My Heart Just Doesn't Know How To Process This

 IT'S TIME!  We all have been talking about this day.  Praying for this day and the days to come.  Ellis and his buddy Clay are off on what they are calling their 'Great Adventure!'

But there are some funny stories even before they get on the road.  Here are just a few.  This is the Ellis's Michael Bag.  The reason it is called that is quite obvious.  Our son, Michael, was the first to have a Michael Bag.  It was actually his pencil bag in elementary.

This is what Ellis is planning to take to CO for the next year.  The boy travels light!

Ellis made a paperchain as a countdown to his departure. I love it!

Ellis and his buddy Caly are headed to Fraser, CO for their gap year, at Timberline.  Is it just me or are Ellis's shoes on the wrong feet?

Last goodbyes for a while.

And they are off!  

Somewhere on I-80.

I don't know if I would have driven 10 minutes out of my way to see this.  But I know Mark would have.  Always an adventure.  Maybe Ellis is taking after his Pappy.

Texts, calls, or anything else are slow in coming to us.  I badgered him enough that he added me to his list so I could see exactly where they were.  I've watched that little dot for days.

They splurged for dinner.  Both had coolers filled with food that they ate all day but I guess after driving cross-country they needed to get out of the car and stretch their legs and stomachs.

They had planned on getting a room in Nebraska but you must be 21.  The next option was the Walmart parking lot.  Cassie was having none of that so she searched and found a free campground.  I was a little learning of that so I facetimes them and saw where they were camping.  It looked really nice.  They had campers on both sides of them and there was a kid-friendly waterpark.  I gave it my okay.

I asked about the tent.  It is his backpacking tent!  And two high school graduate giants are going to fit in it?  I had my doubts.  But once they got their heads in the right end of the tent they seemed okay.  I would not have believed it but Facetime doesn't lie.

Nothing but flat!

Oh, wait!  I see the range.  They must be in Longmont.  They were spending the night with some of Cassie and Trevor's friends in Longmont.  Ellis lived there for a bit when he was little.  They toured around Rocky Mountain National Park...Estes Park.. and then headed back to their home away from home for a second night.

I wonder a few things.  Are they actually headed to 

Trailridge here or are they still checking out the scenery and eateries along the way?  And is it Ellis's turn to drive?  Good thing most of the roads are straight until you get to Estes Park I have been with Ellis on curvy roads!  I hope they see some wildlife and they share their discoveries.

Boulder, Colorado skyline.  The brick buildings that you can see are Colorado University.  One of Ellis's favorite CC teams.  I wonder if they made it to Mags?

Must be a tad bit chilly.  Ellis has on my dad's hat which brought me to tears.  I know at least his head will be warm.  Not so sure about the running shorts.

What a view!!

We know from our map that they have made it.  Yesterday was check-in day.  We have heard nothing but crickets since they arrived.  So they must be extremely busy!

I pray that this is the best experience in his life and that he and Clay come back with stories upon stories to tell.  But I know I am hoping for way too much because they are teenage boys.  I know what that means.

A side note...I just realized that I had this shirt on today...

It is my Colorado Rockies shirt from way back when.  Just happened to put it on the day they made it to CO!