These people.

These people. They are some of my favorites.

My Texas favorites. Except they don't live in Texas anymore. Since we have been gone they moved from Texas to Colorado. Just typing that makes my heart hurt a little bit. Because while they are not residency people (GASP! Wait? There is life outside of residency?!) they are a HUGE part of why the last year...year and a half of residency have been bearable for me and my kids. This amazing lady has opened her home to my kids and me nearly every Sunday for almost as long as we have lived in Texas. Oh and we were even allowed in on other days too;)  She loves my kids fiercely and I love hers like they are my own. And she has encouraged and challenged me to be a better me - just by being her. I am so incredibly thankful for her friendship. Texas isn't going to be the same without her there. Good thing Colorado is practically on my drive home from Minnesota. Okay it isn't at all on my way home...but whats an extra 500 miles? Nothing when it comes to friendship. Thank you for being my friend Tami.

The kids and I left Texas 2 weeks ago. As of today we have driven 1,900 miles. And slept in 7 homes + 1 hotel + camp. We've missed naps and eaten dozens of meals out of our van. We've stayed up way too late - way too many nights in a row. We've also slept in and slowed down. Enjoying time with friends and family - people we only get to see once a year. People that we love dearly. 

Just this morning we started our day at my grandparents' home. Playing in the garden and visiting. 

And tonight we ended our day at Joe's great grandparents' house. Swimming in the lake and going on a pontoon boat ride. 

There was a 2 hour van drive between the two houses. But the effort of traveling solo with my four kids...it's always worth it. Time spent with family is the BEST time. And as a bonus Minnesota has the best summers. Warm and sunny during the day and cool in the evenings!  

P.S. Don't be confused by this post. Traveling cross-country and living like gypsies for weeks at a time with small children is NOT easy. I don't mean to gloss over the hard or ugly parts. Trust me there have been plenty of those moments...like my sunglasses falling in the toilet at our very first rest stop. Or waking up with a neck so stiff I cried out in pain and could not turn it on day 9. Or being so tired that driving just one more mile felt impossible. Or having kids ready to brawl to the death over the last ________ (insert pretty much anything) while family-you-see-only-once-a-year watches. All of those moments plus many more have happened on this trip. But it's been worth it. Family time is the best time.