Flash back
It was just over eight years ago that there were only three of us Baze's. There are few things that stick out in my mind around that time period. I'm not sure if it was the lack of nutrients I was getting, pregnancy brain, preparing for the PCS, having a toddler, moving across the world for the first time, welcoming the husband home from a deployment only to go right into PCSing or just that it's been 8 years. The things I remember feel like something in a dream. Bits and pieces, but when put together make a story.
It was our last day in America as we were PCSing to England the following morning. We had driven the few hours from Wichita, KS to Dallas, Texas. We had to drop my car off at the port, where it would in turn be shipped to England, so we got in the day before out flight. The day was long, we were very tired (emotionally and physically). I don't remember why we chose the restaurant we did, but we ended our day at Texas Roadhouse for dinner. I'm sure it was because of how close it was to the hotel. I was a few weeks pregnant at the time and at the point where I had not been able to hold anything down, other then McDonalds Chicken Nuggets. I can still remember the feeling I had while eating them. I reluctantly ordered a steak, knowing full well that I would eventually end in the bathroom praying to the porcelain gods (if you've never puked in a public toilet, count your blessings). It was our last night in America, so McDonalds wasn't something we wanted as our last meal. When our food came, I think we were all just hungry and too tired to realize that Shane and mines steak were placed in front of the wrong person. While Shane sat across from me, unsatisfied by what he had ordered, I stuffed my face with what could only be described as heaven in a steak. If you've never had morning sickness, never felt starved, you may never know what it's like to eat something that you can feel in your whole body as the food of life. This steak, was that feeling. About half way through our dinner, Shane had realized that our steaks were swapped. While he was a little disappointed that his last steak was terrible, I could see that he was happy that I was finally keeping something down (or maybe that he wasn't paying for me to just puke it back up ;D).
This was our final memory of America, before we embarked on our eight year expat adventure. It was a whirlwind that we were so lucky to experience. When we arrived in England, I was given meds for the morning sickness (after a grueling 24hours of flying and puking, not recommended) and that was the end of that. We visited home often and had many chances to stuff our faces with our favorite meals. Unfortunately, TRH was not one of those places and it has been eight years since we stepped foot in one again, until last night.
If you don't know me, then this all sounds trivial and boring. If you do, you know that everything in my life has sentiment. The biggest are firsts. On our way to watch the dirt track races (first time as a family), we stopped at a few stores and did some shopping. We had a few hours to kill, so we looked through the GPS to find a place to have dinner. We scrolled for a bit before Shane made a funny noise of excitement, plugged in some information and off we headed. As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw the restaurant sign ..Texas Roadhouse. All the memories of our last meal came flooding back. We walked in, sat down and ordered. As we sat there waiting for our food, I couldn't help but get sentimental. I snapped a quick picture of M coloring her menu and tucked my phone away. We told the kids the story of the last time we had been to TRH, the funny mix-up and how we couldn't believe that it had been eight years since we had last been. I sat and thought of all the things we had been through in these last years. This dinner was our first at a TRH since M was born, it was our first time ever dinning in one as the four of us and of course it was M's first ever. When our food arrived, I had a little chuckle to myself as they placed M's meal in front of her, steak. Of course she loves steak.....and chicken nuggets.
It was our last day in America as we were PCSing to England the following morning. We had driven the few hours from Wichita, KS to Dallas, Texas. We had to drop my car off at the port, where it would in turn be shipped to England, so we got in the day before out flight. The day was long, we were very tired (emotionally and physically). I don't remember why we chose the restaurant we did, but we ended our day at Texas Roadhouse for dinner. I'm sure it was because of how close it was to the hotel. I was a few weeks pregnant at the time and at the point where I had not been able to hold anything down, other then McDonalds Chicken Nuggets. I can still remember the feeling I had while eating them. I reluctantly ordered a steak, knowing full well that I would eventually end in the bathroom praying to the porcelain gods (if you've never puked in a public toilet, count your blessings). It was our last night in America, so McDonalds wasn't something we wanted as our last meal. When our food came, I think we were all just hungry and too tired to realize that Shane and mines steak were placed in front of the wrong person. While Shane sat across from me, unsatisfied by what he had ordered, I stuffed my face with what could only be described as heaven in a steak. If you've never had morning sickness, never felt starved, you may never know what it's like to eat something that you can feel in your whole body as the food of life. This steak, was that feeling. About half way through our dinner, Shane had realized that our steaks were swapped. While he was a little disappointed that his last steak was terrible, I could see that he was happy that I was finally keeping something down (or maybe that he wasn't paying for me to just puke it back up ;D).
This was our final memory of America, before we embarked on our eight year expat adventure. It was a whirlwind that we were so lucky to experience. When we arrived in England, I was given meds for the morning sickness (after a grueling 24hours of flying and puking, not recommended) and that was the end of that. We visited home often and had many chances to stuff our faces with our favorite meals. Unfortunately, TRH was not one of those places and it has been eight years since we stepped foot in one again, until last night.
If you don't know me, then this all sounds trivial and boring. If you do, you know that everything in my life has sentiment. The biggest are firsts. On our way to watch the dirt track races (first time as a family), we stopped at a few stores and did some shopping. We had a few hours to kill, so we looked through the GPS to find a place to have dinner. We scrolled for a bit before Shane made a funny noise of excitement, plugged in some information and off we headed. As we pulled into the parking lot, I saw the restaurant sign ..Texas Roadhouse. All the memories of our last meal came flooding back. We walked in, sat down and ordered. As we sat there waiting for our food, I couldn't help but get sentimental. I snapped a quick picture of M coloring her menu and tucked my phone away. We told the kids the story of the last time we had been to TRH, the funny mix-up and how we couldn't believe that it had been eight years since we had last been. I sat and thought of all the things we had been through in these last years. This dinner was our first at a TRH since M was born, it was our first time ever dinning in one as the four of us and of course it was M's first ever. When our food arrived, I had a little chuckle to myself as they placed M's meal in front of her, steak. Of course she loves steak.....and chicken nuggets.
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