Post by Deleted on Jul 9, 2016 3:04:54 GMT
No, I didn't go to Europe. Nor did I go to the far east. No visits to our Kiwi or Aussie friends.
I drove with my daughter to Denver from our home here in northern Maryland. She and her wife moved to Denver so my daughter could go to graduate school at University of Denver for her LCSW (?) masters degree in Social Work. The choice of Denver was due to their unique option for animal assisted therapy to this degree program.
Because they both needed their vehicles in their new location, driving was our best option. My DIL had a wedding on the 2nd so but my daughter had to be ready to attend her first day of classes on the 5th. We also knew we didn't want to drive any marathon sessions (unlike her wife!) so we scheduled our departure date for June 28th, allowing for 3 days of driving so we could be in Denver on the 1st to pick up the keys to their new apartment.
It was 3 days of glorious travel. Weather was perfect as was the traffic everywhere we went. We stopped in Indianapolis the first night and stayed at the Cambria Hotel on the west side...great recommendation! We ate at Narita sushi (maki rolls actually) and hibachi restaurant that was just across the street. Delish!
We drove into St. Louis on day 2 to see the arch and a so-so lunch (we went into the wrong restaurant, long story). Back on the road and we headed to Kansas City. I had a friend who lives in the area. She met us at the hotel (that she arranged and paid for using her points!) and then took us out to dinner for the best lo mein I've ever had. We haven't seen each other in person in more than 10 years so it was a special treat.
We made it into Colorado Springs by around 5:00pm on the 30th. That's where my family lives and we chose to stay the night so as to not to pay for another night of hotel. We had a good home cooked meal, chatted a bit and the collapsed into bed.
Friday was spent getting the keys, shopping at IKEA and Target. We arranged for delivery the next day and decided that we would go back to Colorado Springs to spend the night since we didn't have a bed in the apartment (we had hoped against hope to get same day delivery). We were getting pretty good at driving up and down I-25 at this point. I'm ready for when I go back in October and rent a car for the first time while out there visiting.
We spent Saturday waiting for IKEA to deliver the purchases we made as well as wait for Comcast to come hook up their internet service (daughter needed it for school). That was a pretty boring day but oh well. Sunday I went to Mass and then we made our way up to Boulder to do the free tour at the Celestial Seasonings factory. Cool place!!
Back down to Colorado Springs to visit one part of the family who wasn't able to join the bigger celebration on Monday (4th). That was so much fun because they have have 3 kids: not quite 4, 2 and 11 months. Totally sweet and funny little monkeys that I could not get enough of! We stayed the night again.
Monday was spent getting ready for the cook out and family time that afternoon. It was wonderful seeing everyone with the exception of my oldest brother who is a long-haul truck driver who was on the road. The worst part was when I sent my daughter back up to Denver to await her wife's (and sister) arrival. It was the first real "hit" of the cold hard fact that I was going to be saying good bye and leaving her behind me 1700 miles away. It was not pretty. I managed to keep it from her but came back in the house and had a good cry.
Tuesday I spent time with my 'foster' mom getting a mani/pedi. They drove me back up to Denver and I was reacquainted with what a lunatic my 'foster' dad is as a driver! Gadzooks! After taking "the girls" out to dinner I went back to my hotel room. I had decided that on Wednesday I was going to veg the entire day. I was so exhausted both physically and emotionally. It was a good call.
Finally on Wednesday evening, we all went out to dinner one last time and then I had to say goodbye. It was so. damn. hard. I love this kid so much. We are especially bonded and not having her close is going to be quite the adjustment. I am thrilled to know I'm already going back out in October (brother is getting remarried). And I'm already getting started on a trip out there next spring/summer.
Here's a quick page I did using the Project Life App. I documented the whole trip and plan to share a scrapbook with her when I'm done:
I drove with my daughter to Denver from our home here in northern Maryland. She and her wife moved to Denver so my daughter could go to graduate school at University of Denver for her LCSW (?) masters degree in Social Work. The choice of Denver was due to their unique option for animal assisted therapy to this degree program.
Because they both needed their vehicles in their new location, driving was our best option. My DIL had a wedding on the 2nd so but my daughter had to be ready to attend her first day of classes on the 5th. We also knew we didn't want to drive any marathon sessions (unlike her wife!) so we scheduled our departure date for June 28th, allowing for 3 days of driving so we could be in Denver on the 1st to pick up the keys to their new apartment.
It was 3 days of glorious travel. Weather was perfect as was the traffic everywhere we went. We stopped in Indianapolis the first night and stayed at the Cambria Hotel on the west side...great recommendation! We ate at Narita sushi (maki rolls actually) and hibachi restaurant that was just across the street. Delish!
We drove into St. Louis on day 2 to see the arch and a so-so lunch (we went into the wrong restaurant, long story). Back on the road and we headed to Kansas City. I had a friend who lives in the area. She met us at the hotel (that she arranged and paid for using her points!) and then took us out to dinner for the best lo mein I've ever had. We haven't seen each other in person in more than 10 years so it was a special treat.
We made it into Colorado Springs by around 5:00pm on the 30th. That's where my family lives and we chose to stay the night so as to not to pay for another night of hotel. We had a good home cooked meal, chatted a bit and the collapsed into bed.
Friday was spent getting the keys, shopping at IKEA and Target. We arranged for delivery the next day and decided that we would go back to Colorado Springs to spend the night since we didn't have a bed in the apartment (we had hoped against hope to get same day delivery). We were getting pretty good at driving up and down I-25 at this point. I'm ready for when I go back in October and rent a car for the first time while out there visiting.
We spent Saturday waiting for IKEA to deliver the purchases we made as well as wait for Comcast to come hook up their internet service (daughter needed it for school). That was a pretty boring day but oh well. Sunday I went to Mass and then we made our way up to Boulder to do the free tour at the Celestial Seasonings factory. Cool place!!
Back down to Colorado Springs to visit one part of the family who wasn't able to join the bigger celebration on Monday (4th). That was so much fun because they have have 3 kids: not quite 4, 2 and 11 months. Totally sweet and funny little monkeys that I could not get enough of! We stayed the night again.
Monday was spent getting ready for the cook out and family time that afternoon. It was wonderful seeing everyone with the exception of my oldest brother who is a long-haul truck driver who was on the road. The worst part was when I sent my daughter back up to Denver to await her wife's (and sister) arrival. It was the first real "hit" of the cold hard fact that I was going to be saying good bye and leaving her behind me 1700 miles away. It was not pretty. I managed to keep it from her but came back in the house and had a good cry.
Tuesday I spent time with my 'foster' mom getting a mani/pedi. They drove me back up to Denver and I was reacquainted with what a lunatic my 'foster' dad is as a driver! Gadzooks! After taking "the girls" out to dinner I went back to my hotel room. I had decided that on Wednesday I was going to veg the entire day. I was so exhausted both physically and emotionally. It was a good call.
Finally on Wednesday evening, we all went out to dinner one last time and then I had to say goodbye. It was so. damn. hard. I love this kid so much. We are especially bonded and not having her close is going to be quite the adjustment. I am thrilled to know I'm already going back out in October (brother is getting remarried). And I'm already getting started on a trip out there next spring/summer.
Here's a quick page I did using the Project Life App. I documented the whole trip and plan to share a scrapbook with her when I'm done:
