New Jersey Adventure

For Part II of "Two-Franks-At-A-Time-Travel-To-A-Northern-State Week," Miles and I joined my mom and traveled to New Jersey to visit Mor-Mor and Grandpa. It was an especially special visit because Mor-Mor and Miles, who share the same birthday, finally got to meet! We had a great visit with them, and also with our friends, the Goodings*, in Virginia.

For 4 days in a row, we drove in a car between 5-7 hours a day. So my mom and I got a lot of talking time in! Between our destination visits, and our car time, I had plenty of opportunity to learn and think about some things. Here are some of what I realized, or re-realized on this trip:

• The generations preceding me in my family have had some very interesting lives. And some of them have gone through way harder things than I can even imagine. When I think about what they've had to do, it sure makes my complaints about everyday life seem petty! (And after reading "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" lately, I see I really have nothing to complain about!)


• My grandmother is a great story-teller with an incredible memory. Even Strider is impressed when I relay the details she can recall from 60 years ago. She's also the most active 88-year old I've ever met. Here's hoping I got those genes!


• I am still extremely directionally-challenged when traveling.
  
• My mother is a very wise person. I'm glad she is writing a book with her insights to share with young families!


• The show "24" would not have worked very well in 1994. (Thanks to my cousin Steve for pointing this out)


• Miles is a wonderful travel baby.
  
• Even after 25 hours together in the car, my mom and I do not run out of things to talk about. Although, after about the first 20 minutes each day, I'm pretty sure I just started blithering nonsensically.

*(These friends were particularly helpful to us EXACTLY 7 years ago when I went into labor, about to have Rayna, and they came over in the middle of the night to stay with Strider!)