Thursday, December 21, 2023
After yesterday’s storm, everyone woke up today feeling remarkably well. Maybe we just needed for things to break yesterday to release the pressure that had been building up.
In the morning I asked if the kids would be interested in getting birding apps loaded onto their phones so that they could start their own life lists. I myself started birding in 2022, and it’s one of my favorite hobbies. I started this trip with 275 different species identified, and I’m hoping to push my life list up to over 300 by the time we are done. I’m sure it will happen. Kimball and Ian took me up on the offer, so I’m excited to get them birding.
I’ve already found some new birds here in Arizona, including the American Coot and the Gila Woodpecker :)
This was actually my first opportunity to practice my lesson learned yesterday. Alicia and Anahi don’t seem super interested in birding, so I didn’t push the envelope with them. They seemed skeptical, but I assured them that I really am OK if they don’t bird. They will find something else to occupy their time. I’m sure.
Today I also decided just to bite the bullet and get my grading done -- no matter how many hours it took today. And it took quite a few hours. Now it’s done, and I feel such a burden lifted -- like I can finally focus completely on this trip.
While I was grading, the kids all went for a walk. They didn’t go far, but it was good for them to get out of the house. They were gone for hours!
In the late afternoon, I went with Janie’s family and we did a family photo shoot with them at a pond close to their house. I have to admit that this is not my favorite kind of photography, probably because I haven’t practiced it much, and I have a hard time working with people.
Fortunately, Janie’s family made it easy, and I think the photos turned out pretty well.
Before we left for photos, Betty had asked me to take River with her. I wanted to focus on the photography, so I told her to please keep River with her. Turns out, she really did need me to take River with me, and I was a knucklehead for not listening. Not long after we left, River started acting up. I’m sure she is totally exhausted. Betty was trying to get dinner ready because my Dad’s brother Steve was going to come over for dinner. I think one of the circles of Dante’s inferno is trying to get real work done while having an overtired three year old hang all over you. Oh, and I haven’t even mentioned how tired Betty must be. We’ve driven over 2,000 miles and spent over 30 hours in the car in 10 days. We had a big family fight yesterday.
At some point in the evening, Betty had to run to Winco to get some final ingredients for the dinner. She dragged a fussy River all around the store, and when she got to the checkout, they told her that they could only accept cash or a check. No card. Winco giveth, and Winco taketh away. I know I’ve been there.
It was all too much for Betty. She just started crying, and left all of the groceries there. But then, as she was heading out the door, the cashier tracked her down and told her that the man behind her in line had paid for all of her groceries. That made Betty cry even more, and she thanked the man and gave him a hug. There is no way that man could have known what Betty had been going through. It was just a simple act of kindness that meant the world to Betty.
Maybe it was good that I didn’t take River, because maybe this beautiful experience wouldn’t have happened ;)
We got back from the photo shoot about the same time Betty got back from the store, and Uncle Steve came not long after. He is the best! He really has become a second Grandpa to Janie ’s kids, and he loves Betty as well. I think it’s an Arizona thing.
We had a great visit with Steve, and delicious taco salad, and then we had a surprise visit from my cousin Kimball -- Steve’s son. I haven’t seen him and his family in years and years. And it turns out, he and his family just finished their own giant family adventure in which they took an RV and visited all 48 of the lower states. As was the case when I met up with Kenson, it was just awesome to see other families trying to stretch themselves and grow as a family by taking on a huge adventure.
The night ended with everyone watching Home Alone. An no day that ends with Home Alone can be anything but great!
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