New Old Things

Middle of the Road Trip

July 16th, 2008

Since Craters of the Moon, we’ve been through Yellowstone, Cody & Casper, Wind Cave, Custer, and Mt. Rushmore National Parks, and through the unexpectedly awesome Norbeck Scenic Byway. We’ve seen deer, elk, moose, bear, eagle, osprey, pelican, red-winged black birds, bison, pronghorn, mountain goat, swifts, trout, chipmunk, squirrels, prairie dogs, butterfly, dragonfly, some weird beetle thing, cows, donkeys, horses, and fluffy bunnies.

Within the confines of car and agenda, we are each provoked to both our best and worst without escape from observation. I’m proud to report that we’re doing very well. So far.

Rowan, the eldest, is the quintessential big brother. He uses words like “appropriate” and “needs adult supervision” and other tokens of young responsibility that should be so familiar to anyone who has ever been an oldest sibling, especially those who are themselves children of divorce or from other low-supervision roots. He’s now moving out of little boyhood into pre-teen, and aquiring the verbal ticks (like inserting a gutteral “ha” at the end of a sentence) that will help him move into more sophisticated circles. I am so glad we’ve gone on this trip now, before this new sophistication renders US history and natural wonders dull.

I suppose that most of us are transitioning from who we were yesterday into who we will be in the future, but with kids this is so much easier to see. Collin is at the end of his preschool period and leaping firmly into little boy land. He walked himself to the playground, leaps confidently into the deep end, and makes friends of other kids in minutes. Collin will do great in kindergarten next year.

Mom and I are not fighting, much to the amazement of my grandma, and we don’t intend to. We have been drinking more lately, but otherwise are holding up. Road trips are fun, and we’re good partners.

Pictures here.

Entry Filed under: Adventure