Reality Check

Woven among the beauty and awe of a cross-country journey are the stressful surprises, the dark moments, the uncontrollable circumstances, the everyday chores...the reality checks.

If you were a fly on our wall, here is some of what you would have heard...

Kids: “Dad! The sewer is full again!"

Everyone: “Phew! That sewer stinks so bad!”

Kids: “Mom! I don’t have any clean underwear!"

Adam: "Christy, the dryer burned our clothes."

Olivia: "Dad, the smoothie leaked down into the motor, and the vitamix just stopped."

Christy: “Adam, I blew the circuit breaker!"

Kids: “Dad, the hot water heater isn't working!"

Kids: “Dad! The toilet is leaking all over the floor!"

Christy: “Adam, why is the hot water heater making that noise?"

Adam: “Does that tire look low to you?"

Adam: "That tire has a bulge in it - I think we need to have it looked at."

Adam: “I don’t think the truck feels as powerful as it did yesterday."

Kids: “Elias won’t stay off my bed!"

Kids: “Addison won’t stay off my bed!"

Kids: “Olivia won’t stay off my bed!"

Kids: “Ava won’t stay off my bed!"

Adam: “Oh man, that’s a steep grade. I hope we make it!"

Adam: “Christy, you call the insurance company, and I will call the tow truck."

Kids: "Dad, we're hungry, can we stop and eat?!?"

Adam: "Urgh, when I hit that tree branch, it broke that clip thingy on the awning...I need to climb up there and fix it."

Kids: "Dad, can you adjust the brakes on my bike AGAIN?"

Reality doesn't disappear on a trip like this.  

The sewer will always fill up, the truck will always need a repair, the appliances will always falter, and the laundry will always soil;

but our joy, our love, and our adventuresome spirits will always.....thrive!