Can I get an Amen?

Our weekend got off to a roaring great start when Alison vomited her hot dog lunch all over her lunch table at school on Friday.

By the time I got to her, she was still a little pale, but feeling better. I can't say as much for her lunch table companions or the poor sap who had to clean it up. I will spare you the spot-on description of the color and texture of said vomit and leave you with the knowledge that despite her pallor and fatigue, my delicate little flower was proud of what she'd wrought. Very proud.

While I suspected she was faking a little bit, she must have truly felt bad. When we got home, she went straight to her room, changed clothes and crawled into my bed -- the spot of healing at Chez Reed. Like millions of other Americans, she's a victim of the Great Pollen Drop of 2010. We may have over-the-counter, over-medicated her and her little body just couldn't take it.

So she missed the big sleepover Friday night birthday party -- the thought of which had gotten her out of bed and happily off to school that morning. We delivered the gift with her still in her nightgown, robe and my slippers.

Saturday dawned and she was OK for gymnastics, but the tummy quivered again on the way home. Nothing spewed, though, so she got to go to Jenna's for what had been planned as sleepover No. 2. Somehow Amy had guessed the girls would rather be at Tokash HQ rather than with me at the March of Dimes walk Sunday morning...

Amy was clued into Alison's issue with her faith last week, so she warned her that they all would be going to church. "But it'll be a lot of fun, Ali. We're celebrating a new facility and we'll have big party after."

The "lot of fun" ended up lasting two hours, complete with communion, or 'that bread thing' as Jenna calls it. (Neither of them are apparently as full of the power of the Lamb as they could be.)

At Jenna's church, they dip the host into the wine (aka grape juice) before they imbibe. Ali had already indulged herself in four pieces of Miss Amy's special toast, and she's used to the catholic dry wafer/juice combo. She didn't much care for the new version, but it must not have made a second appearance.

In between asking repeatedly if it was almost over yet, she and Jenna compared notes on other differences in their worship ceremonies and colored in their programs.

I'm certain that it was the thought of all that party food that was getting Ali through the service, but the ceremony took so long that they had to miss lunch if they were to make it to Jenna's soccer game. (Makes you think someone was paying attention, doesn't it??)

The Burger King saved the stomachs, but the icy drizzle that made my March a soggy flop didn't do much for the soccer spectators, either.

Ali came home asking for Ramen and a fire in the fireplace.

Already clued in by Amer, I asked her how church was.

"Long," she replied flatly. "Very long."