Three Little Beers

As a solo parent for the past 10 days, I kept drinking to a thin minimum.  These three beers were personal celebrations, tributes to separate accomplishments. They all tasted especially great given what preceded them.

 The Joshua Tree beer was enjoyed only after traveling over 1000 miles, securing a site in a full campground, setting up the tent, and deciding where in said tent we were all going to sleep.  Dinner was about to be cooked and three little girls were finally going to sleep a night at our farthest and much anticipated destination.

That beer on the shelf of the bathroom was enjoyed amidst four glorious showers that took this crew from dusty and tangled, to clean and appropriate for the El Tovar hotel. Well, as appropriate as this crew gets, that is.

And finally, I lifted one to the journey that covered 2311 miles and ended us back on our block, safe and sound. Cheers.

Guts

Best part about Joshua Tree was the rocks all around that the girls could explore.  As seen here, it took Lucy and Caroline working together to get each other over a gap.  At the same time, Ellie was climbing her own rock behind me, with similar success.  Yes, they can be typical siblings with each other, but I'll take several more adventures like this where they showed serious courage.  (Not videoed was Ellie later clearing the same gap just because her sisters believed she could and she listened.)

So Much Gained

Much of this trip has been an experience of overcoming. Rocks were climbed, boundaries were pushed, and we all grew beyond who we thought we were. So many people told me I was brave for taking this on, but honestly, these girls were braver by far.  

Lucy:

At several key moments, Lucy was clutch in leading by example and showing her sisters how we roll. She was better than any audiobook in her reading of Harry Potter as we drove through hours of desert. Lucy selflessly helped her dear old dad each and every time she was asked, often going ahead and knocking out the to-do before a request was made. For those who know her, that's no surprise. I was amazed with how reliable and how critical it was to the 4 of us working as one. She can't possibly know how much it kept us glued together. 

Caroline:

This one right here, our CWS ("Quiz"), our constant trooper and comic relief, she stepped beyond the little kid role, while retreating to play little kid again if she desired. For hours on end, she and Ellie made up games in the tent and giggled until I swore someone would end up crying. To her credit, no one ever did. At other times, Caroline kept up with those who wanted to stay up, even though everyone knew she was tired. In years past, her mood would have plummeted and we'd all regret pushing her too far. CWS was also a beast with rock climbing, another instance where she was well outside her comfort zone.

Ellie:

For only being 4, Ellie was rarely acting the part. She was the one who ran ahead, who set to what she wanted and steered the group toward it. Ellie was not to be denied. In her mind, we went to Vegas to ride a roller coaster and she'd be damned if some silly height requirement at New York New York was going to kill that dream, even if it meant marching all the way to the other end of the strip for Circus Circus. If it could be climbed, it was.  And if she could watch Frozen a thousand more times, she would. Just try to tell her she can't. I dare you. 

For a dad who misses dinner nearly every weeknight of the school year, this trip was about strengthening my connections to L, C, and E. In that regard, I say complete success. Beyond that, I'm left wanting to make more of the ordinary times we have together. The destinations made this trip special, but most of the best times were a matter of just relaxing and joking with each other in a way that wasn't dependent on context. Looking forward to our typical surroundings and Susie coming home. Just in time to leave for Florida. Sheesh!

Grand

It was crazy to keep the agenda we had, even when we weren't real sure what it was. The Grand Canyon always popped up when we discussed what to do next, so it must be done, I thought. Camping there? Meh, another time. The low temp of 24 tomorrow scared me off and so I started dialing hotels. Turns out, $20 more than some motel well outside the park got us a single room at El Tovar. Last time I was here, I hoped to stay at this hotel so no way was twenty bucks holding me back. The whole crew was stoked for a hot shower and a sit down meal. Having said meal with familiar faces was a true bonus. 

El Tovar:

Cups of ice cream take-out from the restaurant because Ellie said so, and no one argued. Caroline pictured here with an expression that proves she's well past her bedtime. 

Tomorrow (4/2/16), we will enjoy a bit of this canyon and then point the Pilot back toward Denver. Home is starting to sound good. 

Sunrise Over Joshua Tree

The girls were asleep and I debated waking them. Instead, I set up time lapse and let the tears come to my eyes as I missed my partner in crime. The sight was beautiful, but something major was missing from the experience.

No Name

What else would you do when you enter Joshua Tree National Park? Grab your nearest hairbrush and give them your best Bono.

https://youtu.be/vaW1wWt_XDU