Girl Gone Denver

Arrived in Denver Friday evening around 10pm.  Surprisingly we pushed through and made the drive in only 3 days, 8 hours on the first, 15 hours on the second and 13 on the last.  The days went relatively quickly and the time seemed to fly by.  I think this was mostly due to the fact that I was playing improv games, singing along to the radio and answering trivia and "would you rather" questions with my second cousins.  Torey who is fifteen road with me day one which gave us the opportunity for some girl time and loud pop music.  We played the name game for about an hour and talked about life, careers and school. That night we stayed at Melisa's families house in Pennsylvania and her brother and sister-in-law came over with a delicious spaghetti dinner. I was able to refresh in the pool and cool off from the hot PA air.   Day two, I had the privilege of riding with my cousin Jay and not having to drive at all, as he took the whole 15 hour shift.  It was great having quality time with him as we haven't spent much time together in the last 20 years or so. Regardless, it felt like time hadn't passed at all and we were kids again hanging out on the holidays.  That night we stayed in the La Quinta hotel.  Now, funny story, having spent the last year battling bed bugs spreading in the shelter program, I'm a little paranoid about staying in road hotels which I expressed to my cousins.  I gave them a condensed bed bug training and told them that I would be thoroughly inspecting my room.  Jay was laughing at me and telling me that I don't need to worry.  I looked over my room that night and I must say it was one of the cleanest rooms I've stayed in and I slept very soundly.  The next morning there was a loud knock on my door and my cousin is standing there with a picture on his phone of a beetle that had bit him as soon as he crawled into bed. They had apparently had to change rooms and my cousin had bagged everything they own in trash bags so as not to bring anything with them.  Being the compassionate cousin I am, I said " I told you so" and then laughed hysterically.  Truth be told, I don't think it was a bed bug but oh the irony... Day three I was able to have my 12 year old cousin Noah with me who is my fellow improv comedian.  We filled the drive with playing questions only, and the alphabet game and then later he was able to download trivia, and brainteaser apps off my phone  where we answered some serious life questions like "would you rather eat maggots or take a bath in monkey dung".  After dinner, Jay and Melisa took my van and I drove the Kia with the three kids, Tory, Noah and Isaiah who is 5.  We tried playing the song game but "Anti Tonya" as they call me couldn't seem to remember words.  Zai however showed us all up with his angelic voice singing his rap version of "I cant tell her that I like her".  Too cute!
After two hours, we swapped again and Jay and I drove together the final leg into Denver as the sun set behind the mountains filling the sky with an array of colors. 
When we arrived home, Zai carried one of my bags to my room and gingerly setting it down, turned to me and said "See Auntie Tonya, now your home.". It brought tears to my eyes.  He's just the sweetest kid. 

Its now Sunday and I just figured that out.  I woke up this morning and thought it odd that the family was attending church on a Saturday.  I guess I lost a day somewhere in Kansas, which incidentally is the flattest, windiest and hottest place I have ever been.  I really can't understand why Dorothy wanted to go back there!  Last night I was invited to a friend's dinner with Melisa and Jay and it was rejuvenating sitting on the back deck chatting with the girls while the men went to the study for serious manly type conversation, that we teased them about later (my cousin swore there was no cigar smoking).  By the end of the night I had the whole family playing questions only which was very entertaining as the family we were visiting has 4 teenagers of their own. 

Tomorrow Melisa is taking me to Arvada to see if that's where I'll look for a place to live though they've made if more then clear that they are happy to have me here.   I feel so lucky to have such wonderful and loving cousins!  As much as I love spending time with them, I can't help but feel anxious to get out of transition and settle into a place of my own. 

Happy 4th Friends!