Going Home

There's something instilled within my soul for going home. It has been that way since I was a little girl and we would travel to visit family and then "go home". There is something magical about watching the mountains get a little closer, seeing the Canyon Inn, heading up toward the South End and dropping down into the valley that is just exciting and peaceful all at the same time. As I have gotten older and don't get to travel to see my family as much as I would like, I have noticed that the excitement grows on me like Christmas. It's like opening a present to make that final 20 minute journey toward "Home". I know that I have my own home, but there is just something about the feeling of peace that I get when I go home.

Yesterday I was traveling home to attend a funeral. Brylee heard I was going to Grandma and Grandpa Clement's and wanted to go. The deal was if it was okay with Aunt Tiff, she could play with Baylee and Teagan and I would go to "a meeting" (3 year olds don't know what funerals are) visit for a little bit, and then come back to Salt Lake. We called Aunt Tiff and got the okay. Next, Brylee had to go right to sleep after family prayer. If any of you know Brylee this has been a constant struggle for us. We have bribed, laid down by, spanked, done music, you name it we've tried it to get that girl to sleep in her own bed. We did a rewards system that started out working great and ended up just killing the mom... so I though this won't even happen, I am totally safe. Well, to my surprise, after prayer Brylee gave kisses, said goodnight, turned on her nighttime CD, covered up with her blanket, and I am not kidding when I say it was 10 minutes max, and that girl was sound asleep. She just makes me crazy.

As we were headed up to Star Valley we made it to Park City and Brylee asked if we were there yet. I though this was going to be the longest ride of my life. Especially when as we were headed toward Echo Reservoir and this is the conversation that ensued.

Brylee: Mom you need to pull the car over. Me: Brylee why? We need to keep going so we can get to grandma and grandpa's. Brylee: Mom, I think I am going to frow-up. Okay...dilemma..any of you that know me, know that this is way bad news for the mom. I noticed that Brylee was coloring in her Travel Aqua doodle that she got from her friend "K". Me: Brylee, you put that book away right now, sit up, and I'm going to roll down your window for a minute okay. Brylee: Okay mom. Me: Brylee please don't throw up in mommies car. I don't have time or wipes okay. Brylee: Okay mom. I don't really know about much of the rest of the drive to Evanston other than I made it in record time. Thank you...no throw-up.

I asked Brylee if she needed to stop at the Maverik and she asked if we were to Grandma's yet and I said no, so she said no. In Randolph it was how long until we get to Grandpa's. I told her 2 hours, (Time makes no sense to a 3 year old either) as I approached Cokeville I asked again if she needed to go potty and she said no. I know that for as young as she is her bladder is bigger that Uncle Kyle's and Uncle Jason's, however, I was starting to worry a little. We passed Border Junction and were headed toward the South End and it happened. I started getting butterflies and getting that excited Christmas feeling and all of the sudden I heard from the back seat as we were passing Canyon Inn....

Brylee: Mom, we are almost to grandma and grandpa's with a giggle. I almost couldn't hear her because she was saying it so quiet and excited and then she got way excited and screamed "MOM, WE'RE ALMOST TO GRANDMA AND GRANDPA'S!!" For the first time I realized the excitement I felt, Brylee was feeling too. We couldn't drive fast enough the last 15 miles to grandma and grandpa's. It made me think how grateful I was that she loves my parents so much that she knew where we were going even though we don't make it there as often as we like.

Thank you Aunt Tiff for letting Brylee play with the girls. Thanks Mom and Dad for lunch. Thanks Grandma Norton for the loves. Thanks Char, Tiff, Mom, and Dad for the visiting time even though it was only a few hours. Thanks Gwen for watching Jace while I was away. I hope I never lose the excited feeling of going home. I hope Brylee will have those same feeling of wanting to come home when she is older.

Thanks Star Valley for always being "Home". I can't think of a better place to have that feeling.