slow trek across America...

This morning we're waking up in Colby, Kansas. Ben's getting some extra sleep while I type this because he's been fighting what we both think is tonsillitis. He's prone to getting tonsillitis - I think this is the third time he's had it this year.
He's also doing all of the driving, because our truck and car is a huge rig that's hard to drive. I tried to drive it on our first day and it is HARD. I only lasted a half hour and then I pulled over and gave the reins back to Ben. 65 was the fasted I would drive, and on curves and when semi trucks would pass us (which is constant) I would slow down to around 60. I had to drive with both hands on the wheel with my arms flexed. Seriously. My muscles hurt afterwards. The Rig (we've affectionately named it The Rig) pulls and you have to pull it back without overcompensating. We are not going to get anywhere going that slow, so I passed the buck to Ben and he's doing great.

The Rig

Missouri

I think we're averaging around 70 but we don't seem to be making very good time. Which is because we stop. A lot. I bet we stop around nine or ten times every day. What for? I don't know, gas, bathroom, food, bathroom. We started consolidating stops, but honestly, i think we just like to get out.

Our third member of the family is doing great. Meishka doesn't have a large space, but she doesn't complain and she's keeping us entertained with her odd positions and looks that she gives us. Mom, you'll be happy to know, that I fixed up her bed and she's now completely level again. She is much happier.

That's all for now. Next stop, Colorado!

bahahaha

This little guy is cracking me up!

From These Are Things...

They even have t-shirts with him!!

well, hello there

So it's already nearly summer and I haven't written is five long months, which means lots of exciting news. First, I'm going to be an aunt!! Chad and Amanda are 9 weeks and counting til they meet their new baby boy. The whole thing seems so incredible to me...a new person! This is the first new baby in our immediate family, which must be why it feels so profound. When I try to put it into words, they fail to express the wonder of it all. They've made a new person who will have his own thoughts and ideas and future and personality. It's so very cool and I am so SO excited.

My next piece of news is twice as exciting because of Baby Armington. Ben and I are going to be moving to Oregon for school in September, so we'll only be an hour and a half from Chad, Amanda and the new little guy! I'm going to be going for a graduate degree in public health and Ben is going back for his undergrad. What an awesome adventure. I haven't been this excited about a move in a very long time. Corvallis is a small town of 50,000 people and looks to be about 2 miles by 2 miles. Obviously, we'll be in for some adjustments. I can't really even picture how drastically our lives will change, but it's a welcome one.

This weekend, my best girlfriends (including my sister, Linds) all met up in Fort Collins, Colorado which is one of my all-time favorite places in the world. It was such an amazing time. There was laughing, story telling, shopping, eating, biking and some pretty serious bingo involved. The whole experience made me think of how much i enjoy a slower pace and smaller town.

I plan on using this blog to keep everyone in the loop so it doesn't feel like such a long long way away (as your blog says, Amanda!). I planned to post a bunch of 2010pictures, but my newer camera cord posed as my old camera cord while i was blindly searching for it early this morning. Expect those pictures soon.