Today I am wake up in my bed in West Chester, OH. Tonight I will close my eyes in Phoenix, AZ. This is our first big trip since Shayna passed. Tywana, Kayla and I are going to the desert for a week. This would normally be a beach trip year as that somehow became a thing in beknownst to me, a trip to the beach every other year with the girls. Kayla wanted something different. She has never been West. So, westward ho!
I detest traveling. It’s such a hassle to move this body from place to place. Packing for two days, for Ty. Arranging people to come take care of the business and the house while we’re gone. Kennelling the dogs. Hours at airports on both ends. Rental cars. It’s a long, boring day with the typical hassles, delays, a baby we listened to scream for five hours almost non-stop from the terminal in Cincinnati almost until touchdown in Phoenix, where after exhausting both parents and everyone within five rows of her in either direction, she finally fell asleep. Then, we have an interminable delay at baggage claim. We were supposed to arrive at 6:15 and reach our condo while it was still daylight. Instead, we arrive after 7 and by the time we get the bags and rent the car, we are driving in the dark to a place we’ve never been. Of course. I would expect nothing different.
But, we are here. We have a beautiful condo near Phoenix. We will drive to the Grand Canyon tomorrow and spend some time in Sedona and Flagstaff. We will make some memories for Kayla. She’s never seen the desert. It’s weird being here without Shayna’s physical presence, but we know she is right here with us and we love telling stories about the previous adventures we had and we had lots.
