Countdown to Cleveland - Day 26, The Arrival

SUNDAY MORNING, NANY TREATED US TO A HEARTY PANCAKE BREAKFAST BEFORE OUR BIG TRIP.  AFTER MANY HUGS AND KISSES FROM PAPA AND NANY, THE KIDS AND I ROLLED OUT OF MILWAUKEE AT 8am.  WE WERE ALL EXCITED TO REUNITE WITH JEFF AND LAY EYES ON OUR APARTMENT FOR THE FIRST TIME.  WITH AN 8 HOUR TRIP AHEAD OF US, I HAD ARMED MYSELF WITH SNACKS, CAR TOYS, NEW BOOKS AND A TRAVEL DVD SYSTEM FOR ENTERTAINMENT.  AFTER A QUICK PRAYER WE WERE OFF!

THANKFULLY, WE BREEZED THROUGH THE FIRST LEG OF OUR TRIP, NOT HITTING ANY CHICAGO TRAFFIC (A SMALL MIRACLE IN AND OF ITSELF).  WE MADE OUR FIRST SHORT STOP RIGHT OUTSIDE OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA FOR A QUICK DIAPER CHANGE, AND PACIFIER COLLECTION. (THE LITTLE MAN LIKES TO DISTRIBUTE THEM ALL AROUND THE VAN BASED ON HIS VARIOUS MOODS.)  THE KIDS ENJOYED THEIR FIRST FEATURE LENGTH FILM IN THE VAN ONCE WE HIT INDIANA; THE LITTLE LADY WAS THRILLED.

ONE HOUR LATER, WE STOPPED FOR LUNCH AT A TRAVEL OASIS.  AFTER FAILING TO FIND A TACO BELL, OUR SWEET ONES SETTLED ON PIZZA HUT, ANOTHER FAVORITE.  WE ENJOYED OUR PIZZA AND BREAD STICK LUNCH AND CALLED THE GRANDMAS FOR A TRAVEL UPDATE.  I CONSIDERED IT A SUCCESSFUL PIT STOP, AS WE ACCOMPLISHED EATING, DIAPER CHANGES, PHONE CALLS AND A MILK PURCHASE ALL UNDER 30 MINUTES.

"PIZZA!"

I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE INEVITABLE QUIET THAT WOULD COME AS A RESULT OF FULL TUMMIES, FRESH MILK CUPS, PACIFIERS AND BLANKIES.  WITH A SWITCH OF CDs TO SOOTHE MY SWEET ONES, BOTH WERE ASLEEP IN 20 MINUTES. 

THIS LITTLE GUY APPRECIATES A DARK SPACE TO SLEEP. YIKES!

AS OUR VAN CAME TO LIFE AGAIN, I TOOK THE OPPORTUNITY TO FILL UP ON GAS 60 MILES OUTSIDE OF CLEVELAND.  THE LITTLE LADY SET HER EYES ON ICE CREAM, SO I TREATED US TO A "WHITE" CONE TO CELEBRATE OUR SMOOTH TRIP. 

OVERALL, THE CHILDREN DID WELL ON THEIR FIRST BIG ROAD TRIP!  THE LITTLE LADY WAS A DREAM, AND I WOULD MAKE THE TRIP AGAIN WITH HER IN A SECOND.  THE LITTLE MAN WAS A TAD LESS PREDICTABLE, RANGING FROM FRUSTRATED TO PLEASANT, QUIET TO LOUD, BUT THAT WAS TO BE EXPECTED.

 

AFTER 7 1/2 HOURS OF DRIVING WE ARRIVED IN SHAKER HEIGHTS, OHIO.  JEFF AND MARK GREETED US AT OUR NEW APARTMENT WITH OPEN ARMS AND WERE QUICK TO PICK UP THE KIDS ALLOWING ME A MINUTE OF REST.  SO MUCH WORK HAD ALREADY BEEN DONE IN THE APARTMENT (THANKS TO JEFF AND MARK), AND JEFF HAD A BOUQUET OF ORANGE MINI ROSES AND A PEOPLE MAGAZINE WAITING FOR ME ON THE KITCHEN TABLE.  ALREADY IT FELT LIKE HOME.

 LATER IN THE EVENING THE LITTLE LADY ACCOMPANIED JEFF IN TAKING MARK TO THE AIRPORT, SO THAT HE COULD RETURN TO HIS LOVELY WIFE AND QUIET RESIDENCE IN CHICAGO.  A COUPLE FROM A LOCAL CHURCH GENEROUSLY OFFERED US A WARM MEAL THAT NIGHT COMPLETE WITH PLASTIC UTENSILS, PAPER PRODUCTS, AND THE YUMMIEST BATCH OF BUTTERSCOTCH RICE KRISPIE TREATS; I WOULDN'T MIND HAVING THAT RECIPE.  (I THINK WE POLISHED THE ENTIRE CONTAINER OFF IN A MERE FIVE DAYS BETWEEN THE TWO OF US.)

AND, THEN IT WAS ONTO BATH TIME IN THE CHILDREN'S NEW BATHROOM.  THERE WAS A LOT OF CHATTER AND EXCITEMENT IN THE TUB THAT NIGHT AS JEFF BATHED THE KIDS.   I LISTENED ON FROM THE KITCHEN FEELING AT PEACE IN OUR NEW HOME. 


I AM LEARNING THAT WHILE THE SOUNDS AND VIEW FROM OUR STREET ARE NEW, THE WALLS OF OUR HOME A DIFFERENT COLOR, AND THE DIMENSIONS OF THE KID'S TUB ARE SMALLER, I AM AT HOME WHERE EVER MY SWEET ONES ARE.