Redding

The car ride was actually a lot like running or riding my bike for any great distance. The first couple miles are always the worst. In this case the first couple hundred miles were the worst, but once we really got into it, it was great. Annie only threw up twice. Once on the backside of the console and onto her bed, the 2nd time I was able to catch it in her puke bucket. Yes, my dog has a puke bucket. Luckily, with the sedative on board she was finally able to relax and drowse through the drive. The one disconcerting thing was that she didn't pee the entire trip. A dog with a possible full bladder is very... worrisome. The kids, like normal, never complained and found the stops to be full of excitement. We never were able to quite figure out the best way to let everyone get a potty break "legally". I would leave one of the kids in the car with the dog while I took the other to the bathroom. A few times I let the kids escort each other while I gave Annie a long break. The kids also enjoyed some of the freedoms I used to enjoyNeedless to say Heavenly Father was watching out for me and my little family. We did stop for a picnic lunch in Bakersfield at a nice big park and let everyone run. (Still, Annie didn't pee!)

In Sacramento, about 9 hours in we stopped for dinner at 2 different fast food places. Livi wanted Taco Bell and Aaron and I got In and Out. Annie was IN my lap drooling while I paid for the meals. She hadn't eaten since the previous night. The kids and I decided to do a last minute drop in to Sam and Nikki's house in Natomas (a suburb of Sacramento) and eat dinner there. It was a lot of fun to see Livi, Aaron and Josh all playing together. It was 8 or later so Cody was already in bed. It was great to catch up and at one point I was very tempted to take their offer to stay but knew if I did it would take forever to get going the next day. We forged on and pulled into my dad's driveway at 12am, 13 full hours later. Excellent timing with all our stops. Like the many times my mom had driven all 5 of us kids across the deserts of Nevada to visit our cousins in Utah I was able to pay it forward and take my kids to see their cousins in California. It was a good feeling.

The week was FABULOUSLY FUN! I even had a chance to get in a good ride while I was there. The cousins all had a sleepover at the Reasbeck's and played everyday together. Dinner with Papa T. and Grandma. Kite flying with Grandpa and Nana. And the baptism... wonderful. Olivia cried, hysterically at times, throughout the baptism. I couldn't figure out if she was missing Granma or it was because Daddy wasn't there??? After the baptism ended she was able to collect herself enough to say, "I'm just so happy Cody made the right decision." Wow! That's our spiritual one, right there!

On Sunday, the drive home was uneventful, thankfully. Annie did well, still didn't pee; the kids were fantastic. The next day was Monday and back to school. I'm so glad we were able to go. I'm thrilled I was able to follow my mother's example and make that sacrifice for my kids. It was a sacrifice, but to see the joy that my children experienced that week enveloped in the joy of COUSINS... I would do it again in a heart beat. Oh yeah, we are doing it again in July, but that time Bill will be with us.