Gulley and I have been best friends for almost 20 years. In this time, we have taken many the road trip together. And the last few days proved that some things never change. I do the driving no matter whose car we’re in, we stop often for snacks, and we make each other laugh until someone spits their Diet Coke across the car.
Good times.
On Wednesday morning, the plan was Gulley and her kids would pick Caroline and me up around 10 a.m. This would allow us plenty of time to get to Bryan in time to show up at Gulley’s mama’s birthday luncheon. We hadn’t planned on the fact that it was pouring down rain, so we got started on our way around 11:00, when P put on his raincoat and carried an umbrella for me while I put Caroline’s car seat in Gulley’s car and loaded up our suitcases and all my pillows. Then, I went around to take the wheel because, due to my control issues and my impatience, I always do the driving.
Other than that, I’m really laid back.
Gulley let the kids take turns picking the music. Caroline picked something from the Cars soundtrack and then, it was Jackson’s turn. He picked “You Shook Me All Night Long” by AC/DC. Gulley looked at me and said, “When you write about this on the blog, because I know you will, please mention that he heard the song during the bullriding at the rodeo this year and not because I still listen to AC/DC on a regular basis”.
Oh, I’d say an AC/DC concert t-shirt proves otherwise, my friend.
It’s just a joke. A little humor to pass the time until I figure out the point of this post.
Here are our little headbangers in the backseat. Please note, not a cup pourer in the bunch.
During one of our frequent potty stops, Gulley let everyone pick out a bag of candy for the road. Her boys chose Skittles. Caroline chose Circus Peanuts, so really, who am I to judge about AC/DC? I have a child that will choose Circus Peanuts over something normal like M&M’s or Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. Circus Peanuts are worse than those sugared orange slices that everybody’s grandparents keep in a glass candy dish.
There was also a point on the way home today that we decided to stop and get Chik-fil-A for the kids to eat for lunch. I asked Gulley if she was going to get something for herself and she said she didn’t know, was I going to get something? And I had to reply that I didn’t feel that hungry since I’d already eaten a chocolate chip cookie, two kolaches, and a donut earlier.
It was only 11:30 a.m.
But we both got an order of chicken nuggets anyway, because hello, it’s Chik-fil-A and my stomach might get nervous if I just went cold turkey on consuming massive amounts of greasy food.
Anyway, we had a great time. There are stories to be told, but it’s not going to happen right now. I’m still recovering from the massive amounts of fun, staying up way too late, and actually having a sore throat from talking so much. But here’s my thought on the road trip, and it’s a little sappy because I just watched the last episode of “The Wonder Years” and the Kevin Arnold voiceover talking about the fleeting days of childhood and one day being in diapers and the next day being grown, left me with tears running down my face because I am a big old sucker for emotionally charged television.
And I have PMS.
So really, I could have been watching “The Jeffersons” and started crying because it is so inspiring that George and Weesie worked their way on up to the East Side.
But here’s my point.
You know how at some point in life you’ve had that friend that you daydreamed with and thought how great it would be if y’all lived down the street from each other and got to see each other everyday and your kids could grow up together and be best friends?
Gulley is that friend for me.
When we met almost 20 years ago, I couldn’t have imagined that someday we’d live a mile away from each other, take road trips with our kids and that they would love each other as much as we love each other. But they do.
Caroline had a great time. And yes, some of it was due to the massive amounts of candy, the donuts, the birthday cake and getting to stay up way past bedtime. But mostly, it was because of how much she loves Jackson and Will.
I don’t know what the future holds for this little gang, but I bet there’s a lot of fun that will be had along the way.