hopeful

Number of days we were gone: 31

Number of miles traveled round trip: approximately 4100

Number of states visited:   Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri = 10

Number of places we've slept in the last 31 days: 9

Number of car repair shops visited: 4

Number of days spent at Grama and Grampa's house:  22

Number of days Finn and Emmett spent loving on Grama and Grampa (and vice versa): 22

Number of bears spotted in the woods: 1

Number of wildfires watched from not very far away: 2



Number of days on my fishing license: 2

Number of fish I caught: 0

Number of locations in which I attempted to catch fish: 3

Number of rodeo spectators that volunteered for the "Ring of Fire": 6

Number of rodeo spectators that lasted more than fifteen seconds when angry bull was released: 0

Number of years that have passed since Sean and I got engaged in this exact spot: 10


Number of relatives it takes to get the unheated pool up to 82 degrees: 10



Number of kids that fit in Grampa's old Porsche: 6

Number of miles Sean ran in Missoula on the 8th of July: 26.2


Number of baby goats at the ranch: 5



Number of years there has been a powwow in Arlee, Montana around the 4th of July: 121




Number of chinchillas the kids got to feed in Fort Collins: 2



Number of dear childhood friends who got married this past weekend in Salida, Colorado: 1



Number of college friends visited in New Mexico: 2 + 2 daughters


Number of times we ate carne adovada during our two days in New Mexico: 2



Number of red chiles we brought back to Champaign so that we could make carne adovada: 21

Number of minutes we spent in Oklahoma: 78

Number of memories: countless

It's good to be home but, wow, it was a great run. Thanks to the many friends and family along the way that welcomed us so warmly and made our summer so spectacular!