We're here! ... and there, and all places in between

I'm so sorry -- we drove west, but I did not in fact fall off the face of the earth.  Life has been, in a word, a whirlwind.  There have been many moments of 'maybe *now* we've made it' or 'at least *this* part is done' in the past two weeks, but we're white-water rafting a river of change and my feet won't feel firmly planted for a good long while.

The trip:  The border-crossing took all of TEN minutes (still in shock over that one -- we spent more time taking everyone to the bathroom and distributing granola bars and juice boxes than we did filling out forms and answering questions).  Parting ways with Mom and Frank in western ND was heart-tearing.  The ever-changing scenery was lovely and never monotonous.  The kids were fantastic, the boys especially, and Annalyn did better than we'd hoped (as long as she had a near-constant supply of parent-peeled stickers and a stream of toys handed to her which she could drop on the van floor at will.  And she did will).  Driving I-90 to its end in downtown Seattle was momentous.  There was an epic soundtrack in my head.

So we've set up temporary camp, and before we can even figure out which way is up, Orion and I and Annalyn are flying to LA tomorrow.  We need to see Orion's grandfather, whose health is failing.  It's an important trip, especially as Grandpa hasn't met Annalyn yet.  I'm sad about leaving the boys (I feel I'm in a season of abandoning them), but they have showed no signs of worry.  I know they'll be fine.  It's just a topsy-turvy time, and I'm learning/choosing to be okay with that. There is more than enough grace, even while my heart is being stretched east, west and south.