Well my time visiting family in the southwest is winding down. I've enjoyed it so much and am so greatful to my cousins who have put up with my sorry butt:
Houston: Pat and Trese Coyle and family
Ft Worth: Greg and Annette and family
Phoenix: Bobbie Jean and Charlie Pratt
Houston: Pat and family again (how can they stand me once again! LOL).
I've gotten to visit with so many 1st cousins and met so many 2nd and 3rd cousins that I lost count. It's amazing how large and loving our family is!!!
Jodi and I took the "northern route" through TX, OK and AZ and got to see the Petrified Forest, Painted Desert, the Meteor Crator and the Grand Canyon on our way to Phoenix. And as much as I didn't want to see it we were in snow on our way to Phoenix. I'm not sure who pushed the cold, and at times rainy weather ahead of us (I blamed Jodi for bringing it from Seattle) on our trip. Bobbie Jean brought Jodi and I to Sedona for a day and it brought fond and sad memories back for me as that's where my soon to be ex wife honeymooned in 2002. But it's still a very beautiful place to visit. If you haven't been to any of the places I've mentioned you should add it to your bucket list. America has so many amazing and beautiful parks! After a week and a half in Phoenix it was back to Houston.
It was a long and lonely drive to Houston from Phoenix without my traveling companion cousin Jodi. But I made it here on Sunday afternoon. Today was new tires for the Jeep and some final shopping for the last of my necessities. Tomorrow is a tune up and oil change. I'm hoping to rest the final 2 days before my next long drive.
I'm leaving for Christmas with my kids in Orlando on Saturday and will come back to Houston just before the New Year to finish final preparations for heading south. I'm itching to get to Belize and plant my roots. But my kids are too important to leave without seeing one more time for who knows how long.
