Wednesday: Wyoming is Wet and Windy (of course it's windy)

Today's trip was the same as yesterday's in time, but 100 miles longer!  LOVE going 75-ish. 

And I love Wyoming.  It is wild and wonderful (hmmm, no wonder they use that for their slogans).

As we pulled in to the McDonald's in Cheyenne, Luci heard tales of the haunted houses on FE Warren Air Force Base, which is right next to Cheyenne. We used to live there.  Our time there was a strange year!  Haunted houses and Dad's last year in the Air Force.

John called from the South Pacific as we pulled into the parking lot.  Poor guy, I had to cut the call short because ... well ... when I stop the car on a long trip, that's the signal for my body to have to go to the bathroom.  NOW.  

Today we got lots of rain around Laramie and the temp plummeted to 45....quite a difference from Tuesday's 102. 

Here are a couple of the things we saw today:

Mr. Bean's car!

 and, Abraham Lincoln.  Luci said he must like ham, since his name is Abra-Ham

Tuesday: Temps & Tunes

Monday was a day of highs in the low 70's...in the South in May!  Rare.  Lovely.

Tuesday, moving through the midwest, we had 102!  Wow. 

We also had some songwriting going on.  Sing this to the tune, Majesty (the worship song):

Missouri

JT's in Misery

Riding with us

In our Prius

A really long way.

JT was not amused.

Monday means Missouri

Well. Today was fun.

We left Bryan sleeping (jealous!) and hit the gas station before heading out.  Gas was $3.27, up ten cents from the previous week.  I felt kind of gypped.

I forgot to call the credit card people to let them know we were going to be traveling; they have put holds on our card before, thinking someone had stolen it.  I sure didn't want that to happen on this trip.  As we sat in the car, me calling the credit card company, the kids in the backseat kept talking to me.  I kept telling them to hush.  After I got off the phone, I said, "What do you not understand about 'hush'?"  JT told me that he was trying to get me to lock the car doors because there was some commotion going on at the gas station.  Apparently, a woman left the store and a man ran out, shouting, "Stop that woman!"  There was lots of shouting and all I heard were my two in the backseat. 

Of course, on the way out of the gas station parking lot, Luci pipes up that we forgot her breakfast at home...so back we went to get that.  Finally, at 8:45, we left town.

Thought it would be fun to take the kids straight north, then west.  That way they could count two more states on their "I've been there!" lists.  So, up through TN, then KY and then IL.  Kentucky and Illinois were new.  Long before we could get to Kentucky, we had an emergency bathroom stop for Luci.  She was so happy to announce that "This is the first potty stop of the whole trip!"  Woo-hoo.  It also won awards for the ickiest bathroom in a gas station.

At least we got a good view of this:

JT took that photo.


We finally made it to Columbia, Missouri.  It was a long, long day.  Ten hours in the car!  I won't ever go through KY and IL again.  We didn't get to go 70 mph until we'd passed St. Louis.  Gas popped up to $3.65 the second we crossed the Alabama line.  We are spoiled at home!

The only thing worse than this ten hour day would be driving this distance (540 miles) at 55mph.  When Jimmy Carter changed the speed limits to 55 mph back in the 70's it was torture!  He only had Amy, and he got to ride around in Air Force One.  I'd like to see him drive from Idaho to Tennessee (our trips back in the 70's, to visit the grandparents and cousins).  Oh my goodness.  Five kids, their parents, luggage (how on earth did it fit in the car?), crackers, Vienna sausage and warm Shasta soda (there was no room for a cooler) for lunches.  And JT thinks he has it bad!

Where to Take Mama for Lunch?

Isn't that the great question for Mother's Day?  Who wants to cook? Not the kids, that's for certain.

This Mother's Day is the second or third (I think it's the third) that John has missed with his overseas trips.  The first one (and I think it's two) were spent in war zones.  This year he's on a church mission trip in the South Pacific. 

So, I learned that first Mother's Day spent without John that the BEST place to eat lunch on Mother's Day is at a fast food place.  We went to Fazoli's and had a fun time, and watched many, many people waiting in the rocking chairs at the Cracker Barrel across the street. 

The second Mother's Day John was gone was (and I think this is the right memory) spent in Idaho with my mom.  I think we had a big grilled lunch at my brother's house that year.

This year, John's working hard in the beautiful South Pacific and we are home alone.  But not to worry.  I made plans!

The Sunday before John left, I told everyone at lunch one day what I wanted to do for Mother's Day.  Here is how the lecture speech conversation went:


Me:  For Mother's Day this year, Taco Bell, I want to go to Taco Bell.  Dad Taco Bell does not like Taco Bell Mexican food,  so going when he's gone Taco Bell is a good idea.  The regular  Taco Bell restaurants Taco Bell will be crowded.  Taco Bell is my choice Taco Bell.  That's where Taco Bell I want to go, Taco Bell, for you to treat me Taco Bell to a lunch that I will enjoy, Taco Bell, and that, even though you Taco Bell are taking me, I will happily pay for Taco Bell.  Do you know where I want to go? Taco Bell

Luci:  McDonald's!

Dreaming......

I had a really good dream last night.

 The kids and I went to Idaho (just like we are going to do next week) to see the folks and Mom was in good health--walking around, but letting us do things like fix supper (that proves it was a dream! She was not in charge, hee hee).

It was Dad's birthday in my dream.  His birthday is really in February, but this was May. 

I went up to Mom and told her how pretty she looked, and got to kiss her on both cheeks. I could actually feel her face in my dream.

It was lovely.

Miss you, Mom! I wish we could see you when we get to Idaho.

I cannot upload any photos; I had two I really wanted to post.