We're back on the grid...

(disclaimer: as always I apologize profusely for the random organization of thoughts...it's here, it's done, now I can unpack more boxes...)
We have arrived....not completely unscathed, but we are here. We decided to take our time getting to Connecticut because 1795.75 miles is a long ride for three little people. Plus, we were passing through all our old stompin grounds so we thought we would stop and take time to reminisce. The first night we made it almost to Atlanta. We discovered (after many many nights throughout the years at sub-par hotels) that a good night's sleep is worth the extra money. Hampton Inn is our new favorite hotel because they have down comforters and fluffy pillows. After a good night of restful sleep we made it to Charleston, South Carolina.
Haley was especially excited to see the hospital where she was born. We lived in Charleston as newlyweds...our first "military assignment". Clark's bro is going through the same Navy pipeline as we did so we stopped off for a visit with good 'ole Noly Boly. We drove by our old digs, remembered great times and excellent friends, went searching for Charlie the 14 foot alligator that lives on base, ate at our favorite restaurant and walked downtown Charleston with our friends, Ben & Jerry. I love Charleston. We pulled out the next morning and headed for our more recent residence in Virginia (where we lived before Texas). We also love Virginia and have good friends still there (the stationary, non military type...)...shall I take a moment to note that despite my very conscience efforts to keep the whereabouts of my camera in mind at all times during this move, it eluded me and is still missing....so all pictures are courtesy of Nolan or my cell phone (which is why some of them are so tiny).
We stayed with our good friends (our Costa Rica pals) in Virginia for a couple of days eating home cooked meals and playing Nertz and Take Two. We visited the zoo and enjoyed the company of our friends....sleeping arrangements were generously free but a bit tight...a family that sleeps together, stays together, right?
The Millers finally got rid of us and we went straight to Washington, D.C. to spend a day or two with Spencer and Sho who also generously put up our family of five in their living room. They live in a cute apartment in a neat area of Bethesda. We rode the Metro into town and met Sho for dinner then spent the next couple of days visiting with Clark's old CO and teaching the girls all about war and memorials and lots of patriotic good stuff. (I could write an entire journal entry about the sweet experience of teaching our daughters, old enough now to understand, what their father actually does for a living, and why they can visit their family and play with their friends and go to church. Clark had some neat moments with Haley teaching her about freedom, etc.)

We hit the temple on our way out to show the girls and use a clean restroom with a very brief tour of the visitor's center (they got such a kick out of the house inside the visitor's center.)

There was no vomit until we actually hit Connecticut but all the girls had their turn....Sometime I'll tell you about the other Connecticut vomit story that happened to me the last time we lived here...needless to say, we won't be eating at Friendly's while we live here this time.

Here are my favorite things about moving:
new adventures
new friends
being with my family

Things I absolutely HATE about traveling:
fast food
public restrooms
taking little girls to public restrooms
going to the bathroom in public places
using public toilets
watching two little girls use public toilets
gas station bathrooms
rest stop bathrooms
fast food establishment bathrooms
(and we have been to every single one between Texas and Connecticut, I assure you)...I can't wait 'til we have boys and Clark has bathroom duty...every time we stopped it took me an hour to get out of the bad mood I got into by taking them to the bathroom.

I'm not sure I have the energy to elaborate on the details of our living arrangement just yet. Let me finish unpacking boxes and hanging some pictures before I feel ready to share....let me just provide you this teaser...the bathrooms are not as nice as some of the public restrooms we saw along the way.
But don't worry, there's a killer playground outside our back door and great neighbors...and hello, New England all around us. We'll be great...just get me through these boxes and bored little girls.

I'm sure I left out some fascinating details that I'll remember later...or maybe I won't remember them, I've tried to repress some of them and others are not worth sharing, yet.