Along Our Way

I thought it would be fun to write some things that happen along our way to look back on in years to come. Today was the first day on the way to Georgia. I had some anxiety about being in the car all day with the kids, but it could not have gone more smoothly. The kids were so great! We didn't even turn a movie on for the first 3 hrs. At first they were just happy to ride a long. Then we turned on a book on CD, which they love. We listened to a good portion of Ramona Age 8. It was so much fun. Even Randall and I enjoyed it. I thought the kids would like it and picked that book in particular because Ramona is the same age as Ethan and is starting a new school and in the 3rd grade just like Ethan will be. I had forgotten what fun books they are since I haven't read them since I was really young. After that they watched a movie and we stopped a few times for bathroom breaks and lunch, and the time was just sailing by. Jane had the hardest time but really doesn't do badly either. Poor little thing though, I knew she was cutting one molar and has been a champ but today I was feeling around in her mouth and realized she is cutting 2 molars with 2 more on the way. One of the molars that hasn't cut yet is so incredibly swollen it looks like a little marshmallow in her mouth. She easily could be screaming just because of her poor gums but just fusses some and wants me to get her out and hold her. I've done that sitting in the back strapped in, but it makes me really nervous... I can't imagine back in the day when kids didn't have car seats or even seat belts. Although I'm sure they weren't driving as fast as we do now. Not that it would matter I guess.

The ride was absolutely beautiful too. We drove for about 4 hrs through the Shenandoah Valley and it was amazing. It was incredibly green and lush and so many of the trees are in bloom with bright purple flowers. In Jersey it is just barely beginning to show any signs of spring with just the tiniest bit of buds and color, so the ride was beautiful. I also thought it would be mostly flat but was quite hilly. We even saw some "mountains", well at least what people in the East would call mountains :)

It was fun to call out and tell the kids that we just went from New Jersey to Pennsylvania, to Maryland, to West Virginia to Virginia. Of course only Ethan really gets what we are talking about and none of them really care, but for us it's fun to think about all the places we are getting to at least say we have been too.

We have stopped for the night in southern Virginia about 30 minutes out from North Carolina. Tomorrow we should only have 4 hrs or so until we reach our destination. It is feeling more real, and yet still surreal what we are about to do. I'm very excited to see what will soon be our home and I don't mean the actual house but our surrounding community and state. Although the house part is exciting too, just a tad more nerve wracking.

The kids are excited to stay in a hotel and have jumped on the beds a bit which normally I don't like, but truthfully after doing so well in the car I think it's ok to get a few wiggles out. They thought it was fun to flip through the channels and watch "real" TV since we just have netflix at home. Ethan and Anna are sharing a bed tonight and they were having a hard time settling in saying "Stop pulling on the covers... You have more than me!" I finally realized that I don't know that any of them have actually ever shared a bed before! A room yes, but not a bed. Gone are the days of 5 kids all sleeping together.

I'm hoping tomorrow goes as smoothly as it did today.