On the road again

I haven't had an ounce of time for much of anything except GO -GO- GO for about 3 months now. Last Friday I was in heaven because I had a day to myself. I wasn't sure what to do with it at first but I quickly decided that since my house probably hadn't been cleaned in the past 3 months, I was going to tackle that. It felt so great to accomplish something in my home for myself. Life is funny isn't it? When we have time to clean we complain, when we have no time to clean, we complain. I guess I went long enough that the grass no longer seemed greener and I was happy to have the time to clean!



Shortly after the cleaning stint (it got dirty, but that's another story) I needed to get ready to take our dear cousin and neice, Elle, home. She has been staying with us for the past month and my how we've enjoyed her! She would chat with her Mom every night and they would share the happenings of their days. I have to admit, when I would overhear the "small town" talk it would spark something in me. I have never wanted to live in a small town, I really don't think I'd make it...or maybe it's the older I get, the more small town I get? I don't know, I really like Target.



As we traveled here there was a whole lotta nothing. And I do mean nothing. Have you ever traveled the road (yes, the 1 single road) from Flagstaff, AZ to Cortez, CO? I have - many, many times. When I was a little girl and we'd drive from the Bay Area, CA to Durango Area, CO every summer. I hadn't driven it in a long time and as desolate as it was, it was a bit therapeutic. Again, is it because I'm longing for a quieter life? or is it because I'm getting older? or both? I got to show my kids the "elephants legs", baby rocks, the one stinky gas station/convenience store that existed on that road some 25 years ago when I traveled it, the now huge (meaning it has a few fast food restaurants) town of Kayenta, and of course, four corners (which I'm told you now have to pay to get in :/).

It's amazing how, when there isn't much around, you are able to be grateful for the few things you have. I spent many a summer here in Colorado when I was a child. Almost every summer with my family and then when I was a teenager I'd fly out to spend time on the ranch with my Grandparents. I was lucky enough to have both sets of grandparents living on the same County dirt road. I learned to drive on an old tractor where the gas was on the steering column. I remember when my uncles wanted me to drive the car into "town" (Durango) and I was scared to death. I spent many a day tubing the canals and swimming in the pond. We'd go to navajo lake to water ski and always seemed to make time to ride the horses. Then there were the memorable moments of this California girl laying in the backyard to get a tan and getting stormed on almost every afternoon. I'm a slow learner and never quite understood that the storms roll in about the same time every summer afternoon. My Grandpa Jack liked to tell the story of when I was about 5 got mad at him and started to stomp down the drive to the county road....he asked me where I was going and I said "I'm going to my OTHER Grandpas house!" I have wonderful memories of summers here. Now, my Grandpa and Grandma Ranney and Grandpa Jack have passed on and my Grandma Kristine is struggling to keep her wits about her. My Mom and Sister and their families are still here and I feel lucky to be able to visit.



Kenna's house is 2 blocks from the library, grocery store, gas station and elementary school. How would it be?! Of course the post office is on the end of town - almost 5 blocks away.:) We walked to the Library this morning and the librarian greeted Elle with a hug and asked her how Vegas was. The librarian then walked in with Elle and announced to the library that Elle was back from Vegas. How sweet! I long for this for my kids, I long for them to experience city life and how to navigate through the social experiences they have there but I also want them to experience life with open space and to have a "librarian" that knows and loves them. Right now I feel like we are doing good to get good church leaders and school teachers who know and love them.




I suppose this is all in our master plan to live in different places and help our children experience different things. Its such an unknown and daughting idea - such a frightening task to try to keep kids heading in the right direction no matter where you are living. I suppose I got the best of both worlds growing up -- my Mom loves the country and my Dad is more of a city guy. I hope to help my kids to have both too.