Hello, Beloveds!
Here's a bulleted list of more-or-less notable pieces of information:
-We're in a suite at La Quinta in Tucumcari (try saying that out loud without feeling like an idiot...), really close to the Texas border. We had dinner tonight at Denny's--a place that's sure to have comfort food in abundance, wouldn't you say? I had slow cooked roast beef and potatoes. [Unnecessary information?...] The best part was that Eliza is New Mexico's new favorite visitor. No joke, no exaggeration--we had at least FIVE people come up, "oo" and "ah," want to touch Eliza, beg her for smiles, and beg US to let us take her home. She's a HUGE novelty. Some of the waitresses would go out of their way to pass our table one more time just to get a look at her. It was just really cute and it made us even more proud as parents. One thing I thought was cute, there was a girl a little older than Eliza across the way from us that started to scream bloody murder at something or another. One of the waitresses who had already been by twice, passed again as she came out of the kitchen and said, "I thought, 'There's NO WAY that scream was coming out of that sweet baby. I was right, thank goodness." Yep--Eliza was the favorite. Apparently we're not biased. :)
-We were blessed with a tender mercy right off the bat. Blake thought to check the oil before we left and if he hadn't, I think our sweet corolla may have taken a "massive MHP" [for the Hull Family, a massive MHP is a phrase coined by my brother Jake, which stands for "Make Him Pay" and could be defined as a powerful and very serious beating or shalacking] that she may not have recovered from. The Lord is looking out for us and we're being blessed with the Spirit.
-Did you know that New Mexico's state nickname is "The Land of Enchantment"? #1: How silly. Is this a barren wasteland, or Disneyland? I can't be sure... #2: Perhaps all the enchantment is hidden underneath shrubs and thistles? Or in Santa Fe?
-I dare you to spell this word without using spell check or the internet: AL-BUH-KER-KEY. Anyone who can do it wins a free flight to Texas. (Brought to you by Warren Buffet and friends. ;) Did you know he owns BNSF? Go figure. I'm glad we'll be contributing to his extensive wealth.)
-Lizie was a TOTAL CHAMP today--your prayers and our prayers have been answered! I think she has even been enjoying herself! Especially because I ended up driving most of today with Blake taking charge of Eliziatic entertainment. :) It was the cutest thing to see him back there being the best dad ever. I just felt a little piece of heaven as I would glance into the rear-view mirror and see Blake singing songs, reading books, and playing with Eliza. He was enjoying it a lot, too. He doesn't get to play Mr. Mom very often.
Anyway, tender mercy and literal miracle: Eliza stayed SPOT ON her schedule today. Every feeding, every nap (uninterrupted naps, mind you!), and going down for the night. I am so, so, so grateful that she has been blessed with flexibility and resilience for this trip. Especially today with 13 hours of driving.
-I drove a huge chunk of today because I was having trouble with carsickness. Worse than I've had in a long time. I would WAY rather drive ALL day than feel like that while also having to take care of Eliza. I think that's the real clincher--having to rummage around for toys, food, bottles, etc. while sitting in the back seat. YIKES. I'm planning to drive again tomorrow if I can.
-"Conditioning shampoo" is a total joke. My hair is screaming for moisture. I'd rather have it scream for that than scream for relief from the grease pit of doom. Yep--groddie hair on the drive today. Even if it's dry, I'm so grateful it's clean now!
-Although my hair was nasty, my body was clean (thank goodness). This is why: I slept for about 3 hours last night, then work up at 1:45 and couldn't ever get back to sleep. I felt nasty from all the apartment cleaning and I was DYING for a shower. So, I snuck out of bed, crept into the bathroom to get a spare towel, went to the downstairs bathroom so I wouldn't wake up Mom, Dad, or Blake, and... I took a shower. :) It was glorious. I'm so grateful I did! It made all the difference in the car today to not feel like a sicko! [Turns out I actually DID wake up Mom and Dad and who knows who else... Sorry guys! I thought for sure I'd be safe sneaking downstairs!]
-I haven't cried at all today. Not one tear. It was hard to say goodbye to all of the sisters last night, but I've been doing well today. It's amazing to see how much I've grown in the last little while. Blake gave me a beautiful priesthood blessing a week or so ago and I have seen the Lord's hand very specifically blessing and taking care of me. It is a testimony to me that this decision must be right for us at this time in our life because I'm not a complete basketcase. Either that or the reality of this hasn't quite sunk in? Perhaps both, but either way, I KNOW I am being blessed, and I will continue to be blessed with what I need in order to meet this challenge.
God is good, and so very wise. I love you so much. Talk to you soon! I better go get some sleep while I have a chance. It has been nice to have a moment to sit down without anything to pack, clean, or fret over. Just a few quiet moments with clean hair, a clean body, and a comfy couch in a hotel suite. I love you!
Love, Annie
P.S. The next time I write, I'm going to be a crazy Texan!
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