What Was I Thinking???

I don't know how I had this summer trip made out in my mind, but there are a number of things I didn't consider.
1.  Sweltering heat & humidity - duh, I know.  But I really thought that once we left Texas, we'd be able to feel cool again.  Not so much.
2.  Laundry - not that I didn't know how much laundry we go through at home (ahem....I do it), but I didn't consider how many dirty clothes 6 people generate in just 4 days.  Add swimsuits & towels to that, too.
3.  Vegetables - I've been craving those yummy things since generally, on the road, they are not abundant.  Thankfully, we haven't had to "be" on the road that much because we have awesome friends who open their homes to us!
4. Internet connections - yeah....I thought I would just be blogging away, day after day (as IF that's ever happened!!) highlighting our road trip fun.  Well, when catching up with friends & family, grabbing my laptop, tapping into their wi-fi (if they have it), & grabbing all the needed necessities to download pictures from 3 different cameras I use doesn't generally cross my mind.  Time with people seems fleeting as it is.

TEXAS
Great fun to be had watching all the cousins interact.  Liam and Meredith acted like little twins - cute, most of the time.  Sibling behavior the other times.  ;) I loved getting to hear my nieces since I often don't get to.  And I am amazed at how funny stuff is that they do!  So much funnier on them than on my own kids.  They are sweet and funny; I wish I got to be around the more often.
Before Jason left, we managed to go tubing TWICE down the San Marcos River with my parents and all the kids.  Fun, fun, fun!! Just ask Mom.  The water was a great relief from the stifling heat. Our first weekend in TX, we attended my nieces' birthday party - an outdoor extravaganza.  I don't know how many of their parties we'll be in attendance for, so we were thankful that it was timed during our visit.
Liam kept telling me that he wanted "ride in yours car" (that'd be my car).  When I finally asked him where he wanted to go, he said, "home".  Poor little guy.  He's doing so well for not having a "home" right now.  Yesterday, someone asked him where "home" is;  he thought a little while and said, "Mommy's house".  That's right, sweet boy.  (only Mommy doesn't have one right now).  Jason tried to tell him our car was his house for a while longer -- he wasn't catching that.  :)
On a funny note:  I was doing my hair one morning and I heard Annabelle (6) talking in a motherly tone to her cousin, Claire (3) in the play room.  Now, mind you....we don't use a "3-count" in our house; but I have no doubt that my kids have heard one started.  Not sure they know how it can finish.
A:  "Claire, please give me that."
       "Claire." [motherly tone turned up a notch] "Claire."
      "Claire.  1..........................2..................[motherly tone still going up]....3...................4..........................5....................."

Yeah...she made it up to 8 before (I'm guessing) she got back whatever it was she wanted.  I had to laugh b/c she had no idea to stop.

Side note: I got my hair chopped in Texas, too.  I mean, barely below-the-chin chopped.  :)

ARKANSAS
We had so much fun staying a night with friends in Little Rock!  Our four kids matched up very well w/their four, and they all played, played, played!  As a surprise, I left right after dinner and picked Jason up at the airport.  He came back to drive the rest of the way with us - a HUGE blessing and WELCOME company for all of us!  The six oldest kids of our eight enjoyed a late night slumber party that Saturday night, got up for church the next morning, and then crashed - hard - at our hotel in Knoxville, TN that Sunday night.  We had to wake all four at 9:30am Monday morning to make the free breakfast downstairs by 10:00am.  LOL  Not missing the free meals!
In Tennessee, we enjoyed our first Cracker Barrel since seeing them again.

NORTH CAROLINA
We stayed with and visited family friends from waaaayyyy back!  They were friends with my family before I was IN my family!!  We spent 7 + years with them in Saudi Arabia; and then were able to see them periodically when we were stationed in NC.  They hadn't met Liam yet, so the Prince was presented. :)
The mosquitoes also gave my two youngest kids a grand welcome.  Their legs are still messed up from all their bites!

VIRGINIA
Here we find ourselves....enjoying catching up with family and friends.  I am so thankful for the graciousness & generosity of people we love.  It has truly made our trip enjoyable and - more importantly - do-able.  If we had to stay from hotel to hotel, this would get old and difficult real quick.  Moving coast-to-coast isn't exactly my idea of a good time, but it's certainly given us opportunity to visit with people we wouldn't otherwise get to see.  What a blessing!
All in all, the trip has gone extremely well.  I am sooooo thankful that all of my children accept that where we put them is where they're sleeping - and they sleep well.  I would be pulling my hair out if that wasn't the case.  
Pictures may be on the next post.  Stay tuned....