Cross Country Road Trip Day 4....

Day 4 takes us from Rapid City, SD

through a bit of Missouri

and into Council Bluffs, Iowa

where we find rest at the Holiday Inn.

Our guest photographer for this leg

is the fabulous Madison!

We had an all girl vehicle today
and we had a blast together.


I just love seeing what each of my guest
photographers choose to shoot.
Even though our landscape has been about the same
for the last three days,
I still see lots of individualality in their shots.


I -90 is a ribbon that weaves and twists
through miles and miles
and miles
of wilderness.
I can't help but think about the days of the
wild, wild west when history book families
made their way through these same hills
and prairies on Laura Ingalls style wagons.


I wonder what that was like?
Did any of those mothers worry about
their young sons driving the wagon
behind them?
Did anyone ask "Are we there yet"
a thousand times?
How many times did a family have to stop
because someone had to pee?

What did they ever do without
happy meals and dvd players?
It's fun to think about what it must have been
like for those hundreds of families
who first blazed the trail west.



It must have been so exciting for them,
traveling unfamiliar roads
through new lands toward a new life
full of hope and uncertainty!


We've felt that way too on many
of our adventures across this
beautiful country of ours.
Setting out together to find a new home,
new friends, new schools,
new everything.
We aren't ever certain of how it will be,
but we are always excited and full of hope.
Adventures like that bond a family.

I've heard it said that if you want to strengthen
family bonds,
go camping.


That sounds like a good plan,
but I say a better way is to
pile everyone in a car or two
load it down with a million suitcases
and a pantry full of snacks.
Just for fun
spread everyone's shoes
and underwear among the suitcases,
hide the phone chargers,
forget the favorite CD's,
bring 40 pairs of socks for one person
and 1 pair for another person,
bring along shampoo that doesn't close tightly
and one deoderant stick to share.
Don't forget to throw in
an hour of tearful good byes to all of your kindred spirits
right before you leave.
Finally....
with tear stained faces and swollen eyes,
start at one coast and point your car toward the other coast
and drive!
Just drive.
Drive through the screaming and yelling,
through the "why did we have to move's"
and the
"she won't stop touching me's".
Drive.
Through the detours and road construction,
through the hail, snow, rain and sunshine.
Drive.
Then when it's quiet,
peek back and see your youngest all snuggled up
against a sibling,
the passing car lights illuminating
the sweetness of family.
Drive.
Towards hope, towards newness,
towards leaning on each other.
Drive.


See, guarenteed family bonding everytime!

We really are enjoying our travels across

America the beautiful.

For this girl who loves history,

it's so fun to see where much of it took place.

Tomorrow...

Kansas City, Kansas!