The Road Home

Despite our determination to get an early start this morning, Mom lured us into staying a few extra hours — first with breakfast, then with warm, comfortable conversation. Yep, that Mom's a tricky one. By the time we forced ourselves to take our leave, it was almost lunchtime.

Our first stop this morning was at Mission San Juan Capistrano, a place we have passed many times on trips to visit family but had never visited until now. As we stepped into the courtyard, we were surrounded by the vibrant colors of beautiful flowers, accentuated by the stone buildings that served as a backdrop. We strolled peacefully through this historic site, the oldest mission still standing in California, and appreciated the quiet reverence of its visitors in contrast with the human cattle drive that we witnessed and of which we were a part at the Alamo last week.

After concluding our visit to the mission (and enjoying a few tacos across the street), we drove a few miles north to Anaheim to pay a quick visit to Kala's surgeon, Dr. Bina. It was nice to see him again, especially since he was able to confirm that Kala has recovered nicely from her surgery. We were also pleased to hear that Dr. Bina will be getting married at the end of the month to Sarah, Kala's nutritionist, who works in Dr. Bina's office. We wish them much luck and happiness in the future.

Noticing that it was nearing dinnertime, and that we were nearing the San Fernando Valley, we decided to pay a little visit to Uncle Barry and Aunt Sheila. The visit was brief but enjoyable, and it included dinner at a Mongolian restaurant (one of our favorites). We were very happy to see "Auntie Mom and Uncle Dad" again and to have an opportunity to thank them again — this time in person — for the beautiful room they gave us in Niagara Falls.

After what felt like the longest trip ever from Encinitas to Bakersfield, we finally arrived home shortly after eleven o'clock. We were greeted by Kala's mom and dad, and also by Sam, the family dog. It was great to see them again after so much time away.

We spent six weeks out there in the world and saw twenty-nine states (and one Canadian province). We saw giant cows and miniature trains, dinosaurs in the Civil War and Martians at Mardi Gras. We celebrated the Fourth of July in Montana and our first anniversary at Walt Disney World. We visited family and caught up with old friends. We saw mountains, plains, rivers, oceans, deserts, and swamps, and now we're just glad to be back home.

Thank you for traveling with us this summer. We've enjoyed very much being able to share our adventures with you. We still have a few days in which to rest and catch our breath before we go back to work. It's time to start saving up for our next trip!