Southwestern Adventure Road Trip

 Imagine this: after a long and fun week of road tripping across Texas and New Mexico, a family stands in the parking lot of a national park after sunset gazing toward the sky. 

All together they see a shooting star race over their heads and through the sky in front of them until it ultimately disappears.

They can't see each other but look around any way to verify if they all saw what they think they saw...and if everyone else saw it too. One by one everyone comes back to earth and announces they saw the magical moment. They ALL saw the shooting star together. Some cheered; some leaped up and down with excitement. Some ran toward each other to hug and embrace and cement the love and amazement of this magical moment. 

That family was us. We stood in the Carlsbad Caverns visitor center on the last night of our road trip before we headed home. And we saw the shooting star. together. 

I didn't need to make a wish, because mine had already come true.

This was the best spring break...and our first major road trip... and one of our BEST vacations of of all time. I will cherish it forever!

From the mid-way point of Route 66 and  slug bug ranch and feldman's fried steak. To hiking Palo Duro canyon in the cold mega wind (and almost getting lost). To eating at Big Tex's Ranch.

To exploring the mountain side and galleries of Santa Fe...to exploring the intersection of Victorian houses and weird dreaminess at Meow Wolf.

To the zany kitschiness of Roswell and the majesty of Carlsbad Caverns...

Hot tubbing on the roof and swimming in the pools with you Aidan; hiking to the cross of the martyrs with you Julia; sharing all these memories together with Mom, me, Aidan, and Julia...this road trip definitely lived up to New Mexico's state slogan...we entered a land of enchantment... and part of me never wants to leave :)

ROAD TRIP!

You probably won't remember it, but we just took a major road trip down to McAllen Texas for our friends' wedding. We not only got to see the bride and groom, Selina and Andres, but a couple of other old freinds from college...and you made some new friends too. So: we drove for 5 hours. You slept for some, ate for some and watched some Baby Einstein on a jerry rigged ipad. Our first stop for the night was San Antonio, Texas where we met up with Maya and Peyman and their sweet daughter, Sara, who's about a year older than you. She liked you a lot and called you "boy" (I was "boy daddy" and your Mom was "boy mommy," of course). We had dinner with them on the Riverwalk in San Antonio, and then a nice walk along the river. The next morning before heading on our way, we HAD to show you the Alamo! Again, probably won't be rembmerin' the old Alamo...but we had a nice brief visit at the landmark.

Then we jumped in the car and drove for another 5 hours or so. But, part of the fun of road trips is the journey, not the destination. You seemed to have fun letting the wind run through your hair on the highway! You even clapped some more!

Then we arrived in McAllen and the real fun began. You hung out with Sara some more, got to go swimming in a real pool (and actually enjoyed it), you got to get all dressed up...and then dressed down. You got to play with a super cool big boy, Andres' nephew, Gael, who said your name was "poo poo", which made you laugh really hard! You got to dance with Mommy and Daddy and Sara and her Mommy, Maya, and Daddy, Peyman. You and Mommy observed a butterfly! You got to pose for pictures with the Groom and Best Man and, all in all, have a great time!

















It was sad to leave our old and new friends after such a fun time, but we had to hit the road back to Dallas.

But first, we stopped in Austin for the night and got to celebrate your Cousin Kaelyn's second birthday with her. She was happy to see you, as were her parents, and she spent a good part of the night popping out of a tent to tickle/tackle you!




You seemed to have a great time too!



And then the next morning, we hit the road one last time, and landed in Dallas in enough time for you to have another great day of crawling around and playing.

The road trip was fantastic, and you saw lots of new things and good friends and family. But, as they say, it was good to be on solid ground again.

So, like I said, you might not remember your trip to the Alamo and waaaaaaay beyond, but your Mom and I will.

p.s. no one in the family has been in a car for more than 45 minutes at a time since then. That's the sign of a good road trip.