Sometimes I Cry on Roadtrips

If you ask anyone in our family, "What's the best part of a family vacation?"  I'm fairly certain they would respond, "THE CAR RIDE!"
We have made the 11 hour car ride to Spokane (and sometimes to farther destinations) at least once a year their entire lives. So the longer the ride the better.  Weird, huh?  I don't know, we just really like being in the car together.
We like to get on the road before 6 am.  We have traditional music we always listen to.  We often listen to books on tape.  Kids can play video games or watch movies.  We have a big bag of snack food and our car is big enough that everyone has a fair amount of space.  The kids usually sleep for the first 2 or 3 hours and Abe and I have some quiet time to talk.
I guess it doesn't look too exciting in this picture.  This was after the sun had come up and shortly before the car came to life.

 The highlight of the trip is the Sons of Provo sing-along time.

Little sisters dance party later in the day.

I love this picture.

I make sure we have a good supply of driving music for Abe--- especially Billy Joel, Elton John, Hall and Oats, Huey Lewis, Michael Jackson.  Pretty much anyone who was popular in the 80's-- with a few musical theater classics thrown in.

We scheduled a stop and tour of BYU-Idaho on the way up to Spokane.  She is all set to start classes mid-September, but I figured we'd both feel better about her leaving home if we spent a little more time on campus.  Last time she did a tour was when she was starting her sophomore year.  Elinor and Faith were the official ones signed up for the tour and we all went.

The tour was GREAT and a comforting reminder that she is headed exactly where she wants to be.

Now, that being said, in an effort to keep it real, I must confess that I spent much of the day yesterday in tears.  Let me explain.  I cried a good half the way to Rexburg because I adore Bethany and enjoy her company and I am sad this time of our lives is over.

I know she is ready.  I know it is good for her.  I know things can't stay as they are.  I know she'll have marvelous, growing experiences.  I don't have regrets about not having spent enough time together.  I just feel so much gratitude and love for what has been and I am mourning that time ending.  So I cry.  Big deal.  Nothing wrong-- it's just a lot of emotions to process.


But that wasn't the only thing I cried about yesterday.  I also cried because I miss Grandpa Fox.  He passed away almost three years ago and Spokane and Fox Hill and the Fox family aren't the same without him.  I miss talking to him.  I miss his encouragement and energy  and teasing and love.

And I cried because DARN THOSE "CLARK FORK" river signs all along the way!  They just look so much like "Clark Fox" and Clark loves the trips to Spokane.  And I'm so looking forward to having him home with us again (December:)  And life just keeps changing and it's good and hard at the same time.  And then once I'd been crying that much over that many things I just kept cried over nothing.
So yeah-- my eyes hurt and my heart hurt and I suppose it was rather cathartic and I'm feeling markedly better today.