Day 29. 10 small moments

1. She wakes me up at 5:11 a.m. eagerly making the sign for, "bird." Yes, they're up early too. Regardless of her excitement and eagerness, I second guess my choice in a tent-mate.

2. Their breakfast bowl and yogurt parfait are Insta-pretty to look at, but we both beam with pride that we can’t wait to return home and place the same order at Downer for the goods.

3. On the way back to my tent, I pick a handful of juicy.ripe.red raspberries. Even though I feel bone weary, I love this moment and try to slow down and savor everything.

4. #Glamping ... Of course it’s easy to make fun of and remark upon it with disdain... until you go with three kids after hours and hours and hours and hours in the car.

5. Mount Rushmore. I know that this is a super weird thing to observe but: George’s profile. Who knew he was so handsome? I obviously like guys with strong noses and kind eyes.

6. We stop at a park for a random picnic lunch in Torrington, Wyoming. The whole place feels exactly like the real-story location that inspired the movie Napoleon Dynamite. 

7. Somewhere in the beautiful grass plains of Wyoming (or are we now in Colorado?!!!), we decide to make a difficult change to our itinerary. The decision is painful with a small pinch of regret, but it’s the right one for us. I’m cognizant that this is one of our strengths as partners: to make a plan, but to be brutally honest with each other along the way and make a change when it’s best for the family -- Even if a change seems costly (emotionally/mentally/financially), the long term benefit always wins. 

8. We move her car seat so that she’s between the boys. She’s sooooo much happier... for about 3 hours.

9. We’re soclose to picking her up from the Denver airport but the maximum clearance is 9’6” and our sprinter van rental is 9’8”... Reason #725 we are *never* buying one of these things.

10. After dinner and baths, he negotiates himself down to two books. I'm so tired I would have rambled on five titles easily. ."..But I have miles to go before I sleep..."