The Crazy Crowfoots: on the road again.

the toughest part of moving was behind us. ahead of us, lie 1,630 miles of open road.

because of our late start on the first day we didn't make it very far. we drove from wisconsin, through minnesota,
and stayed the night in des moines, iowa.

we decided it was best to stop early (10pm), so everyone would be well-rested and ready for the next day. we woke early and left by 7:30.

from iowa, we drove until we hit nebraska...and nebraska is long. very long. there's not much to see but corn fields and wind mills when you're driving down i-40. it's very flat and hypnotizing, and unless you have someone to talk to, you'll most likely fall asleep at the wheel. we had made this drive several times while living out in the midwest on our way back to visit family, so i knew what i was up against and mentally prepared for it.

we took lots of breaks for the kids to run around and the adults could have a stretch, too.

this second day of driving, i drove with ammon.

he's usually busy playing basketball or working, so i've never had much time to hang out with him.

but, when you're stuck in a car driving through nebraska for 10 hours of the day...

it's the best time to bond. haha.

it was really fun talking with him. he was such a great helper with the kids, too.

we did switch off every now and then when we all stopped for gas or lunch.

we all had the chance to take a nap as well.

hmm, maybe not ALL. i don't think strater ever stopped driving.

he's a machine, what can i say? crowfoots don't need much sleep i've come to find out.

one of our breaks in iowa. or maybe it was nebraska...

these kids all love their uncle ammon.

mimzy. she is a road warrior. the kids all did an amazing job.

before day 2 ended, we stopped at the very edge of nebraska. strater and ellen had to drive to utah, and they were taking the kids with them. we were going to meet them there once we unloaded the moving truck in arizona. i packed the kids' overnight clothes, and gave them hugs and kisses. it's always hard for me to be apart from my babies, even if it is only for a couple of days.

we waved good-bye to strater and ellen, and isaiah and makayah.

sam, ammon, mimzy, mosiah, and myself were on our own in the moving truck and mini van heading towards colorado for the night.

we drove past denver, and the lights at night were a thrill after nebraska.

i think even more so was the fact that the longest leg of our drive was behind us.

we tried to make it as close to the new mexico border as we could, but we were so exhausted.

our backs hurt, and the babies wanted to lie down in a proper bed.

so, we stopped early, stepped out in our shorts and t-shirts...man!

i didn't think colorado would be this freakin' cold!

i mean, i'm driving from wisconsin, you think it'd be colder there.

we bundled up the babies, ran through the frigid air, and into the warm hotel.

i think the stops at hotels are my favorite part about moving across the country.

we woke up bright and early - 5am MST to be exact. in wisconsin it was 6am.

it was great to get a head start.

we drove and talked and laughed and napped all the way to someplace in new mexico.

....where we stopped for gas.

this abandoned cafe was right next to the gas station.

new mexico is a great place to find cool ghost-towny things like this.

whenever i drive through new mexico and arizona alongside route 66, i can't help but be reminded of the movie, "cars."

we stopped for lunch in las vegas, new mexico.

we saw this restaurant and just HAD to eat there.

it's been a very long time since i had some decent southwestern food.

this happened while we were waiting for our food.

apparently, she had had enough of sitting down and thought the back alleys of las vegas would be the perfect place to run through.

we had green chile burgers for lunch, and oh my goodness! it was the best thing i'd eaten.

it wasn't very long until we made it to albuquerque.

i wasn't home yet, but i sure was getting close!

i zipped through the remainder of new mexico with only the two babies in the back
while sam and ammon took turns driving the moving truck.

and suddenly, there it was - nana and umpa's house!

it was our last pit stop, oh sweet mercy.

we got out, the kids squealed and tried to jump out of their carseats when they saw their grandparents.

we choked up and hugged and kissed.

it felt so good to be back in arizona.

mimzy had another birthday dinner waiting for her when we came inside.

mutton stew and frybread is pretty dang special around these parts.

we ate, we sang, mimzy made wishes, and we had a bite of cake before loading back up into the cars.

the babies weren't too happy about this.

i think they thought they were done traveling for the day.

party pooper.

now, i have to remind you, we stuffed our belongings and moved from wisconsin driving a total of 1,630 miles never having actually seen where we were moving to. we knew it had 3 bedrooms, we knew it was on the hopi reservation, and that's basically it.

i'm embarrassed to admit, but i never really paid attention as i drove through the hopi reservation on my way to places like tuba city (another town on the navajo reservation). the hopi reservation is a small reservation within the navajo reservation - that's where i grew up. when we were in wisconsin at some indigenous law student gathering, sam and one of his friends asked what tribe i was. i replied, navajo. lots of tribes have lots of jokes about navajos. and a couple were told, and i laughed because it's true.

after the joke-telling, the friend had said, "you know, navajos think that they're the only tribe alive."

sam nodded his head and we all laughed.

yeah, i never bothered learning much about other tribes when i was growing up.

however, since my high school and early college years, i've learned so much about people in general.

and i'm really grateful for the opportunity i have to learn even more.

my mom and i drove in the mini van with the babies.

sam and ammon drove the moving truck.

my dad followed in his car.

we drove about an hour and a half.

it was dark when we arrived. everything around us was black except for a few streetlights scattered about. we drove past the elementary school. the electronic sign flashed, "no school on october 14."

whew, glad i caught that message.

we drove deeper into hopi land. and there it was, our new neighborhood, right next to the hospital.

i turned off the empty highway.

i was nervous, excited, and i had no idea what to expect.

what happened was completely unexpected.

i thought it would be the four of us, unloading the massive moving truck, taking all night to get the boxes out after this long day of traveling.

earlier, my dad had called some of his relatives who lived close by, as well as the local church members.

i think there were 10 extra people waiting for our arrival, to help us unload.

i was extremely humbled and incredibly grateful.

these people whom i've never met or haven't seen in a very long time, they took time away from their evening to help us. there were no words but, thank you, thank you, thank you.

i walked into our new place, and there was a peace i haven't felt in a very long time.

i was home.

after our first night, we had to wake early the next morning to drive to utah to meet up with our kids.

sam grabbed this shot of our new home with the early rays of sunshine.

it is so very perfect.