Sunday! Our last day together! Cry!

We had decided the previous day to get an early start and stop for lunch around where I live to break up the day. So that’s what we did!

I woke up around 5:45 and did a very short walk with Dad, then packed the car. Mom gave Tiff’s son one last golf cart ride and we all took some photos at the Esmann Island sign and said goodbye (my snister and her family had said goodbye the night before).

We stopped at Kwik Star (a mandatory experience in the Midwest!) for gas and food then started the drive. We were in Illinois then Iowa for the entire drive in, but since we were going toward my house on the way back, we mostly rode in Wisconsin. This was the first time in Iowa and Wisconsin for both Val and Tiff!

The ride was good, but gosh, I was so darn tired. Ugh. All that lack of sleep was starting to catch up with me! By the time we got to El Famous (obviously the only choice for lunch) to have lunch with Steven I was operating at “shell of a human” level and was not very talkative. Oops.

The tacos perked me up a bit! We went to Lake Michigan to see the lake (*cough* find rocks *cough*) and I was surprised to see so many people there. The parking lot was practically full when we got there, and I’m usually the only car. It was a beautiful day to be out!

After that we gave them the tour of the house and they got to meet Apollo, Starbuck, and Ned! Then it was down to the airport. Womp womp.

It’s hard not to feel sad at the end of a great time like this. I know, be happy it happened, not that it’s over. And I am, I just feel so at ease and happy with them, I’m greedy, and want more of that.

The good news is, we all have things going on this week to look forward to – Tiff left yesterday for another trip, Val has friends coming in, and I will see my family and do RAGBRAI this week. So that helps.

And it helps that we’ve reserved a weekend in February to get together. And I will see Val next month in Denver and will see Tiff in the fall if I go to LA with my brother. And Val and I may plan a trip with our husbands in the fall… lots of good things coming up!

I drove home after I dropped them off and when I got home I opened birthday packages that came while I was away (my birthday is next week), and started laundry and unpacking.

From Courtney

From Lauren in Australia

From Jean (I am so spoiled!)

We harvested some green beans and made dinner and watched a bit of Pitch Perfect 2 then I was in bed by 8:15 and asleep by 9:00! And I skipped my morning workout when I got up the next day and slept in until 6:30. I needed it!