Back to normality?

So the real world resumes. Family is all together now. In another state. But at least we have most of our modern-world conveniences up and working now.

Made the first family-centric shopping trip to Nebraska yesterday. We also went to the Archway (why weren't museums ever that interesting when I was a child?) and had an excellent BBQ lunch.

Little Geoana has already made two friends, already been to one birthday party, and insists we take her to the swimming pool everyday. And Geogal is adjusting to being a stay-at-home mom and caucusing with others of the same ilk.

The other evening I cut the grass, then joined another family we have come to know (they live just up the street) for what I thought would be a short walk. Turned out to be a lengthy visit with another family who was in the process of shooting off fireworks (here, you can start buying them seven days before the Fourth). Just casual conversation, letting the kids have some fun outdoors while the grown-ups chatted. It was just me doing the parenting that evening as Geogal was at a scrapbooking but-really-it's-women-exchanging-gossip-and-stories-about-their-husbands party.

Grownups lighting fireworks. Kids chasing fireflies. Small town fun. But I've restrained myself up until now to keep from using the "A" word to describe this place. (Americana)

________________________________

Here are some final photos from the moving drive. Colorado is as scenic as ever.

An interesting and trivial note about the trip. The final day, driving from Frisco, Colorado to Kansas, we went on I-70 into Denver, passing through the Eisenhower Tunnel. Located at just over 11,000 feet above sea level, this is the highest point along the Interstate Highway system. As the Geofamily has also driven from Arizona to San Diego along I-8, we hit the opposite in elevation--the lowest point along the Interstate system, some 70 feet below sea level (near El Centro, California).

All in all, I'm glad the trip is over with. Traveling is fun and given the right conditions it is a real joy. But having (rather, choosing) to relocate and work out the logistics of moving a family and its possessions hundreds of miles is very taxing.