miles ahead of us and the wind at our back...

I cannot believe today finally came! After months of planning (or pretending to plan!) we are on our way to California! Sunday was a bit tight for time ... being up north for a wedding made it a tad interesting on the packing end of things, but we still managed to cram the van full of stuff - from tents to leap pads, coolers (unfortunately not the liquor kind!) dvd player and a couple changes of underwear - strap the kids in and still have room for the two "adults" in the vehicle! The kids were really disappointed that Casper the Bug was not the vehicle of choice for travelling across the country, but we were able to persuade them into the more spacious confines of the van!
Steve and Grammy were there to wave off our happy troop...and it wasn't until we started driving away that the reality of the next couple of days started to sink in. I didn't really know what I was signing up for...but I was ready for the adventure!
We hadn't even gotten past London when I decided it was time to break in the trip for "excitement". Dumping some half-full sippy cup out the van window while treking down the #401 seems like a task requiring little skill...except when you accidentally lean on the window button and get your hand caught between glass and metal with your sister anxiously telling you not to drop the cup! Besides a little swelling and a fancy bruise, it's doing fine. And no, I did not drop the cup!
When one plans when the kids will sleep in the car, it's probably best to inform and train the kids! It was in and around midnite by the time we hit the border (even the cute border guy thought we were insane when we told him what we were planning to do! With a story that far out, he knew we weren't lying and let us across!) and only two kids were down for the count. Sydney was not one of them! Using her limited vocabulary, she entertained us with E-I-E-I-OOO well into Michigan.
Shortly after she finally crashed, we ran into a little weather. Thunder, lightning, and some hard core rain succeeded in awaking our troops...argh! So much for me getting the much needed shut-eye before my nite shift! I got the priveledge of driving the 1:30-7:30 time slot. With a bag of carrots and some tar disguised as gas bar coffee, and some major prayer I was able to keep my eyes open and the van on the road! It was cool, because when I chatted with my mom the next morning, she had woken up during the nite and had been praying for me at the hardest time of my shift!
We stopped for breakfast at some pilgrim town attraction somewhere in Iowa. JJ had packed a breakfast of cereal and milk, and the kids got some solid time to run around and get rid of their car seat kinks and cramps before heading back on the highway. We hadn't even been in the car a half hour before Owen, unable to locate his barf bag, spewed Corn pops and apple juice all over the back seat. The kid looked greener than Jr. Asparagus, and I wasn't much help having the weakest stomache in the van. Survival meant hanging my head out the window, and letting my super-mom sister deal with the spew. I'm such a wuss when it comes to "smells" and my stomache!
We were able to keep the kids cooped up until we made it to one of the original Pony Express Stations in Nebraska (here's to memories of watching Young Riders back in the day!) It was a great opportunity for the kids to get some space. I have developed utmost sympathy for children stuck in car seats until 8. Although I know it is for "safety purposes" (I'm still thinking it's a money making scam for car seat companies) the person who made that law should have been forced to sit in a car seat on a cross-country venture!
By this point lack of sleep and limited activity were beginning to show slight signs ... especially on the drivers! Convos began to drift farther away from coherent or intelligent! I felt like a total tool when we stopped for dinner ... rolling out of a jam-packed van and lacking a shower and clean clothes, suffering from bed head and sleep deprivation, and trying to keep it together for the kids, I ended up dropping all the kids drinks from the tray (I seem to be having issues whenever kiddie drinks are involved!) One of the guys was "more than willing" to lend a hand (maybe bedhead and four kids is attractive here!) Whatever the case, we managed to get back in the van in one piece, and it was my turn to get some shut eye (sleep is a sacred word when there are four kids in a car!)
The kids did great with thier leap pads and colouring tools, and it turns out we have an aspiring tattoo artist (Megs and her markers) and graphiti queen (Arwen and her crayons). I think I've gotten the full cycle of baby Einstein (I'm trying to catch up from my "less-educated" childhood...it's never too late!)
Our first day on the road has been such an amazing time to spend with my neices and nephew ... who aside from a couple minor melt downs, have done extremely well in the car. There has been lots of opportunity to share laughs and stories with JJ, and chat about life and the excitements of the future. I know people thought we were crazy for embarking on such a long trek with four kids...and they were right! WE ARE CRAZY!!! But there's no place in the world I would rather be right now ... other than catching up on my sleep in a nice comfy bed!!!
We made it to Georgetown, Colorado...24 hours after departure. Eating and sleeping schedules have been given up on at this point and the kids are as wired as ever (I wonder who they get that from!!!) I cannot tell you how great it felt to take a shower and sprawl out on a bed. We have been showered with phone calls from family and friends...it is such a blessing to know that we are held within the hearts of such a great network of solid support. Who knows what adventures tomorrow will bring...but God has been amazing to us so far - safety on the roads, amazing snapshots of His handiwork in creation, and maintained sanity for the two crazies. Thanx for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers...