I need more frequent flier miles!

Today my heart is in the shape of a road map.  A road map that leads to so many family and friends.  A road map I wish was traveled more.  And a road map that leads to many memories still to be made.

Christian and I are blessed to have a fairly large family and a great group of friends. It just so happens distance keeps us from sharing as much time with each of them as we would like.  We travel as often as we possibly can to see our loved ones.  However, we sure could use a few more days in a year to get that all accomplished.

My immediate family lives about 30 miles away.  I have some aunts, uncles and cousins within 20-30 miles as well.  And, we have a couple sets of friends and neighbors that live close by too.  But, the rest of our loved ones, well, looks a little something like this.....

Dad & Kathy/ San Jacinto, CA/ 1,968 miles

Uncle Dirk/ Surfside, TX/ 1,198 miles

Uncle Scott & Aunt Robin   

Christoper, Matthew & Grandma/ Lake Jackson, TX/ 1,187 miles

Bryan & Brittany / Austin, TX / 1,143 miles

Taryn, Chandler & boys/ Denver, CO/ 962 miles
Aunt Gail, Uncle Larry,
Kelli, Kenadee,
Kevin, Samantha & Savannah/ Cary, NC/ 890 miles
Christy, Kevin & girls/ Marietta, GA/ 761 miles
Aunt Pat & Uncle Jon/ Acworth, GA/ 749 miles
Kelly/ South Lyon, MI/ 351 miles
Aunt Flo, Uncle Ron,
Lisa & boys/ St. Peter's, MO/ 320 miles
Darin & Steph/ Iowa City, IA/ 181 miles
Jodi, Doug & boys/ Bloomington, IL/ 140 miles
Nikki & Leila/ Davenport, IA/ 135 miles
Steve, Jennifer, & MacKensie/ Bettendorf, IA/ 127 miles
Mom & Dan/  Le Claire, IA/  121 miles
Greg & Kim/ Chicago, IL/ 94.5 miles
Sam/ Berwyn, IL/ 92.6 miles
Dan, Elodie, & Lauren/ Wheaton, IL/ 90.8 miles
Brad, Mandy, & baby/ Winfield, IL/ 87.8 miles
Tammy & Matt/ Morton Grove, IL/ 86.8 miles
Traci, Mark & girls/ Dubuque, IA/ 86.1 miles
Laurie/ Park Ridge, IL / 81.8 miles
Shazette, Greg & twins/ Aurora, IL/ 78.3 miles
Aunt Sharon & Uncle Larry/ Madison, WI/ 51.6 miles

For fun, I decided to add up the miles that separate us from a lot of our loved ones.

And the grand total is.................... 10,983.3!!!

Thats too many! Instead of more days in a year, I think we need a private jet...:-)

In the mean time, we use this as an excuse to visit some of our favorite places.  Texas just so happens to be my favorite state.  I have the in-laws to thank for that one :-)    California has amazing weather and some pretty amazing shopping too.   So, Dad and Kath...you rock!   All of our Chicago folks give us a chance to visit the places we once called home before we moved back to Winnebago.  Taryn, as much as I miss you and the fam.... I can't snowboard in Illinois!  Aunt Gail and Uncle Larry....thanks for the east coast lovin, not to mention you live near some of the most amazing college campuses ever!  Christy and Kevin, I guess we have you to thank for setting up shop in Georgia so I can get my fix of southern charm once in a while!  Ron and Flo, you made me a Cardinals fan. ;-)  And finally, I think I will always be a midwest girl.  So, Mom and Dan, thanks for being only one state away because I do love myself some Iowa!!

Today is one of those days where I sit in front of this computer and thank God he made someone smart enough to create internet, email, Facebook, and all the other things that keep us "close" to those that are so far away.

As I roll up my road map, tuck it away until we head out on the road to make our next visit, I remember one star that may not be on the map, but will one day be the location for us all......I leave you with the words to one of my favorite songs.....

Every day I drive to work across Flint River bridge
A hundred yards from the spot where me and grandpa fished
There's a piece of his old fruit stand on the side of Sawmill Road
He'd be there peelin' peaches if it was twenty years ago

And what I wouldn't give
To ride around in that old truck with him

If heaven wasn't so far away
I'd pack up the kids and go for the day
Introduce them to their grandpa
Watch 'em laugh at the way he talks
I'd find my long lost cousin John
The one we left back in Vietnam
Show him a picture of his daughter now
She's a doctor and he'd be proud
Then tell him we'd be back in a couple of days
In the rear view mirror we'd all watch 'em wave
Yeah, and losing them wouldn't be so hard to take
If heaven wasn't so far away

I'd hug all three of those girls we lost from the class of '99
And I'd find my bird dog Bo and take him huntin' one more time
I'd ask Hank why he took those pills back in '53
And Janis to sing the second verse of "Me and Bobby McGee
Sit on a cloud and visit for a while
It'd do me good just to see them smile

If heaven wasn't so far away
I'd pack up the kids and go for the day
Introduce them to their grandpa
Watch 'em laugh at the way he talks
I'd find my long lost cousin John
The one we left back in Vietnam
Show him a picture of his daughter now
She's a doctor and he'd be proud
Then tell him we'd be back in a couple of days
In the rear view mirror we'd all watch 'em wave
Yeah, and losing them wouldn't be so hard to take
If heaven wasn't so far
If heaven wasn't so far
If heaven wasn't so far away
So far away
So far away

XOXO