10 to None

Well, obviously I had no chance to have a countdown!!!

WE ARE HERE!!!! It is wonderful, beautiful, scenic, and peace.

I can't believe we made it.

Here's how the trip went.

Final decision- take both cars. This way no one murders anyone on the 10 hour trip and when we get there we park the van and drive the Honda. Also, in case I need to bring Man Child back after his term is over, I'll have a car to do so. And in case I get a job and need to come home early, I'll have a car. Makes sense.

We were all really happy when a tire blew out on the Honda at 1:00 in the morning on I-70. We had decided to leave around 8:00 pm to drive through the night. We dropped Lucky off at Farm Camp (Grandma's), which is about 3 hours into the trip. We said our goodbyes and were off. Right after passing the Adult Book and Movie superstore, I thought I heard a weird noise over my John Cougar Mellancamp. It was the tire- blown and completly flat.

About 2 months ago, we had a flat on a different tire and somehow bent the frame on the donut spare. This meant getting a whole new tire. After midnight. With the closest town being Abilene, KS- not so much a 24 hour town.

We called Grandma, took the kids back there to sleep, and set out to Salina to get a new tire at the 24 hour Wal Mart and have it put on at the 24 hour truck stop. Just so you know, truck stops are very interesting at around 12:30 am. And, they have a great selection of those bull balls you can hang from your vehicle OR to have as a stylish key chain. I could hardly keep Chef Boy from buying them out.

Anyhoo, about 75 miles later, we went back to Grandma's to sleep 2 hours before getting back on the road.

I feel almost caught up on sleep, but at one point I had been awake for 45 out of 48 hours. That's not so fun. Some of you know how I get with no sleep, and it isn't pretty. Man Child usually accuses me of being on drugs.

I only cried a little as we made our way up the mountain road to Estes Park. And then only a little more as we wound down the glorious road to GTE. As soon as I find our camera wire thingy, I'll get some photos on here for you. I don't want you all to miss this.

Our little cabin is so quaint. We have 3 bedrooms, a bathroom, a sunporch, and a living room/kitchen combo. It is a little walk down from the main camp area, so we are really secluded. The mountain stream, full this year due to lots of snow in the winter, rushes by our window. I've piled about 6 blankets on the bed since Chef Boy insists on listening to the water to sleep- and I must admit, it is worth being in a cacoon of blankets to hear that sound.

The only issue really, is that the water in the cabin, the Heinz House, is rusty. It's brown, actually, with rust. And only today did the water heater get turned on. I showered today for the first time since Saturday. It was warm... for the first 4 minutes, but I persevered and made it through- washing my hair and all! My feet were covered in rusty brown water up to my mid calf and the three streams of water harshly shooting out of the shower head made it interesting... but, who cares!

Well, we are off to GTE (we are at Main Camp right now) where we will be the only ones there since the other staff members are staying here for training. I may take van training tomorrow. Stop laughing! I'm sure I can drive a large van with 10 children in in on mountain roads... I have no doubt I can do it as long as I can blast my John Cougar Mellencamp!!!

I miss you all!