Simultaneously Thinking Fresh and Outside the Bun

I have always loved driving along highways. Yes, I like taking backroads and finding adventures along those, too. However, the long expanse of asphalt stretching out into the horizon brings some form of comfort to me. The reflective green signs announcing the next exit in a half mile stand as invitations to pull off and stop (planned or otherwise). Finally, no interstate journey is complete without seeing the glowing emblems of fast food and gas stations towering above the exits, often visible for several miles. 

Have you ever heard them?

"Stop here!" they scream. 

"No, here!" 

"Grab some fries and a drink!" 

"Stretch those legs and eat a hot dog!"

"This iced tea will make that drive feel shorter!" 

"We have bathrooms AND snack food!" 

"Coffeeeeeeeeee!"

That is what those signs say to me, anyways. I usually keep my music turned up loud so I can ignore them. I'll admit it: I give in sometimes.

As much as I have traveled and of the distances I have covered, I forget that those signs are not always recognized by everybody. This past week, I gave a private tour around the Nashville area for a family from Manhattan. One of the things that most amazed the family (especially the kids) was the fact that these places existed. As we'd pull off an exit to work towards our destination, the kids would point and ogle at these culinary treats. "Look! A Shoneys! A Taco Bell! A So-nic!" Evidently, fast food dining is few and far between on that little New York island. Something I take for granted, see everyday, consider American, and rarely actually think about became one of the highlights for this family. They toured an American city and it seems fitting that one of the things they were excited to witness were those glowing pedestals of processed, pre-packaged, high-sodium, deep-fried deliciousness our country is so good at promoting. Welcome to 'Merica. 

New Day, New Year

Well, hello from the optimistic side of the new year! New Year's Eve is generally a day in which we contemplate the old year. Our human nature tends to focus on the negative and write off the "old" of the past year. New Year's Day is generally a day in which we nurse a hangover celebrate a new year and get excited for the future. Just think! A whole new set of 365 days tied neatly together with a sequential string we label "year" given to you for fresh [fill in the blank]. Maybe a fresh start. Maybe a fresh goal. Maybe a fresh intention. Regardless, today is a new day.

Overall, I am a fan of new days. I try my best to treat each day as its own new day (new day!) and not let the whole "year" thing bother me. I make resolutions throughout the year as needed. I nurse hangovers celebrate the future as often as I can. Today is just another day, really.

But I felt it today. I felt the buzz of newness. I emitted an aura of anticipation as I thought of this upcoming year. I know many amazing things are in store. I know obstacles are in store. I know of my goals and my plans to reach those goals. I know how the majority of these plans will not work out exactly and I will be left with stories to tell. I like telling stories.

I plan on writing more. I plan on being published at some point. Sweet family members have faith in me enough to set me on my writing way (for Christmas, my parents gave me a crazy-capable external hard-drive and my husband gave me a writing desk). Here is what I found about the writing: in the same way that I cannot just hit the pavement and run six miles easily and injury-free after not running for a month, I do not have the ability to just make writing happen like I once felt I did. But my goal is to make that happen. Maybe I have just experienced months of "Writer's Block." Maybe I just got busy. Maybe I just didn't have the right desk! So now that I have the "write" desk (I wish I could have helped myself there, I just couldn't), I have the intentions of making this happen. I will write more. I have no idea of the content, but I will write more. If you choose to continue following my journey, I appreciate that.

Happy New Set of 365 Days to you. May each day bring you joy, regardless of whatever else the day may also bring.

Penning Thoughts Along the River

I am currently waiting for my husband to finish his run. He runs almost three times as far as me ( but my pace is about 25% slower than his). There is a math equation in there, but math is hard. In my estimation, even after all my cool down and stretching, I have about 12 more minutes to wait.

I like to sit on the rocks along the Stones River. It's quiet and I can think. I like to imagine that on this very rock some soldier during the Civil War penned a letter to his love back home. That letter would likely have been destroyed sometime in the past 150 years. But I wonder if the serenity of the water flow and the graceful fall of each turned lead instilled the same sense of peace I feel today? I wonder if he, too, used those few quiet moments to take a break from his crazy world?  I wonder who will sit on this rock in another 150 years?

The Pancake Pantry

Last week, Dad got to come home for a few days for some mid-tour rest and relaxation. Unfortunately, my schedule would not let me break away for too long, however we were able to gather as a family at The Pancake Pantry.

My brother flew in, my sister and her husband [the awesomest-brother-in-law-ever] drove up, and so hey-ho! the gang was all there! 

Service member family members! 

It was so much fun to see everybody, even if it were just an hour's-worth of time (my brother had to catch an airplane!). The past few weeks have seen me incredibly busy and sometimes I forget what day it is, as they seem to fly by so fast. But I will remember (and treasure) those family times complimented by syrup and butter. Short and sweet (literally). 

I love this picture because 1) my dad is smiling big and
2) my sister is creeping in the back.

We've Arrived

I was about nine years of age when I saw many of the folks from this family reunion. It is as if I never left. 

I think it is time to eat now. With my family.

Whirlwind of Activity

I thought I had posted more this weekend, although now I see a few drafts that never completed posting. Sorry. I will blame the internet of the wild (here in the Poconos). In the past three days, I have ate a massive amount of food, talked, laughed, played games, ate some more, bowled, kayaked, played some more games, helped make food, talked, ran, sat in a hot tub, played more games, and then ate dessert. This family loves with food, lots and lots of food.

There always seemed a mix of a family, some here and some there- everybody enjoying doing things with others. It was fun. I am exhausted from all the fun and glad I had a chance to spend time with these folks. Blood-relatives or not, a warm and accepting group of people who love (in this case, my family) help make the world mo' better.

Breakfast Confession

If you knew me while I was a teenager or young adult, you'd know I did not eat at McDonald's. Ever. In part because the smell reminded me of car sickness and in part because gross. I went a solid 13 years with only a few fruit and yogurt parfaits during family road trips.

I especially don't eat fast food now. Overall, I generally follow a diet that doesn't allow me to eat processed foods, or dairy, or grains/gluten... So no McDonald's, right?

Wrong. What makes me sacrifice clean eating and face potential gastrointestinal distress? A combination of the Monopoly game and my compulsion to complete collections of things.

Look at the grease on that bag! That delicious, savory, heart-stopping grease! So far, I "won" a free breakfast sandwich, am 2/3rds of my way to "winning" $20,000, and have had several days shaved from the end of my adventure-filled life.

Moonshine Country

We completed Day 1 of our travels, rolling through east Tennessee, Virginia, a brief stretch in West Virginia, and stopping in Maryland. After having just finished watching a movie about moonshining in West Virginia during the Prohibition, all I could think as we passed through that countryside was "where do they keep the stills?" We didn't encounter any moonshiners, but we did see an Appalachian Mountain icon:

You never know who you might run into at rest stops! 

We found a Motel 6 that kept the light on for us as we pulled in about 11:30 local time last night. Zzz. I believe we all passed out within seconds of our heads hitting out respective pillows. 

We grabbed some of the complimentary coffee from the motel lobby and rolled out about 7AM. What did I say to convince my beautiful, non-morning-person of a sister to get up so early? That a brief visit to Gettysburg before our final destination at the Poconos would be awesome. She and her awesome husband agreed. I know, I know. You thought I was the only nerd. Turns out I have cool siblings, too.

Pennsylvania, here we come!

Road tripping and Family Reunioning

And we are off!

My dad's family is having a reunion this weekend, so my sister and her husband and I are trekking from Tennessee to Pennsylvania to re-un (or to union since "re" indicates we have done this before?). Sadly, my husband and mother can't make it (and Dad is still in Afghanistan), so we are going to represent. I love road tripping and hanging with family, so I am looking forward to this weekend. I haven't seen many of these family members since I was in the third grade. Maybe I'll put a question mark on my name tag and see if anybody can guess who I am...

Anyways, I will attempt to document the weekend here the best I can, especially for the long distancing family members (this means you, Dad). Bring on the next 11.5 hours in the car! Mom made a batch of chocolate cookies for sustenance and I have a sock monkey travel cup filled with coffee for additional fuel.

Woop!!

- Posted from my iPhone

To Dad

Dear Dad,

Yet again, I am belated. It continues to happen more and more as I age (certainly more than I'd like to admit). This time, I even thought ahead and bought a card a few weeks ago, knowing it takes time to send things to Afghanistan. I almost beat the clock! But then I left the card at my apartment before my travels. Dang it.

As much as I thought the card was quality and fitting, I still felt it was not enough. How do I convey how I think you are the most stellarest dad on this planet (and yes, stellarest is a word when talking about stellar dads)? How do I share that I think you are amazing? I'll write about it.

I can't really think of my first memory of you, mostly because I can only remember life with you in it. I remember you explaining to me that trees do no make wind, rather that they only move because the wind was blowing (I had it backward). I remember you explaining how to measure the distance of a storm based on the number of seconds counted. The storms still felt terrifying, but you made them seem almost fun. I remember you telling us that you were a super secret spy so you couldn't tell us your job and how I felt like I wore a super hero cape when I told neighborhood kids at the playground of your job. I remember you taking us to a local baseball field to fly kites one day. On that day, you also left your coffee mug on top of the van and it spilt down the windshield as we drove away- you just said " ooooh! man!" That was a first time I had an inkling that you were human.

I still have an inkling of your humanity, but now I have a simultaneous appreciation of you as human. You are so patient! You are so understanding! You are kind and thoughtful. And goofy and relatable. Whether you are telling stories of exploding watermelons or listening to my own stories, you remain the best dad I can imagine. It is hard for me not to brag.

I miss you a lot while remaining insanely proud of your service. Only a short time before your leave and then a few months again before you are home for good! We (your whole family) is super excited about that. And I look forward to my dad being physically close again. In the meantime, know I consider you close even though you are far away. And that I am proud of you. And that I miss you.

I am sorry I couldn't spend Father's Day with you. I am even more sorry that I did not send that card in time (and by the time you get it, we will be shooting fireworks for Independence Day). But I do love you and want you to know I think you are awesome. I pray for you daily and can't wait to see you again!

Happy Father's Day to the best dad.

Love,
One of your three kids who love you and can't imagine life without you.
~ekg








- Posted from my iPhone