I wish I recorded a lot of my thoughts from the road as well. It strikes me how much of my deep thought should be immortalized. :) For instance, it may come as a shock to some, as it did to me, that sexism is alive and well. Since I don't spend time with teenage boys I had no idea how rampant a thing it is. Shocking really. I can not believe my teenage girl is subject to things I thought went out long ago. On at least two occasions now, we have been captive audiences to YOUNG boys (13 to maybe 15) that were discussing how "fat" a young girl was or how "doable" she might be. REALLY? Still? But it also is still happening among grown adult women. I can not tell you HOW MANY times now I have been asked by other grown women, "Is it just the three of you? How do you do that?" Once I HAD to ask, "Do you mean because we don't have a man with us?" to which the woman replied, "Well yeah." My answer? We JUST DO! I suppose I live in more of a bubble than I was aware.
In addition, it has struck me how interesting my children's relationship with money is. I know that I spoil my kids. I am not that dillusional. How many kids go camping with a lap top, tablet and cell phone? How many people under 20 have been on 2 cruises, umpteen states, snow board vacations, etc. I know we are raising uber protected uber privileged girls. That isn't shocking, so much as a tad bit embarrassing sign of my inability to completely disassociate with material status. What has been shocking is to see how my girls do not understand the value of a dollar. How economic decisions are made...i.e. if I buy that, I can't or will have to delay that. It has been a learning lesson for them as well. I hope one that sticks!!!!
I have already expounded on the lessons from the road regarding hard work, survival skills and the such. They are getting exposure to so much more than just the road and the states. As am I. I think each of us is glad as well. Today while we were picknicing at the White Sands National Monument (picture of the quintessential New Mexico alien campground attached), we discussed if we thought we would ever do this again. Katrin is sure she will take her kids some day. Ella is sure she will do it differently. :) I am sure I will do a different version. Each of us seems to be having our own as well as our shared experience. It seems to me they are changing right before my eyes. Especially Katrin. It may be her age or that she is actually changing. Whichever, getting to know my girls on new levels is nothing short of miraculous.
As for myself, I am very much a "doer" and from the road I am learning alot about the art of being. Being is so much more important. If doing a 10 hour drive at 7am causes me to be a bitch and doing a 6 hour drive at 10am causes me to be full of joy, I would like very carefully to chose my state of being. I am not suggesting that I am going to change overnight my need to do. But my attention has been drawn very heavily to my state of being. It is a choice and it is fluid. More so than I am always aware.
So those are some thought tidbits. The road tends to give you plenty of time to think and very little time to communicate with anyone other than who you are sitting next to and often times, those two enjoy sleeping and reading to pass the time. :)
Practically speaking the vast difference from Missouri to Texas to New Mexico has been a bit startling. Just when I thought I was going to be seeing nothing but farmland for 3 months, I was reminded again of the beauty and the starkness of the West. I am loving it if a little uncomfortable in the heat and once again among the flies in New Mexico. Texas was very comfortable. We were really lucky. After this we are off to Colorado and then friends and families homes for the most part of the next month so it should be smoother sailing.
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