The Never-Ending car trip...day eleventy-one!

We're back on the road and it went on forFREAKINGever today!  First of all, I was happy and sad and that's sort of a crappy way to start the day.  I was glad to be heading home, but I was very sad knowing I'm probably not going to see any part of my family for at least another year, and that's if we're lucky. :o(  I love visiting and hanging out because we all get along so well, but it just makes me realize how much I miss them.  I think on a day to day - live your life basis, you don't always think about not being with your family, especially if you grew up in a military family.  That was pretty much the status quo.  It's always so great to get together and see everyone, but it makes me miss them even more.

Pretty much the only "rest stop" in Arkansas

Anyway, we had to leave, it was time to go and so we did.  But then it became the never-ending road trip.  First of all let me say that I always believed that Texas had THE WORST rest stops.  All their rest stops consist of are a metal picnic table and a metal trashcan.  No shade, no bathroom - basically no nothing.  I always figured it was because it was Texas "a whole other country" and they didn't want you to rest long, they wanted you to get the hell out of their country.  But then I drove through Arkansas and they don't have ANY rest stops, they don't even want you to stop. Their motto must be "Just keep on driving and get the hell out of our state."  I kept promising everyone we would stop at the next rest stop, little did I know that it would be in Tennessee.  Then when we got to the 8 1/2 hour mark and stopped to get a hotel room - the ENTIRE town was sold out for the Softball World Series... but not just the whole town... the whole 3 MORE TOWNS down the road.  We had to drive another 90 minutes to find "room in the inn."  Almost 11 hours driving... that's too much even if you are having a Lord of the Rings marathon!

Although, we drove so far today and nobody really got too cranky (except me-and I held it in) that I'm considering pushing it tomorrow.  12 more hours and we'd be home!  I want to be home!  Stay tuned... for the continuing saga!