Eric's day off...road trip?

Eric had a "short" 10-hour shift on Thursday, and Friday was his day off, so we were able to rendezvous with some Brinton relatives (Uncle Mark and Aunt Jen, their two boys, and Eric's cousin Jed). We laughed that we had lived by these people for years in Salt Lake, but didn't make the time to get together until we were all across the country!

We stayed at the guest home on a Mennonite dairy farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where we bottle-fed a 5-day-old calf, collected fresh eggs, chased the kittens, and rode the toy tractors. The dad in the host family was born and raised on the farm, and now he, his wife, and their two sons run it. If you met them, you would probably want to buy a dairy farm yourself! They are a loving, united family.

The next day we pilgrimaged to West Chester, where we toured the Brinton 1704 House. The first Brinton family to immigrate to America built it, and it is now a well-preserved National Historic Landmark.

When we were on the property, we met a friendly Amish roofer who talked with us about his community and their beliefs. The boys were interested in him and in the horses and buggies that we saw throughout the town. (While scrubbing his chin later, Zachary asked, "When will my beard come?") We'd like to learn more about the Amish people on a future trip to PA.

And of course, what's a road trip without a nice tantrum to tie it all up? Here's Michael pouting underneath the van when we arrived back. Too cute.

Good women

This week I walked into my new OB's waiting room to find about a dozen women watching The Bold and the Beautiful. I soon overheard casual conversations about previous abortions and broken marriages. The room smelled of smoke. I am not exaggerating when I say that over half of the women were heavily tattooed, a third of them were pregnant teens, and all of them looked miserable. I felt like a child who, expecting a Disney fairy tale, had accidentally walked into an R-rated drama.

I was interested, later in the week, to read about some experiences that friends have had recently: one friend is tending her eight children and trying to sell her home while her husband begins his residency in another state; another friend, surprised by a quick labor, had to deliver her baby son on her bathroom floor; and another friend's mother tragically lost a finger in an accident. Yet each of these amazing women have expressed courage and optimism during their (unexpected and externally-caused) challenges. I feel great love for their examples. As I reflected further on these women, I realized another trait that each of them shares: each has amazing children. Kind, optimistic, obedient children! What a blessing these mothers give their families--because of their goodness, their children have also learned to 1) be moral in order to avoid unnecessary challenges and 2) be optimistic even during pressing trials. I doubt that the gloomy women in the OB office could have been raised by such women.

Rained out

Yesterday we thought that we would take the kids down to D.C. Noticing the rain clouds, we wisely brought three umbrellas along, which would have been especially wise if we had remembered to take them out of the van, which we didn't. We were only mildly wet at the JFK memorial,

but by the time we came to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, we were completely soaked! The rain was seriously pouring harder than a shower head.

After we ran the mile route back to the van, the chilled kids were left with, ahem, slightly decreased patience for our field trip. So after drying off in the car (and watching the storm pass by momentarily), they were only up for a fifteen-minute stop at Washington Monument

(with some bonus views!).So we'll have to make it to D.C. another time, which brings up a great point: if any of you dear friends are thinking about coming to the area for some sightseeing, we'd love to host! Seriously.

Summer fun

Lately I've felt like a schoolchild on summer vacation: there have been no practices, no meetings, no projects! So we've been savoring these last few days until Eric begins his residency, taking advantage of all kinds of Maryland fun.

This week the boys helped pick strawberries at a farm,

sampled them,

and helped make them into jam. (Zachary stuck around for the whole process and was actually a great help cutting off the stems.)

Later we hiked in Catoctin Mountain Park (where I swear the 2.8 mile trail was 5!),

supported the Orioles (with our gate-prize bucket hats),

and just hung out (aren't these inflatable pools the best?).

Next month I'll do some yard work, start a sewing project, and sign up to help in the schools. For now, I'm loving just being a mom!

Three weeks in ten pictures

May 18: We stop in Madison, Wisconsin, where the kids enjoy the (free!) zoo. We venture around the city and check out possible neighborhoods for our move next year.

May 19: How could we pass up this charming locally-owned Ohio hotel? We arrive in Maryland the next day.May 23: Eric receives his M.D. His dad, also a U of U Medical School graduate, hoods him.

May 25: Eric and I leave for a Northern European Capitals cruise. For the first four days, I cry every time I see young children because I miss my little ones.

May 26–29: We enjoy port stops in Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Helsinki. In Copenhagen, we see the Christus statue that became the inspiration for Temple Square replica. After touring the Swedish Royal Palace, we sit and watch the sailboats (above). Helsinki's 1952 Olympic tower and underground Dome Church amaze us.
May 30–31: We tour St. Petersburg, where Eric acts as a handy Russian interpreter. Here, we pause to view the Baltic from Peterhof, Peter the Great's massive summer estate. We also explore the Hermitage and the Peter-Paul Fortress.

June 1–2: We take in Tallinn, Estonia and Gdansk, Poland. In Tallinn we rent a seven-seater bicycle and become instant celebrities as we clamor down the cobblestone streets (above). A gypsy child in Poland chases me down the street trying to spit on me.

June 3–4: We enjoy Oslo, where we see one of four originals of Munch's The Scream and actual Viking vessels. On our way out, we observe the Norwegian fjords from our balcony. June 5: We tour Copenhagen again. This time we venture out on the corkscrew spire of the Church of Our Savior, which offers views of the entire city. We fly back to Maryland, where I cling to the precious boys.

June 7: We finalize lease papers for a cute townhome. We'll move there next month.

Weekly report card

Trying to fit all of our earthly belongings into a 16' by 8' trailer: D-

After three days of repacking, squeezing, and tossing (with MUCH help from Eric's parents and our friends), we finally rented a little trailer to tote the "necessities" that wouldn't fit in our POD. Besides the 8 mpg drop in our gas milage, it has been a pretty good deal. Plus, now we're part of the U-haul club on the road.

Saying goodbye to Salt Lake friends and family: F

Eric told me that I needed to stop crying just after I'd said goodbye to people--I should cry in front of them so that they know that I care. So I guess that I have to work on my farewell etiquette. Sorry if you were offended; I miss you.

Driving the scenic byways: A+

Our route has taken us through six national parks so far. I tend to toss around the term "amazing" without thinking of its meaning, but I can honestly use it here. Absolutely amazing! Even the roadblocks are picture-worthy:

Staying up all night in a hotel room with a vomiting baby: C-

This was terribly annoying, but at least I didn't have to wash the soiled sheets and towels! Plus, thank heaven, he was over it in one night.

Visiting Yellowstone: A

Seeing over 3,000 gallons of boiling water shoot upwards of 100 feet in the air amazed everyone except Michael, who was most interested in his own tennis shoes.

Yellowstone Lake and the Lower Falls were other favorites. I have to laugh at this next picture, however, where two people are crying and two are trying not to. Did I mention that it was freezing cold up there? We drove through a blizzard (and eight feet of snow pack on either side of the road!) to get to Old Faithful and the falls.

Implementing the "High Five" behavior system: A+

Every time the kids do something heroic (telling us that they have to go to the bathroom in good time, eating all their food, having a good attitude), they get a hand die-cut (a "high five"). After they collect five high fives, they can choose a prize from the prize bag. This has been the first time that I've successfully implemented an incentive program for the kids. A huge hit.

Stopping by Mount Rushmore: A+

Great faces, great places.
And really clean walkways.

Maintaining hotel loyalty: C

Super 8 is fairly inexpensive, but not so ghetto that you feel dirtier leaving than when you came. So we've gone straight Super 8 this time, with varying success. The first two places were nice: last night we got a huge suite (bargained down to the price of a single room!) at a place with a pool, internet, breakfast, the works. Tonight we're in a place that Eric says is "nice, for Russia"; I won't let the kids step on the bathroom floor without shoes on, and I think that there are bite marks in the ice container. Maybe tomorrow we'll try a Travelodge.

Reading my grandmother's book recommendation: A+ (so far)

Such a rich experiment in characterization and place has coupled perfectly with my interest in the people and places that we're enjoying on this trip. You must read it and call me to talk about it!

Paradise Powell

If camping is no vacation for moms, then staying on a houseboat is no vacation for dads! When we went down to Lake Powell this weekend, poor Eric had his work cut out for him: he spent the first day disinfecting the bacteria-laden water system, servicing the jet skis, and repairing the electrical system. See him at work testing the water: Michael, worried that Eric was so often out of sight, would walk around calling out "Daddy-o, Daddy-0, Daddy-o!" until he found him (I don't know where Mike picked up this nickname for Eric, but he uses it exclusively: not Dad or Daddy, just Daddy-o). Eventually the boat was in running order, and we spent a few glorious days enjoying the lake. My mom and sister were even able to come, making it a particularly special trip.

We loved these:

1. Kayaking! The boys and I zipped around in this little beauty, even giving Aunt Kim a scare when we totally almost beat her in a race.

2. Sandcastle-building! My mom helped the boys make this intricate tunnel/dam/reservoir/waterfall system. The boys could poke around all day in the sand, digging and finding little treasures. Once Zachary, upon finding something special, turned to Eric and said, "This egg-shaped rock could really make a guy happy." Apparently, it had.

3. Jet-skiing! Because it's early in the season, there were only a few boaters out and we could really rip up the water.

4. Hanging out! Once I noticed Jacob holding a rope off the end of the boat calling, "Zachary, come here! I need you to help me lasso this fish!" After several failed attempts, the boys decided to feed the fish crackers instead.

These memories make family trips worth the effort, even for a husband who's too handy for his own good. So thanks, Eric, for making this a paradise Powell weekend. Sure love ya.

P.S. On the way home we stopped by Goblin Valley State Park, where we climbed and ran among the creatures. It was a perfect way to shake off the road trip restlessness and definitely worth the detour.