I am Going to Marry Kansas

We are 1,300 miles into our trip, and I have not driven one of them. Please allow me to go on record: I am a GOOD driver -- just a bit slower than Checkered. Okay, after we got on the two-lane highway in Kansas and the wind gusts got a little frightening, I was happy to allow him to continue driving.

We each have our favorite region of the trip thus far. My children loved Iowa and its surprisingly rolling terrain. They genuinely hope for a return visit someday. I do think our visit with Jeannelle influenced that affection for Iowa. They asked today when would get to see her next. My youngest hopes to return there some day and build a tree house. I told him I would stay on the ground when I come to visit, but his dad offered to help him build it.

Checkered thought Kansas City was beautiful.

I am quite in love with the plains of western Kansas and announced my desire to channel Laura Ingalls Wilder and move here. The open vistas have completely captured my heart. The endless wind.

The lack of traffic. The small towns. They are all part of the lure. I've been dreaming about coming to this part of Kansas to teach, but I have learned that there are no Tim Hortons west of the Mississippi. That could seriously impact my decision to move to the prairie. Of course, if we were to move to Kansas, we would probably end up in some town, but where I would really want to be would be out on the prairie on someone's ranch.

I guess I wouldn't be a great rancher or farmer. But maybe I COULD be a wind farmer.

Today we spent in Dodge City. I am happy to report that the town smelled fine. I suspect that the offensive odor my sister encounterd here years ago was the result of these stock yards. They are so spectacular in their expanse that there is a pull-off to stop and gawk.

The Boot Hill Museum is okay. It's goal is to capture the spirit of the old west, and their acting troupe is certainly entertaining. My kids loved the gunfight, but were a little disappointed to learn that blanks were going to be used instead of live ammo.

Meet Dodge City's newest deputies. They had to go through rigorous training to earn their badge: hopping (to demonstrate how they would chase the bad guys after being shot), running (to chase the bad guys before being shot), and shooting a finger gun. We're quite proud.

For Checkered, my daughter, and me the highlight of Dodge City was seeing the actual Santa Fe Trail tracks. This site has been verified by the National Park Service. See the parallel dark tracks? Now imagine a covered wagon bumping over them with the drivers wondering when the next Indian or weather attack would occur. I was mesmerized by a display at Boot Hill of actual things discarded by travellers along the trail.

The exciting news for the night? That same sexy driver just found an open Sonic.

And all is well.

Iowa

We thought it would be flat with nothing to see but farms and cows. How shocked we were that Iowa doesn't seem one-bit flat, and while there are farms, Iowa has a lot of cities. And the cows? We counted about 23.

Here's a conundrum for the week-end: why is Nebraska the cornhusker state even though Iowa produces more corn than Nebraska does?

Back to Iowa (or Iowas as I've typed it repeatedly already in this post.) Apart from the green and the corn and a state motto ("Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain"), there is something else very special about the state. It's where Jeannelle lives.

Jeannelle is a farmer, and a nurse, and a photographer, and a philosopher, and a mom, and a choir member, and a wife, and all those other things which might take up the rest of this post if I keep typing. But the label that trumps all those things is that she is a blogger. I don't remember how I first found her blog, but within a post or two, I knew that her blog had become one of my absolute favorites. Her blog has become so important to me that when she doesn't post, I miss her.

As Checkered and I began to plan this trip, I began to dream about visiting Iowa and Jeannelle. I was genuinely shocked when Google maps told us that the best route from Michigan to Kansas was through Iowa!!!

So in celebration of all her talents and wonderful posts, I asked Jeannelle to clear her calendar, get up quite early and drive an hour just to have breakfast with my four antsy children, my husband, and me.

Such a treat for Jeannelle, I'm sure!!

But you know what?

As much as I like Jeannelle the blogger, I like Jeannelle the person even more. I like her so much that I offered to adopt her and take her with us on the remainder of this road trip , but she said no.

If you're ever driving across the state which got cheated out of the cornhusker title, stop and meet Jeannelle. You'll love her demeanor, her goodness, her curiosity, her clever mind, and her gift for finding beauty in the details of life.

Iowa officials, you need a new motto (really, truly.) How about:

Life is beautiful in Iowa because Jeannelle lives here!