Home Again

6,637 miles

Just like that ... we're home. We arrived home on Thursday afternoon, horns blaring and folks yelling. It felt amazing. The great unpacking commenced. I ripped

apart SW and threw everything into garbage bags while James brought in loads. It was a process, but by 5:30, SW was empty and we were spent.

And so began the night of many small pleasures. A shower that could remain ON while you lathered. A glass of water without having to think about how much water was actually being used. A glass of water with ice in it. Doors to close behind you. Our dishwasher. TV on our big comfy couch. Ordering pizza from our favorite spot. And bed. Oh my, getting into a bed was absolute heaven.

Don't get me wrong, there were perks to living in a small rolling box. One night, I wanted a snack. From my spot on the couch, I was able to get bread and peanut butter from the cabinet above, a knife from the drawer by the sink, and paper towels from the counter, not once having to leave my seat. Millie was psyched because she could brush her teeth and spit in the sink while sitting on the toilet. We'll miss those moments, and in the end, we gave SW a well deserved scrub down, thanked her for taking care of our family, and returned her to her rightful owner.

We finished up our trip at the best campground ever. We had a woodsy spot at the end of a peninsula that jutted out into a beautiful lake. We fished, ran around, and the girls whittled some sticks (they're real outdoorsy now). It was a perfect night for a bonfire and s'mores, and the perfect way to end our trip.

How does one debrief a trip like this? It's impossible, so I'm glad you were on this ride with us from the start. The first night that we sat on our couch, James and I looked at each other and couldn't really believe what we had just accomplished. It was like a crazy long dream. When you ask Maddy and Millie what they learned from this trip, they'll tell you about the secret room above Abe Lincoln's eye at Mt. Rushmore. They'll say that buffalo is pretty tasty and RV parks have great playgrounds. Ollie will tell you that maybe Tater Tot was right, food from the garbage IS pretty good. James learned not to be afraid of taking a leap - it's almost always worthwhile. He'd tell you that he was also reminded that people exist outside of social media, and almost all of them are worth meeting in person.

What did I learn? I learned that my kids are up for almost anything, and will acclimate pretty easily to unfamiliar situations. I learned that my husband is kick ass at planning trips like this, looks killer in cowboy boots, and deals with sh*t (both literal and figurative) with aplomb - he did have to empty all of the RV tanks at each spot! I learned that Ollie is a terrific copilot. I learned that I am ballsy enough to drive a 32' truck over 5,000 miles. I learned that we have to prioritize visiting friends and family more. I learned that there is so much of this country that is breathtaking, and so much that is completely different from the America that we know, which makes it impossible to judge other people's priorities for their own lives and families. In the end, Cordon-19 was actually Cordon-21 (states), and 23 days turned into 25. The girls learned more on the road than they could have online. I'm proud of us. We created an opportunity when the world felt like it was falling apart around us, and for that I will always be grateful.