The Way Home

Saturday we continued our trek the rest of the way up Highway 1 - There was hardly any traffic - likely because the weather was so bad - but this made it easier to swerve into the oncoming lane to avoid the 50 or so rock/mud slides that were on the highway.  Greg took the kids down a beach a few miles past San Simeon, where hundreds of elephant seals live.  They got totally drenched but still considered it a highlight, reporting that there were seals everywhere, some with as many as 30 or so all piled up. When the weather broke for a moment, we did manage a quick stop at Monastery Beach near Carmel. 

We had planned to visit Greg’s parents Leroy & Vonda as our last stop before home so if was a weird feeling to pull up in front of their house in Sunnyvale.  In a way it felt like we hadn’t been on a trip at all but were just down for a visit.  Grandma pulled out all the stops with her famous and ever-popular tacos for dinner – topped off with rice krispy treats.  Patti & Alan Evans (Greg’s sister) and Michael stopped by to visit along with Michelle & Jon Maginot and son Jacob – it was great to catch up with everyone.  We looked at photos of the round-the-country trip Greg had taken with his family in 1977 and compared notes (loved the picture of Greg & Chris climbing on and jumping off of the walls at the Alamo - things have changed!)

We spent our LAST night in the RV on this trip in the Porter’s driveway – I can’t believe it!  (Actually Kambria and Avi opted to sleep in Grandpa & Grandma’s house in nice comfortable beds – I guess I can’t blame them).  We came home from church and immediately Dane & Drake made lemonade with Grandma – this has become their tradition and one of the things they look forward to with every visit.  To Grandma & Grandpa's credit, the kids didn't want to leave, even to get home.  We finally dragged them out and started the last part of our journey!  (Well actually we circled the block and came back for Mason's phone... and then started the last part of our journey)

It is hard to believe that it has been 107 days and nearly 17,000 miles and it is nearly over.  I have been avoiding even looking at my email or voicemail for the last few days in a futile effort to keep “regular” life from crashing in and invading these last few hours of total family togetherness.  It has been an amazing journey and for those dear friends and family members who have followed our travels, hopefully not too painful in its endless recitation.  Those of you who know me well know that there is about a 50% chance that this is the last blog entry I will ever make so if it feels a bit conclusive, that is why.

We have learned so much as a family.  I asked the kids how they thought this trip had changed our family.  Dane said that he no longer got claustrophobic.   Drake said that he didn’t think a three hour drive was very long anymore.  I think Kambria summed it up best.  As she put it, "I know everyone in my family about 10 times better."  And that is definitely true for us all.  We feel so blessed and grateful to have had such a wonderful opportunity and more importantly that we still love each other :) I hope that each of us can carry forward the lessons that we have learned and try to be better individuals in a stronger family, better able to work together to serve each other and those outside our family.  Thank you for all of your prayers, hospitality, kind words and well wishes.  We look forward to being reunited with each of you and feel blessed to have you in our lives!