To Grandma and Grandpa's

This summer is the first time I've braved a long road trip with the kids solo. But with all my family meeting in Maryland and Eric tied up with his new fellowship position, I decided that we would go for it!

The thrilled kids even got to stay in a hotel on the way out:

After they ate and cleaned up their breakfast, I let them run around in the enclosed courtyard. A grandmotherly woman laughed, tongue-in-cheek: "They're very good boys....It's just a shame they don't have any energy!" I love meeting the sparky, adventure-bound people in hotel breakfast rooms. We swam off some more energy, hit the road, and a few "Our National Parks" DVDs later, arrived in Maryland.

My brothers and mom came up with us to Gettysburg the next day. The rangers let the kids carry muskets and handle findings from soldiers' haversacks. We also viewed the moving 1883 cyclorama and toured the museum.

 Of course time with uncles was tops, especially at the beach!

All of my family was there by the weekend. I was thrilled to see all my siblings, and the kids loved the happy business of a full house. "Mom, there are three five-year-olds here!" Michael sang to me.
Here's most of us after hiking to waterfalls, climbing up rocks, trudging through rain, hiding in caves, and forging a stream:

Kids are such beautiful, happy people.

My brother Brian and I trained most mornings running in the blazing humidity--one morning my heart rate reached 180! Another morning we played soccer with my brothers--all of whom have played Varsity in high school or on club teams--and I seriously thought my heart would pound out of my chest. It's a joy to run again.

The day we left, we drove away crying. When we were still crying 45 minutes out, I said, "Forget it! We're heading back!" The kids cheered and we went back to Maryland for three additional days. During that time my brother James and I helped my dad put siding on his shed. My engineer dad designed and built the 10 x 10 structure and it looks great!

 Here's a post-building, ladder-high hug with James, my closest-in-age bro and dear friend:

Then we really left. Part of staying longer was that we had to tackle the drive back in a day. It took 15 hours, but we made it! Victory shot: