Saying Good-Bye

Tonight is the last night of our nine day family vacation.  One activity we're going to do tomorrow on our 10 hour car ride home is write down highlights from each day.  It's a good thing I brought a notebook, because each and every day had so many highlights it's hard to believe we fit so much into nine days.  We pushed ourselves physically from hiking, alpine sliding and driving through the extreme darkness of Wyoming in the middle of the night to emotionally saying good-bye to family we wish we lived closer to.  We've visited our Colorado family four times in the last five years.

This good-bye was like no other.  When we were stuck in extreme not moving traffic returning from CO Springs I believe God intended that so we had more time to talk with Hollis.  An extra two hours that is, even though we were driving six hrs that night.  I was crying as I kissed Walker and told him I loved him and held Nash as I gave him his last Nashy Washy.  I couldn't look at Hollis as we were about to hug because I knew I would totally lose it knowing we could be very very good friends if we lived closer.  By the time we returned to Aunt Joan's we were in a huge hurry.  We were hours behind schedule and knew that would mean driving many hours in the dark.  I was quickly finishing the last of the packing and cleaning up our room when I heard Victoria's voice cracking.  She was crying saying good-bye.  She was clinging to Joan saying she didn't want to leave and then hugged and rolled around with Kali while I took pictures, as she asked.  Joan walked us to the minivan and Victoria refused to roll up her window until she couldn't see Aunt Joan any longer and then yelled out, "I LOVE YOU!"

It was the most beautiful and heart breaking thing.  It's so wonderful we get to travel to catch up with our Colorado family and it's so amazing we're all so close even though nearly 1,000 miles divide us. It's heart breaking we only see each other once a year.  As we were turning onto Paradise Rd (actual name of the road!) Mark said, "If you're this sad, we need to visit more often."

I couldn't agree more.