Summary of a Road Trip

It probably wasn't the wisest decision I could've made.. you know... the one where I decided to go on a 3-week-long road trip.. with 3 young kids... and without my hard-working husband.  Really, what was I thinking?

It got interesting even before we left.. because 2 days before take-off Newbie was diagnosed with pneumonia of all things!!  I KNOW!! (She's better now by the way.)
Along the way we've encountered a random bout of diarrhea (poor Sunshine - was on the B.R.A.T. diet for 3 days and only got to drink chocolate soy milk), potty regression (thank you Tank), and tons of poop-splosions from Newbie.  What's with all the potty trouble on the road trip, hm?

Really though, it's been an amazing time. I didn't get pulled over once (so far) and I've driven about 2000 miles by now!  I got to see some of my favorite friends and God really worked me over while I was with them.  He really brought me some peace through these friends.

I also got to see my Gramma, the coolest Gramma who ever lived because she's confessed to me all the stories of her crazy antics as a youngster and beyond.  She also rode a motorcycle.  Yup.  She's that cool.  (She's probably reading this too. But I'm not just brown-nosing.  She can attest to the time I called her a "Cool Gramma" when I was younger.)  I also got to meet my Gramma's partner in crime, which was so neat after hearing all the stories of the trouble they stir up together.

Oh!!  I also got to experience Small-Town Texas at it's best!!!!  So.. here's a little side-story for y'all. *wink*  On my way into Ft. Worth, I stopped in a town called Bowie (said "boo-ee" like the knife, not "bow-ee" like the David).  I'd heard that the Dairy Queens in Texas had more than just ice cream (really?) and pulled up to the town DQ.  And everyone was staring at me.  They stared at me when I walked in.. when I set my 3 kids down at a table.. when I ordered... every move I made, I was being watched.  Of course, plenty of people oo-ed and aw-ed at my little Newbie, because she's only the cutest little baby anyone had ever seen this side of the Panhandle.. *wink*  But anyway.. I was worried that maybe people in Texas didn't have 3 kids.. or maybe they didn't wear spaghetti straps.. or maybe there was toilet paper sticking out of my pants that got stuck there at the last rest stop!  It freaked. Me. Out.

I got over it though.

But then, on my way OUT of Ft. Worth, we stopped in Bowie again, but this time for breakfast.  So we hit up the McDonald's, which was immediately next door to the DQ.  The first thing I noticed was there weren't any parking spots left.  Small town, small parking lot.  Okay.  But then, when I was on my way inside I was stared at again!!  I got in the door and looked around and every single seat was taken.  I'm not even kidding.  It's McDonald's people!  Not two steps in the door, a lady, prolly in her 60's, walks up to me and says, "Do you mind if I babysit the little one here while you order?"  I didn't even finish stuttering over the first word, which was "uh," before she carried my Newbie to a table where she and another man had been sitting about 10 feet away.  I nearly panicked, but reminded myself I was in Texas.  Texans were different than the people in Colorado.  Plus, she was older and I was younger, and the building was small and there was only one visible exit and I could totally run faster than her. And then I could sick Tank on her while I pried my sweet Newbie from her hands. I kept a close eye on them while I ordered.  Newbie started to cry and I handed Strange Stranger Lady a bottle, and that made Newbie happy while I waited on the order.  It finally came up and I took the tray and my boys and we walked toward the table as the man who'd been sitting with Strange Stranger Lady stood up and said, "I'm on my way out, have a seat. You take care now."  It hit me then that Strange Stranger Lady and this man weren't married.  We sat down and I noticed that everyone was talking to everyone.  People were hanging over seats and talking over shoulders and laughing at someone's joke from across the room.  And everyone was at least 60-something.  It was like.. near-geriatric junior high.. people switching seats and laughing and everyone knew everyone.  It dawned on me.. that's why they stared.  I was clearly not from around here.  It wasn't that I looked funny, it was that they didn't know me!
Anyway.. breakfast was good and so was the conversation.  I got to hang out with friendly people who loved my babies and thought I was crazy for liking the Texas sky as much or more than the Colorado mountains. And that's my Small-Town Texas Experience.  Thank you very much.  Now back to your regularly unscheduled blog post.

So after some time in Texas, Land of the Awesome, we headed up to see Bond's family and spend some time with my dad and sisters, plus some old friends from college. (College friends are old now? Hm.)  I've almost adjusted to the bitter cold and dryness of Colorado again. Maybe someday God will plant me in His Second Promised Land that Moses forgot to write about in the Bible... (okay, don't hit me!)

I'm on the last leg of the trip now.  Only two more "sleeps" and we get to drive the 5-hour trip home.. over four slow and twisty mountain passes.  (At least I'm stealing my sister away and bringing her with me!)  One of the joys of living and driving in Colorado:  Everything takes longer because you're slowed down by some kind of road obstacle.. be that snow/ice, potholes from the snow/ice, construction to fix the potholes from the snow/ice, suicidal animals who hate the snow/ice, or twisty roads with gorgeous views behind the drop-off cliffs... that are covered in snow/ice 9 months out of the year. (Sunshine said the funniest thing on the way over the passes the first time when Tank said he was scared.  "Don't worry Tank!  Those pine trees will catch us if we fall!!"  Apparently Tank isn't very enthusiastic about my ability to stay on the road. Thank you Tank.)

This trip hasn't been as hard as people make it sound like it should be, but it's certainly been full of adventure.

What.. you're mad because I don't have any pictures?  When am I supposed to take pictures?!  I'm on a crazy-long road trip all alone with my 3 young children!  You think I'm Super Woman or something?!  Yeesh!