saw probably 100 cars who had slid off and were stuck in the deeper snow on the shoulder. Scary, to be stranded all night in your car in a blizzard, so David was driving so carefully and slowly. We were going between 0 and 35 miles per hour the whole way to Richmond. All told, it took NINE hours to get through Richmond (normally less than 2!) and therefore, we knew we were in for an all-nighter to get to the promised land of non-icy roads. Who knew that there would be parking lot traffic at 4 a.m.! All of northern VA was trying to leave before the storm too!
I know that God was giving us a little grace by having Matthew be AMAZINGLY good all night. It was good that we left right in time for him to go to bed, because he slept while our stress levels were the highest. He woke up to eat and the first round I felt so prepared because I had put some bottles with water and formula in the diaper bag, so we could feed him in his car seat. By the second round, I decided I NEEDED to feed him because my shirt was so soaked from leaking breastmilk since I was not able to pump (note to self for next blizzard.....make sure breast pads are accessible on a road trip and make sure I have BOTH parts of the manual pump). Since we happened to be at a standstill in traffic at the time, I decided to take him out of his carseat to feed him. The NEXT round (I was beginning to feel more and more like Brittany Spears) I pulled him out to feed him while we were driving (do I get worst mother of the year?) and then proceeded to change a very dirty diaper (with Katie's help) while sitting next to him on the back seat (victory! Nothing on the seat.....just on his clothes).
As for ourselves, well that's a funny story. Katie had to go to the bathroom first and I thought, how perfect, she can use a diaper! I mean WHAT WOULD YOU DO, if you were stranded on an interstate and REALLY had to go? She tried but just couldn't get past the thought that she might pee all over her clothes in the process and she would be stuck like that for many, many hours. She somehow managed to hold it for another 2 hours. I, on the other hand, soon had to relieve myself too, and I opted to prove to her the diaper method works. And let me tell you, it's perfect! I can't believe I'm admitting that on here, but again, WHAT WOULD YOU DO? Later we happened to be stopped behind another accident under an overpass and Katie managed to walk up the concrete angled slab (in my shoes....did I tell you she had her high-heeled boots on for the blizzard trip? Man were we prepared!) to get up to the top and go behind a bush to be out of view. David, with the iron bladder he has, easily waited until we stopped in the promised land.
David was a saint because, not only did he drive 13 of the 16 1/2 hrs, but he endured all the back seat driving from Katie and I. David saw the drive as a challenge, trying to find the best lane with the most traction and least amount of risk. We were all fairly nervous/fearful as we drove on the ice and snow, and we'd be telling David, "Get behind that truck!", "Move into those tracks!", "Get in that lane!" to "help" him navigate the treacherous roads. An additional challenge was the ice and snow that caked on the windshield wipers, limiting visibility. We had to try to knock off the ice and snow off the windshield wipers while driving occasionally. We actually DID have an ice scraper and brush....we weren't totally unprepared, but we only managed to stop under an overpass once to use it. Had not our friends (Allie and Amy K) helped us get ready for our blizzard drive before our departure, we would not have had any snacks or drinks the whole way (since we couldn't stop). Thanks girls for planning ahead for us! We kept track of the temperature as it kept inching up to above freezing and finally at about 5:30 a.m. the snow turned to freezing rain and the roads weren't as icy, praise God! By the time we got into South Carolina, the snow/sleet had stopped and the roads were just slushy....and further on we had dry roads!!! Yay! After we stopped for breakfast it became a mission for David to make it with only that one stop, since we were not far off. We finally made it to my parents' house at 2:20 p.m., over 16 1/2 hours later.
We end the year with an eventful drive to visit family and are thankful to God we made it safely. We are excited for the week we will spend here......Merry Christmas to all!
