Last week we took a road trip. It was our first attempt at traveling with the kids for more than a 3-hour drive. I admit; I was nervous. I don’t care to ride in the car for long amounts of time, let alone doing so while attempting to keep two little ones entertained. But, when family gets married hundreds of miles away, one has to put aside hesitations and just go for it. So, we packed up the van, borrowed a dual-screen DVD player (can we say “lifesaver”?) and instructed the kids to not even bother asking how much longer. How did it go? Surprisingly well.
The trip taught me a few things:
1) Kids are capable of more than I sometimes give them credit for.
2) Getting out of Indiana on a regular basis is good for the soul.
3) Having a helpful grandparent to keep the kids entertained is an amazing asset.
4) Hotel pools are worth every cent of an overnight stay.
5) In-vehicle DVD players can come in handy.
6) Georgia state parks are located in the middle of nowhere, at the top of a hill that can only be accessed by winding, twisting, curving roads.
7) Bears live in the Georgia hills and one might just cross your hiking path.
8) 4-year-old ring bearers look adorable in suits.
9) Trips can bond kids in unimaginable ways.
What has amazed me most isn’t that we never heard, “Are we there yet?” What amazed me is that after spending more than 30 hours in the van and sharing a bed for four nights, the kids are closer than they have ever been. Our kids have always had a pretty decent sibling relationship, but since we returned, they have been inseparable. They have been playing together better than ever and have still been wanting to sleep in the same room. Even though they no longer have to be near each other all the time, they want to be with one another.
I know this heightened bond will probably fade especially with school starting tomorrow. But until then, I’ll enjoy watching them stick together and perhaps even consider another road trip…as long as the DVD player is still available.
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