May 30th, the aquarium
Today was really fun -- we went to the Houston Aquarium. It was an eye-opening time for Misty and I as it was unlike any aquarium we'd been to before. This aquarium is sort of like a mini-theme park built around an aquarium. But check out the pictures, I think you'll see what I mean.
To get the full impact of the pictures, be sure click on the "slideshow" link when you're viewing the album. : )
May 29th, hanging out
Today was pretty uneventful -- in the traveling, vacationing sense of things. We did a lot of resting, catching up on sleep and doing the laundry. Washing clothes was kind of eventful -- it cost five bucks to wash and dry one load of laundry!
The most exciting thing to happen today was we decided that we might be changing hotel locations. Because we're staying in Houston for so long, we decided to check into an extended stay hotel. It has a small kitchen so we can cook our own meals, eat in and save a little money. The hotel is in an older part of Houston and the rates are really low -- $32/day -- but that comes with some compromises. When I was carrying the laundry down to the laundry room (we're on the third floor) I was quite shocked to see a pair of Houston City Sheriffs Officers holding a struggling man face down on the ground. When they saw me and caught my curious gaze they waved me off with "go away now" gestures. After starting the laundry, I walked back upstairs and saw the same officers and the same guy still pinned to the floor. WTF?! Back in our room, I filled Misty in on what was transpiring a few hundred feet away. She was not impressed -- to say the least. Being curious, I walked down to the front desk and asked what was going on but they hadn't a clue. Hmmm, this was a little disconcerting. 
Over the course of the next hour, the laundry washing finished and the drying began. After folding our laundry and feeding Gavin, we decided to make a trip to the Super Walmart to grab some dinner and snacks for the LOST season finale. On our way out we noted that there were still police cars and a gaggle of officers gathered in the front parking area. Trying not to stare too much, we headed off to get some shopping done.
After all the excitement, the LOST finale seemed a bit anti-climatic but it was awesome (and as frustratingly confusing as always) just the same. Oh, did I fail to mention the (false) fire alarm that went off this evening? Just one more weird thing to happen today.
Gavin set a milestone tonight -- he slept for four hours straight! Misty was very excited. Gavin didn't seem surprised. He merely shrugged it off, downed a four ounce bottle of formula and took a nap. Very nonchalant, he is.
May 28th, things slow down
Today was the first day that things began to slow down. Since there was no agenda, we slept late and didn't check out til noon. The plan for today? Drive back to Houston.
Between Dallas and Houston, a statue stands in honor of Sam Houston. We just had to stop and check it out. It's a pretty cool statue but I liked the more accessible ground-level head.
Not much more to report as it was a pretty uneventful journey. We did stop for coffee at a Dairy Queen and met some guys that had ridden their motorcycles all the way from South Carolina. Once we got to Houston, we checked into our room, cleaned up a bit and headed out to dinner. If you ever have the opportunity, be sure to dine at Pappadeaux. My personal favorite is their
May 27th, a long day
Today began at 3:15 with a rude awakening from the alarm clock. Fumbling around in the feeble blue light cast by a cell-phone, we pulled on our clothes and gathered our things while the girls slept. Goodbyes from Abigail were short -- a mumbled 'I love you' and she was back to sleep. Goodbyes from Mik were longer and more tearful. It never gets any easier to leave your kids, no matter who they're with. We left Colora at 3:45, bound for BWI.
With our faithful Fit left in long-term parking, we boarded a shuttle for the terminal. Because we'd printed our boarding passes and declared our bags at home, check-in was quick and painless. Security wasn't too bad, except for the occasional rude traveler who didn't seem to realize there were other travelers around him. We had an hour to kill so we grabbed some coffee and plugged in the laptop to look for a room in Dallas. Upon boarding the plane, we had a pleasant surprise -- we got to ride in first class. It was my first time riding in first class; Misty had the privilege a few times before. Breakfast was good and the flight didn't seem too long. One passenger did ask us how long we'd been married -- she said we'd begun to look like each other.
Landing in Houston, we could feel the heat and humidity from inside the jetway. We grabbed our luggage and boarded a shuttle for the rental car terminal. We'd reserved a little Nissan Versa but all they had was the larger Sentra -- never imagined I'd call a Sentra larger. Luggage in the trunk, we pointed the car towards Dallas. We'd already been on the go for almost eight hours. On the way to Dallas, we grabbed some unhealthy food at Sonic. Misty has been craving a cherry limeade for the past five years -- I got her a large. About an hour outside of Dallas it began to rain -- torrents. It made me feel like I'd been at this for eighteen hours. Trying hard not to think about fluffy pillows and down comforters we plowed on and arrived in Dallas around two o'clock.
We were a bit surprised by the adoption agency. Expecting something fly-by-night or run out someone's home, we were taken aback by the legal-library warmth and subtly elegant decor. It was nice to feel at ease. We had a half hour before Gavin arrived so we signed some documents and chatted with Ashley while they made some coffee for us. Of course I'd forgotten to bring the camera inside so I had to dash to the car when Gavin made his entrance.
With camera in hand, I took some quick pictures of a tearful Misty with Gavin in her arms. Within the next half hour, somehow everyone in the room became misty-eyed. We gathered our things and settled Gavin in his carseat (he is a deep sleeper!) and headed for the hotel. The La Quinta was nice -- not the best place we've stayed in but certainly not the worst. To be honest, it's hard to recall many details as we were so tired that day -- just one of the reasons for starting this blog. We took a little break in the hotel to shower and freshen up before we headed to Super Target to grab some essentials and some dinner. Gavin needed somewhere to sleep so we picked him up a cute little collapsible bed. He also needed formula and the myriad other things that escape my feeble memory. I grabbed the important items -- a roast beef sandwich and a bottle of Fat Tire.
After a late dinner, we settled down to sleep while Gavin planned his feeding schedule -- I think it was one every half-hour. ;-)
May 26th, a little drive
Today is Memorial Day. While most people are celebrating and barbecuing, we are readying for our journey. The girls are bundles of energy, excited and nervous. They're packing toys for play and baby blankets are enlisted as security-items to comfort them while their parents are away. Mommy and Daddy are busy making sure nothing important is forgotten -- lots of documents, maps, boarding passes, etc. One big duffel bag for us and another for Gavin's car-seat & diapers. The girls each have a small suitcase and numerous other cachets for their toys and dolls.
Ten minutes into Gabrielle's drive home, we realize we've forgotten our books for the flight. Do we buy new copies at an airport newsstand or do the responsible thing and turn around? One twenty-minute U-turn later and we're back on the road to Gabrielle's. Our little Honda Fit is filled to the gills; Misty and the girls have bags under their feet while the rear cargo area is a Tetris-like arrangement of luggage -- rendering the rearview mirror useless.
At Gabrielle's house, I help her unload -- never a fun moment. I share a rib-crushing hug with her and we're back on the road headed North. The air in the car is always a little melancholy after Gabrielle leaves -- two weeks til we see her again. The rest of the drive to Colora is pretty uneventful. We have our electronic EZ-Pass so tolls pass more smoothly than usual. With gas prices nudging $4/gallon, I'm driving at 65 but it's not easy as people fly past like you're driving the double nickel. People hate the price of gas but it seems too hard to slow down.
It's almost six o'clock and we're at Aunt Erin's. Everyone's tired but we're glad to see family. Jenna and Mason have grown unbelievably since we last saw them.
The girls are having a ball playing with her while Mason poses for pictures between bites of dinner. Uncle Rusty arrives shortly; we spend a few brief hours catching up and it's time for bed. Mason took some tentative steps between Erin and Rusty tonight. How awesome to be there for a milestone!
Today was the first day that things began to slow down. Since there was no agenda, we slept late and didn't check out til noon. The plan for today? Drive back to Houston.
