The home stretch, y'all!

I want to thank you guys for taking this journey with me and for not judging my mom and I too hard when you read about all our misfortunes. Driving across the country is no joke man.

Thankfully, I packed plenty of Wave Soda for the trip and even got some shipped to our final destination so I would have more when we arrived.

Priorities!

Kansas To Illinois

Spending two nights at my aunt's house, surrounded by dogs and good food was rejuvenating and my mom and I used this renewed energy to push us through the last seven and a half hours.

I'm not sure if you guys know this, but Illinois and Missouri are sort of considered part of the South. Well, at least my family considers it that and they talk and act like they live in the South as well. I'm prefacing this because it greatly affects how we do things. For example, instead of using our Google Maps like we had been the entire trip thus far, my mom insisted on asking my aunt, and then my uncle, about the best route to get to Illinois. This might seem like it's not a big deal, except that my mom refused to use the maps then and DEMANDED we go by what our family said.

Mind you there were about six different roads we needed to take before we go to the ones my uncle suggested and then about four more after we got off them. Being the twenty-something I am, I wanted to use Google Maps because it is easier to follow and also gives me times, traffic, basically anything I could want. But ooooh no, mom wanted to go by word of mouth. Although, she didn't decide she wanted to go by word of mouth until I had been driving thirty minutes according to our Google Map directions.

Back On Track

We then spent another ten minutes readjusting our route and then another half an hour arguing about how we needed to do directions from now on, how Google Maps has a mind of its own, and apparently how I have been giving her condescending looks the entire trip?! Someone save me, please. I love this woman but God give me strength.

Finally, back on the uncle-and-aunt-approved route, we started the trek. I usually drive because I enjoy it and it's not my mom's favorite, but we woke up early to say goodbye to my aunt before she left for work so I was dragging. We pulled off and switched places and I napped for probably an hour or so. When I woke up my mom guiltily informed me she missed the "Welcome to Missouri" sign, (we had been taking pictures at every state sign to put in our scrapbook, but looks like we will have to catch it on the way home). I pop open an uplifting soda to help wake me up the rest of the way and then we stopped at a rest area to use the bathroom and stretch. I was fascinated by a machine in the Women's bathroom that allowed you to wash your hands, rinse them, and then dry them, all in the same place, all automated so you didn't have to touch anything. (It's the little things, right?)

We chuck on the audiobook we were listening to and continue on the rest of our way. An hour later, I miss the "Welcome to Illinois" sign and start cracking up because I just gave my mom so much trouble for missing the Missouri sign. In my defense, it was a teeny signpost on the side of a bustling bridge, and I was not about to put our lives in jeopardy for the photo. (Maybe on the way back I will risk it).

Wave Soda Saves The Mood

We pulled up to my aunt's house just in time to grab a late dinner and chatted away about the trip. My mom received a text notification that our Wave Soda order was processed and had been shipped and that perked my mom right up.

I went to bed thanking the universe for keeping us safe on the journey, and thanking Nat Noone for creating a refreshing and healthy soda that I could drink and not feel guilty about.