Previous PostsWow...what a vacation!
I feel as if I just spent five days in a car, probably because I practically did. Kelsey and I left on Tuesday night (22 March) to head northward in "spurts". We departed sunny and 70 degrees in Dallas to immediately see a change in the weather. From bright, cheerful and spring-like to grey, cold and bland. We reached Jacksonville, Arkansas at about 11:30pm and camped out at the Comfort Inn just off of I-67 -- 5-and-a-half hours down, 7 more to go to see my "Turks".
This trip could be called the "make-up" trip, but in addition to that it would allow me a chance to celebrate my son Hayden's 7th birthday and spend as much time as I possibly could with them, before they were whisked off to Mississippi with their grandparents. They'll be moving there soon, it'll be closer (9 hours instead of 12) but I wish I could have taken them with me to Michigan. That is the "make-up" part of the trip. In November, when we originally planned to head all the way to Osseo, Michigan to visit Kelsey's mom we plowed a deer at mile marker 13 along a stretch of I-57 now deemed "Thanksgiving Alley". The run-in with the buck not only cost me a month with my new Mazda, but also cut short our trip to the hinterlands. I'm finally "making-up" that trip to Kels.
So, Wednesday morning we woke at 5:30am and started heading north, through Missouri and on to Forsyth, Illiniois. I missed getting there in time to pick Hayden up from school, but Kels and I were able to spend the entire evening on Wednesday and most of the day Thursday with the kiddos. It was grand. I loved every moment of it. From opening Hayden's gifts, watching them interact with Kels, smiles, hugs, little kisses...I was in heaven. I miss them so much. I hated to see Thursday come and go, but it did. I also visited with Ben, Kels caught up with some of the old Panera gang. It was weird to be back in Decatur. I missed Dallas...
Friday morning, we rose again at dawn...and were on the road by 6am. We trekked north and east, through the traffic of Chicago, to the boredom of I-80 and the time change. We cut across the top of Indiana and into Ohio, then turned north to Osseo. It's kind of like Luebbering, where I grew up. Out in the woods, wild critters everywhere. But it was cold, snowy and generally bleak along the ride. Kels and I passed the time singing to one another, reading American Gods together and just staying awake. We arrived at about 2:00pm, said our "hellos", presented John (Kelsey's little brother) with his birthday present and then took a nap. Friday evening was relaxed. We just spent time chatting with Kelsey's mom, looking at old pictures and playing with John. He's such a funny kid. We had dinner around 7pm and turned in around 10:30pm.
Saturday we woke, ate breakfast (yummy homemade muffins and breads) and then headed out to the nearby dairy farm for a tour. That was really interesting, Hayden and Baylie would have got a kick out of it, had they been able to come with. Then we went to Cabala's -- Michigan's answer for Missouri's Bass Pro Shop. We had a late afternoon/early evening dinner and then headed towards Missouri...9 hours. We arrived at 2:15am at my dad's house...and promptly fell to sleep.
Sunday, I woke to my dad stirring his coffee, a familiar sound from my childhood. It wasn't just "coffee" it was Starbucks, a fringe benefit of being with Kels. The smell of Breakfast Blend helped to woo me off the couch and into conversation with dad. He and I really are alike in a lot of ways...I love spending time with him, just man0 y mano. I had only expected to see Dad, Colin, Kira and perhaps Bryan and Jackie, but was pleasantly surprised to find out that Carolyn and Amos were up collecting furniture for their new loft in Springfield. Kelsey and I assisting with the loading of their truck and then we all (Bry, Kels, Amos, Carolyn and I) convoyed to Springfield. 4 hours...
We unloaded the truck then headed off to Amos' parent's home for Easter dinner. Yummy soups, tasty biscuits and filling desserts. But, we had to go around 7:30pm...and started making our way out of Missouri again, this time into Oklahoma. We took an experimental route this time -- through Tulsa to the Okmulgee Turnpike and south towards Dallas. About 1am, my navigator asleep (she had to work at 5:30am today), I made a critical error and turned south when I should have turned west. Our 6-hour trip quickly became an 8-hour fiasco. We finally made it home around 3:30am...and threw ourselves into bed. *sigh*
I learned a lot about Kels this trip, and she about me. I miss my "Turks" already, but we're home, safe and sound, wow...what a vacation...
This trip could be called the "make-up" trip, but in addition to that it would allow me a chance to celebrate my son Hayden's 7th birthday and spend as much time as I possibly could with them, before they were whisked off to Mississippi with their grandparents. They'll be moving there soon, it'll be closer (9 hours instead of 12) but I wish I could have taken them with me to Michigan. That is the "make-up" part of the trip. In November, when we originally planned to head all the way to Osseo, Michigan to visit Kelsey's mom we plowed a deer at mile marker 13 along a stretch of I-57 now deemed "Thanksgiving Alley". The run-in with the buck not only cost me a month with my new Mazda, but also cut short our trip to the hinterlands. I'm finally "making-up" that trip to Kels.
So, Wednesday morning we woke at 5:30am and started heading north, through Missouri and on to Forsyth, Illiniois. I missed getting there in time to pick Hayden up from school, but Kels and I were able to spend the entire evening on Wednesday and most of the day Thursday with the kiddos. It was grand. I loved every moment of it. From opening Hayden's gifts, watching them interact with Kels, smiles, hugs, little kisses...I was in heaven. I miss them so much. I hated to see Thursday come and go, but it did. I also visited with Ben, Kels caught up with some of the old Panera gang. It was weird to be back in Decatur. I missed Dallas...
Friday morning, we rose again at dawn...and were on the road by 6am. We trekked north and east, through the traffic of Chicago, to the boredom of I-80 and the time change. We cut across the top of Indiana and into Ohio, then turned north to Osseo. It's kind of like Luebbering, where I grew up. Out in the woods, wild critters everywhere. But it was cold, snowy and generally bleak along the ride. Kels and I passed the time singing to one another, reading American Gods together and just staying awake. We arrived at about 2:00pm, said our "hellos", presented John (Kelsey's little brother) with his birthday present and then took a nap. Friday evening was relaxed. We just spent time chatting with Kelsey's mom, looking at old pictures and playing with John. He's such a funny kid. We had dinner around 7pm and turned in around 10:30pm.
Saturday we woke, ate breakfast (yummy homemade muffins and breads) and then headed out to the nearby dairy farm for a tour. That was really interesting, Hayden and Baylie would have got a kick out of it, had they been able to come with. Then we went to Cabala's -- Michigan's answer for Missouri's Bass Pro Shop. We had a late afternoon/early evening dinner and then headed towards Missouri...9 hours. We arrived at 2:15am at my dad's house...and promptly fell to sleep.
Sunday, I woke to my dad stirring his coffee, a familiar sound from my childhood. It wasn't just "coffee" it was Starbucks, a fringe benefit of being with Kels. The smell of Breakfast Blend helped to woo me off the couch and into conversation with dad. He and I really are alike in a lot of ways...I love spending time with him, just man0 y mano. I had only expected to see Dad, Colin, Kira and perhaps Bryan and Jackie, but was pleasantly surprised to find out that Carolyn and Amos were up collecting furniture for their new loft in Springfield. Kelsey and I assisting with the loading of their truck and then we all (Bry, Kels, Amos, Carolyn and I) convoyed to Springfield. 4 hours...
We unloaded the truck then headed off to Amos' parent's home for Easter dinner. Yummy soups, tasty biscuits and filling desserts. But, we had to go around 7:30pm...and started making our way out of Missouri again, this time into Oklahoma. We took an experimental route this time -- through Tulsa to the Okmulgee Turnpike and south towards Dallas. About 1am, my navigator asleep (she had to work at 5:30am today), I made a critical error and turned south when I should have turned west. Our 6-hour trip quickly became an 8-hour fiasco. We finally made it home around 3:30am...and threw ourselves into bed. *sigh*
I learned a lot about Kels this trip, and she about me. I miss my "Turks" already, but we're home, safe and sound, wow...what a vacation...
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