Angela and I returned from a road trip on Friday. We visited close friends in Chandler AZ, and then family in Prescott. I wish we had more time for both, but there were things we wanted to see while we were in the region, and wanted to be back home in time for Mother's Day. On the way out of Prescott we stopped in Jerome for lunch, went to the museum and strolled through the stores. Next stop, off to Flagstaff to stroll around there. That night we landed in Williams: more food of course, shopping, and found a great hotel which looked like a Motel-5 from the outside. It had a very basic appearance but based upon a ton of great feedback from Tripadvisor we chose to stay there. The person who checked us in said "checkout tomorrow is whenever, take your time". Wow! The bed was new, the prints in our room were amazing; a surprisingly nice hotel experience with a lesson... don't judge a book by it's cover. From there, up to the Grand Canyon... my first time, truly breathtaking. One of the common themes we noticed was how kind and truly sincere people were in all of the the Arizona cities.
Next stop, Laughlin Nevada. Our plan, get a decent room at a decent rate, have fun while being weary of their plan... to get us tanked on very strong 'free' booze and have us splitting kings at the blackjack table. Blackjack turned out to be black-out, more below. It was nice being in slow-paced Laughlin along the Colorado River versus Vegas.
In all of the stores in all of the rural towns, it was impossible not to think of buying something for Madison or ever screwier, for her bedroom. We don't want it to be a shrine, but we can't yet -not- refer to it as "Madi's Room". Buying things for her or for her room would be a tad odd, and I'd wager her mum had the same challenge when she and Michael were in Hawaii. Adding to that, Madi's birthday... May 20th. I posted a couple of pics on Madi's Facebook Page and noted that we'll be transitioning it to a memorial site. That's easier said than done... it sounds so final. Not a day goes by that her moms or I don't think of her or look Up and tell her we miss her. We're tweens of sorts, logistically being 'empty nesters' while also being the proud parents of a truly remarkable and extremely wise young woman. It's official... we'll always be her parents, never empty-nesters!
In closing this thread, a couple of thoughts: Angela and I actually left Laughlin with more money than we arrived with, even after the hotel room and a full tank of gas. That ATM was one I couldn't walk past without snapping a pic, classic!
Most importantly, happy Mother's Day to Madison's mums, well to all moms! Mine went old-school and mailed Angela a Mother's Day card again this year. Pondering back to 2013, it was the Venetians who insisted upon helping our family during our journey. Make no mistake, Martians would have done anything but it was the all of the moms in our lives who rallied together and just 'did', announcing their intentions and meals and loving faces started showing up. That's what moms do and we humbly thank you all.
I have no clue how Madison's mums or I could have made it without one another, or each of you moms... Happy Mother's Day!
Love,
Chris
In closing this thread, a couple of thoughts: Angela and I actually left Laughlin with more money than we arrived with, even after the hotel room and a full tank of gas. That ATM was one I couldn't walk past without snapping a pic, classic!
Most importantly, happy Mother's Day to Madison's mums, well to all moms! Mine went old-school and mailed Angela a Mother's Day card again this year. Pondering back to 2013, it was the Venetians who insisted upon helping our family during our journey. Make no mistake, Martians would have done anything but it was the all of the moms in our lives who rallied together and just 'did', announcing their intentions and meals and loving faces started showing up. That's what moms do and we humbly thank you all.
I have no clue how Madison's mums or I could have made it without one another, or each of you moms... Happy Mother's Day!
Love,
Chris
