Home sweet home

We made it!

Thank you for all your prayers during our voyage from California to Ohio/Kentucky and back.  We know that it is by God's grace that we made the trip safely and with no illness or injury the entire time.

Note to self, or anyone else making the same trip:  the kid-friendly way to cross southern Nevada in the middle of the summer is to stop at the McDonald's Playland in Mesquite, NV and then at the outlet mall in Jean, NV.  They're about 2 hours apart and give a good opportunity to stretch legs and get refreshment in air conditioned comfort while avoiding casinos.

The entire drive today was 7 hours from Cedar City, UT to our home, but we made it in about 10 hours with stops. 

The first thing Natalie wanted to do was to spin in her swing in the front yard; Konrad wanted to ride his trike; and Lukas wanted to check all the sprinklers in the front yard to see if any had broken in the time we were gone.  Dominik looked around, trying to remember if this was one of the hotels he's stayed in during the last 15% of his life.  We had picked up take-out from Del Taco on the way in and ate it on our front porch so the kids could see their favorite activities (and we could avoid sitting more!)

During the last hour or so of our drive, Tom and I talked about how this trip across the country has impacted us.  We've become much more used to a slower paced life with less traffic and fewer people.  It's shocking to be back in a metropolis after spending 2.5 weeks crossing rural America.

Yes, the clothes are in the washing machine, the kids are in bed (the time zone difference on the way home ensures that!) but stuff is still everywhere all over the place. 

We are so looking forward to sleeping in our own beds tonight!

But first, a shower.