Bittersweet

Kelsey & Olivia driving a covered wagon in the rain
 (at the Mormon Battlian History Center)



Tonight the girls and I are packing up to leave California.  It's been a tiring, yet wonderful week.  My family has been scattered across 3 states.  Ben was at home working, taking care of the dog, doing some projects around the house, and enjoying the silence.  Connor and Maddox have been partying with their Aunt Gwen and Uncle Richard in Texas.  The girls and I have been from San Diego to Sacramento in the past 7 days, and have been visting my mother one last time on her mission for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).  We've seen the Pacific Ocean, the Mormon Battalion History site, Sequoia trees, extended family, Old Sacramento, orange trees, snow, sunshine, and rain.  We've even climbed a mountain and ridden on a commuter train.  We are exhausted.  And as wonderful as it has been, I am ready to fly back to my baby boys tomorrow and drive home to my fantastic husband.

It's got me thinking about this word: bittersweet.  We don't break it down very much, but that is exactly what this is.  It's bitter to leave my mother and other family here, and yet so sweet to come home to my family and friends in Edmond.  I'm grateful for the internet, telephones, and blogs that keep me in touch with many of you despite the hundreds of miles that separate us.

I'll be posting about our escapades this past week once I get home and upload my pictures, but I will finish my reminiscing with another Kelsey anecdote.  (She's just full of them, have you noticed?)

As we were driving through the California country on Wednesday, we were passing countless groves of trees, vineyards, and other crops.  I was commenting to my mother about how amazed I was at the number of things that grow in California - not just the fruit trees and crops, but the gorgeous variety of flowers and plants that are all over the place.  In the middle of this, Kelsey piped up: "You know what else California grows?  It grows rocks!"

I've got to hand it to her - she's not that far off.  We've seen huge boulders everywhere!