We have been planning and saving for a good long time and this trip has morphed into an amazing adventure. The kids and I left Jul 2 and were gone a month and two days. Neal, my hard working man who made the biggest part of this possible, was able to join us mid trip and planned our road trip home in a round-about way.
We posted daily via Facebook and everyone said that this is the trip our kids would always remember as THE trip. I don't remember things well so I took tons of pictures. Also as proof in case they do forget. My mother always said, don't you remember our trip to _____ when we saw/did ____? The answer is almost always "No" because I was often quite young, like under 5. I have memories of the smell of rotten eggs and the sight of a pool of rainbow colors and an auditory memory of mom saying "You can't touch the water, it'll burn you." This is my complete bank of memories of Yellowstone National Park. That is why I want to go again because I hear it's spectacular. But that is a trip for another time. Just pointing out that I made sure my kids were old enough to remember this trip and documented it like crazy.
We watched HGTV every night we could at the hotels because our family loves it and we don't get it at home.
Sophie sleeps when the car is moving. This is also the reason she lost the "My Train" game. This is a game from when I was a kid. Whoever spots a MOVING train first calls out "my train" and that is one for them. The accumulate over the trip. Neal and I won with 11 each, Rhys 10 and Sophie at 8 or 9. This is because the girl sleeps. This also shows the amazing man Neal is because he started halfway through the trip with us and caught up fast.
Rhys was a great co-pilot! He used the binder I made and looked at our GPS to track where we were, where we'd been, and had a good understanding of what to expect. The answer to the question, "How much farther?" was consistently answered by, "Check the binder." But they seldom asked at all.
I loved teaching them about history-the places we went, our personal family and pioneer history (which we read to them on pioneer and church history days), and visiting the museums. We'd talk about what we saw and then questions would pop up or they would seek clarification.
Rhys seldom talks about Legos when there is so much more to do and see. But Legos are still awesome.
I love my family. My husband and kids who I get to share these memories with. My parents, sister, her kids, my cousins, and in-laws. I love them. I love them for who they are and all they do to love us and for opening their homes to us.
I was afraid I would crack and eat my young because I had never been the sole parent and in charge of everything that happens for weeks at a time. Before I left, I even asked Neal for a blessing to help me. There were a few times I snapped at them but I didn't "snap" and we were able to work things through. I feel like as a family we did really well having a good time, practicing patience, talking feelings through, and making memories. It was a real blessing to have this time and opportunity.
I can't wait to see more of my country in the future.
We are blessed.
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