Here

Well, we are here.  On the east coast.  To live.

The trip was as enjoyable as it could be driving 2500 miles over nine days with three kids and one dog.  Compared to right now, I would take that random hotel in the middle of South Dakota with the fresh coffee in the lobby, hot breakfast in the morning, and maid service.

We hit a good share of rain throughout the trip and the California in me was surprised.  "Really? It rains across this country in JULY?!?"

The countryside, however, despite the rain, was amazingly beautiful.  We hit a total of 9 states: Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

We were able to make the two sightseeing trips I wanted to make on this trip: Mount Rushmore and Lincoln's tomb.  Amazing and amazing.  Breathtaking and fascinating.  Completely and totally WORTH the pit stop.

For Mount Rushmore we took the 250 or so steps through their "walking trail" to get even closer to the carved rock.  We were lucky enough to be walking down some steps with an employee that was off duty and she stood and talked with us for twenty minutes and we were able to ask questions...that was great!  Loved this place.  A total MUST SEE.

When we hit Springfield Illinois my main objective was to see Lincoln's tomb.  However, we were traveling on a Sunday and the tour book said they were closed Sundays and Mondays.  I instantly cussed out (in my head OF COURSE) our Triple A person who mapped out this trip of ours and I specifically told her the only two stops we planned to make and was pissed that she would have us going into Springfield on a SUNDAY!  However, I called and the lovely man on the other end informed me that the literature was incorrect and they were in fact open.  I took back all the nasty stuff I said about the Triple A lady.

So, we found the Oak Ridge cemetery where he is buried and we walked into the monument and around the grounds (I really wanted to see the first place they had him buried when graverobbers almost stole his body but they have taken that structure down and replaced it with a marker).  When I walked passed his tomb, I got chills.  It felt surreal.  Now everyone is anxious to visit DC and check out Fords Theater...we are a morbid bunch. 

Anyway, as an added bonus and because we had plenty of the afternoon left we decided to check out the home he and Mary bought prior to his presidency.  Apparently, in the parlor of this home was where he was informed he had won the democratic nomination.  The streets around his house were all set up to look exactly as they did when Lincoln lived there so you could see it as he saw it.  Is it me or does anyone else get tingly thinking about that kind of stuff? (Okay, I know, it is only me.)  Inside the house some of the items belonged to the Lincolns and many just to that time period but the highlight was the banister.  It was the only thing in the house that was not only original but was not replaced so it was the actual banister that Lincoln TOUCHED.  Cool, yes?

The house and street tour was great because we were able to have the dog with us and walk around even though she couldn't obviously go into Lincoln's house.

We kept our drive to about 300 miles or 5 hours, give or take, which was PERFECT.  We woke up early but not TOO early...everyone got ready, we divided up for breakfast (someone had to stay with the dog in the hotel at all times) and then we were on the road by 9:30-10 and into the town by 2-3pm...enough time to check in, relax, take the kids to the pool, figure out and order dinner, and crash, exhausted.

Now we are in our home here in Pennsylvania but I am not myself.  There is a lot of work to be done and I have never moved into an older home so I have a bit of anxiety/sadness/disappointment/frustration/overwhelm going on.  Today Larry has continued to paint the many rooms and I have done basically nothing other than cook dinner.  I am feeling lost and lonely and sad and out of sorts.  Our moving truck comes on Saturday and we are hoping to get as much of the painting done as possible.  There is a lot of little bits of "stuff" to do before we can take it easy...mainly stuff that I am entirely too finicky/princessey to let go of...thankfully my husband understands this and accepts the crazy requests of his heavyhearted wife.

I will have more detailed information on my IDTOPA blog (see the sidebar for the link).
I will also have pictures to share of the above mentioned and more once the moving truck delivers all our stuff and I get my computer and camera charger all hooked up again.  So, stay tuned.  In the meantime, if you want to say nice and happy and the-world-is-not-going-to-end kind of things, I welcome them.

Comments

[Michelle]

Yeah! so glad that you made it!
Looking forward to the pictures of the Journey..
I loved Mount Rushmore! Some day I will travel east and see the Early American History!

[nicole]

glad to hear you made it. mt rushmore is an awesome place isn't it...i'm so jealous of lincoln's tomb....i get goosebumps too.

we haven't seen each other in forever and i really miss you. i feel so bad i didn't get to go to the going away party...i'm sorry.

hang in there on the move...it will take a while, remember moving to Idaho....things will become a new normal. i love the fortune cookie last night. and happy birthday to Josh.

i'll email you soon.
loves
nic

[chuck]

the California in you-LOL. Yes, na it rains all year round some places, lol! I found a website the other day, I think it's www.findagrave.com and I instantly thought of you. Bet you can find some really cool ones. Have fun exploring & just take it one day at a time. Miss you!
((((hugs)))