Last week was definitely different than normal.  Ryan has been fighting a lawsuit in Texas for months now, and was expected to be in court last Thursday.  I had found him flights etc. but he really wanted me to come with him.  I felt like this was pretty much impossible, and he did try to get the courts to move his court date back.  They refused, and so Ryan arranged for his parents to keep the kids, and we ended up flying out of Las Vegas on Wednesdee morning.  It was an adventure and that is for sure. 
     Another thing that needed to happen is that Moroni needed to be weened.  I was way concerned about leaving him, but Ryan insisted that it was long overdue, and I had to agree.  I just didn't want to admit that Moroni was no longer my baby, but he hasn't been for a very long time.  The dude pretty much grew up as soon as he was born.  Too fast for my liking.  Anyhow, I was way torn about leaving my kids, but Cliven said that he was missing the kids, and could use some help in the melon patch too.  It was all settled, and I was leaving alone with my husband for the first time in five years.  We have always had a baby to tag along, and I have never left my kids for four days.  I truly was a nervous wreck.  I knew that nights would be especially hard with Moroni.  Ryan agreed to deal with Mo the first night, and Jamie said that she would deal with him the rest of the nights.  I truly have incredible kids.  Jams is where its at.
     After one rough night with Moroni, Ryan claims that he was saying, "Mom....Please!" by the end of the night.  I was able to hold him and get him one of Grandma's sourdough pancakes to appease him.  I kissed them all goodbye, and Ryan and I drove to Las Vegas to catch our flight.  I knew that my kids were in good hands, but we walked away from dance lessons, guitar lessons, school, and field trips.  The list goes on and on.  Anyhow, it is way hard to leave.
     Our flight from Vegas to Albuquerque was pretty uneventful.  I was reminded that I don't especially enjoy flying, even though I think the whole concept is extra incredible.  I trip out thinking about how high we are, and how I have pretty much put my life into some stranger's hands.  I always say many prayers for that pilot, whoever he is.  I love just looking and staring out the window.  The whole first flight, which was only a little over an hour, was just Ryan and I staring at the changing landscape out of the window.  We flew over Bundyville and the Bundy Reunion grounds,  it is incredible how fast those planes go.  Our flight from Albuquerque was delayed and then the pilot stalled and stalled...he slowed down several times.  When we actually hit Dallas (which is incredibly big) he circled around and around, and up and down.  He slowed down time and again.  Ryan and I were begging for a parachute.  They made it clear that there was a VIP on the ground and we couldn't land yet.  By the time we finally landed it was getting dark and I wanted to shriek.  We looked across the runway and Air Force One was parked at a terminal.  President Obama was in the area promoting Obama care.  This whole situation made me mad at him all over again.  Ryan and I had a really hard time figuring out their freeway system, and we couldn't get our bearings because it was dark already.
     We ended up going the wrong direction thanks to the GPS we rented.  We did finally figure out how to reset it, but it was going haywire when we first rented it.  To top it off some weird punk came banging on our window wanting money.  I was cussing the fact that for the first time in my whole marriage, my husband had no weapons on him.  Thank you airport security.  Anyhow, we did find an Outback Steakhouse, and the extremely good steak and bread got us in a good mood again. 
     The hearing went well, and I was grateful for an impartial judge.  Ryan will have to go back for a trial, but we weren't the only ones the business was attempting to sue.  One guy wanted to get with us and compare notes.  He had big plans to countersue.  Ryan and I just wanted out of the city, and so we beat it out of there as soon as we could.
     The landscape down there is unbelievable.  They don't have to irrigate.  Everything is green, and there are thick trees, and ponds everywhere.  We headed north to go and visit Herb and Eve Bundy who live near Hugo, Oklahoma.  We got a little bit lost and the GPS didn't work out there at all.  Ryan was in a gas station studying a map when a couple of men caught wind that Ryan was looking for a Bundy in the area.  With their Texas drawls I liked them immediately.  They knew where "Bundy" lived and one of them agreed to lead us there in his truck.  I was grateful for their kindness.  When we got to Herb and Eve's I went a little bit insane.  It is absolutely incredible.  Their fields are green and beautiful....and I am talking bright green.  They have ponds, and healthy cows.  It smelled clean and fresh up there.  You could just breathe in the farm freshness.  Herb and Eve's home smelled and reminded me of my Grandma and Grandpa Shurtz's place in Escalante.  Their property reminded me of the Peterson Pasture in Boulder.  I fell in love and began wondering why in the world Ryan had not moved me back there.  There are farms and ranches everywhere.  The small ones are 90 acres.  Herb and Eve's daughter Mary had just moved there with her husband and kids and I clicked with her immediately.  Her little boys were out running around the pasture and they were trying to rope their dog.  I could just picture Oak and Moroni out there with their little cowboy hats.  They would have all the room to run, ponds to swim in, and trees to climb.  Ryan and I spent a lot of time checking out ranches, and studying the area.  I am all for going back there.  We definitely need to pray about it.  We might miss our parents too much though. 
     We were glad to get back to our kids and the ranch.  Mo had survived, and Jazzerz claims that he kept catching toads and would squeeze them.  Thankfully Jazz would save the toads.  Hot Toddy was saddled up and the kids got to ride him around the ranch.  I was so grateful for Carol and Cliven.  They have a million things going on, and yet they took on my seven kids and even enjoyed them for four days.  They had picked melons, played on the haystack, and played with cousins. We attended shrsh in Bunkerville and I was so happy to see that Chlo's favorite teacher Oscar was there.  I literally had to remove Chlo from their classroom when shrsh was over.  Chlo loves Oscar and his wife.
      Mo still acts like he needs me, and I am glad.  Ryan and I had a great break, and the kids did too.  I had to laugh when I got Oak ready for school the next morning.  The girls had all showered as soon as they got home.  Oak didn't care either way.  He walked in and I could see his grimy arms and I gasped.  I marched him into the bathroom and began to scrub.  His hands were stained brown, and would not come clean.  Oak said "well Mom...I ate like 30 pomegranites.  It stained my hands brown."  I am so grateful for the VO ranch.  My kids had a great time and didn't want to leave. 
     Back to reality, and homework.  Sags had a presentation today that involved an experiment which required me to go purchase all kinds of odd items.  Rooshkie is back to all of the ten year old girl drama, and Jazzerz sang in the Veterans day breakfast yesterday. I have been enjoying some savory melons that we brought back from the ranch.  My Mom and Dad dropped off jerky, nerds, and popcorn and I would say that things are pretty much back to normal.