When we moved down here to Texas, I said I would never go to Utah unless we could fly. Well, I now know how those words taste. We made that drive this Summer, and the kids did great, it was me who had the problem with the length and time it took. We were not even planning on going until about the Middle of May. I thought I would send Gracie up on an airplane all by herself to visit with cousins and grandparents, and made the mistake of telling her that she was going, before I checked airfare. Well I soon learned that it's $1o0 extra per way for an unaccompanied minor, and when tickets are already $550 I was NOT going to pay that. But I had a little girl who I had promised could go. So I did what every mother would do and swallowed hard and told her we would still go, but drive as a family. Then everything that almost could happen to make me not want to go happened. I would tell myself that I was not going to go, but knew that I had a little girl that REALLY needed to see her cousins. So I would get over it and decide we were going again. Then our house got broken into, and I really decided we were not going. I had a mess to clean up, and insurance to deal with and I didn't want to leave my house a lone for 3 weeks either. But once again I was convinced that I needed to go and I decided that I didn't want to be at my house because it scared me. So my wonderful husband that was driving us up there, just to fly home to work, told me that he would take care of the house and the insurance while I was gone. I kept wondering why it was so important to make this road trip. And then I was there and I saw her smile and I knew in my heart why we had done everything for her. But then I realized it wasn't just her that needed it. Our whole family needed to go build family relationships. Mitchell was one when we moved to Texas and he didn't remember my younger brothers, both have gotten married since we moved and my kids got to meet their new Aunts. I was able to see cousins that I miss so much it hurts, and we were able to build some great memories. I don't have many pictures of the trip because our camera was taken but I have the memories forever in my mind. I am so grateful that we were able to go and spend some time with family and some wonderful friends.
