{28 Hours}

We just got back from visiting Chat's grandmother in Abbott, TX (population around 250 people -- yes, you read that right).  From the minute we left our house yesterday until we got back today was a total of 28 hours.  It was a long, busy 28 hours -- to be honest as I was packing up our whole house just to leave for one night, I started questiong why we do this.  Traveling with two little ones is so much work.  But then we got there.  We spent quality time with Chat's grandmother who is 91 years old and lives alone who we maybe see twice a year.  And then I remembered the reason we do this.  Because we should.  Because Chat loves his grandmother.  And because spending time her grandson and great-grandsons brings her incredible joy.  And we should all be able to experience joy like that in our lives.

There were times the trip was hard. 

The 4 hour car trip there was hard.  Like when Ben decided he was bored, restless and tired of being in his car seat starring at the headrest.  He screamed for about 40 minutes straight with big crocidile tears and that was hard to hear and see.  But then we stopped at Dairy Queen in Hearne, TX and got to see our kiddos eat ice cream and a blizzard.  Now that was fun!  What a memory...

We took Chat's grandmother to eat at Black Eyed Pea in Hillsboro, the closest town that had a restaurant.  It was hard at times.  Luke ran laps around our table because he had so much bottled up energy from the car.  He literally would not sit down and would cause a big old scene when I tried to get him to calm down.  It was quite embarassing.  But then I realized that Chat's grandmother probably rarely goes out to eat.  That she got to see her great-grandson Ben polish off an entire plate of macaroni and cheese (it was a site let me tell you!)!  How special it must have been for her to be treated to a yummy dinner that she didn't have to prepare and eat with her great-grandchildren. 

Luke was kinda a pill at times.  It was hard to handle him during different times of the trip.  We were in the house and he was jumping off of furniture, knocking things over and screaming at Ben when he tried to play with his toys.  So we went outside and looked for cows.  Luke and Ben got to run around in the field and "mooooooo" at the animals which was fun to see.  And I got a picture of my son that I think is beautiful...

I didn't get much sleep.  Not getting sleep is hard.  Luke slept with Chat in a bed in one room and I slept in the other room with Ben who slept in a pack n play. The boys actually slept great, but I never realized all the noises Ben makes when sleeping.  I was constantly waking up thinking Ben was about to start crying or wake up.  But when we finally did wake up, we all sat around the breakfast table and got to eat wonderful, homemade kolaches made by Chat's grandmother.  They are heaven!  And Ben got to try one for the first time and I think he fell in love...

This morning we had to kill time.  We wanted Ben to be really tired so he would sleep longer in the car, so we had to keep him up past his morning nap.  Keeping up a tired, cranky baby is so freaking hard.  So we decided to get out of the house and head to the cotton gin that Chat's grandmother runs (yes, at 91 years old!).  Right by the gin is the railroad that runs through town.  Luke, who is OBSESSED with trains, got to play on a real train track. I think it was a 2 1/2 year olds dream come true...

So yes, traveling is hard. The kids can be very hard.  I realize that I tend to complain especially when I am tired, having to work a bit extra and burning the candle at both ends.  But in the midst of all that, I need to focus on the good...less on the hard.  For every 'hard' we had this trip, there was an 'oh so good'.  We made memories as a family.  And Chat's grandmother has an extra special Thanksgiving. 

Luckily Ben slept almost the entire way home which made the trip back so much easier.  It was much quicker and less stressful.  We are all home, the boys are in bed and we ready for turkey and dressing tomorrow at my parent's house!  As the minutes are passing me by now, the 'hard' of the trip actually seems harder to remember, and the good we shared over the past 28 hours seems to shine a bit brighter.  We have so much to be thankful for and I try to remind myself that when times get hard.  We are blessed. 

{My boys}