14 down... 33 to go

Hours, that is. I spent 14 hours in the car yesterday as I returned to Missouri from visiting friends and family in  North Carolina. I had a great stay and got to see lots of friends and family. I am still working on taking my camera with me to things so no photos, but here are the highlights:

First, I made my group take a new family picture so I would have them with me in Oregon. Not too shabby.
A quiet night with my mom and dad.
Gary's and Stag-n-Doe and El Amigo and, of course, Bojangles. (I used that graduation giftcard from Amy and Becki.)
A pedicure with Mom, Melissa, and Desiree.
Reading (and napping) in a porch swing on a Saturday afternoon.
Babysat Emmy and Katie-bug.
I watched my little brother graduate from the police academy (and since it's Facebook official I guess I can also share that he and his wife are expecting their 3rd kid in 3 years to make me 'Aunt Misty' again).
I had lunch with Sheri (and a tour of the barn).
Gossiping over some Elizabeth's pizza with Brittany & Michaela.
Car shopping, dinner and lots of catchin' up with Leigh.
A cookout with Liz & Grover, Dave & Tracy, Jeff & Joy, Jamie & Tim and all the kids.
Swimming with Desiree & Curtis --3 times
Three weekends of Sunday night (homecooked) dinner and beating Curtis at Wii bowling.
Seeing the Mt. Zion Church family and the crowd at China Grove's Friday night farmer's market.

Oh and I bought a sweet new (to me) ride. This baby was fabulous as I traveled yesterday and should make the next 33 hours of driving fly by. I am leaving Friday to complete the road trip to Oregon and begin my new job. I will go a total of 2,389 miles in 8 days.

On a side note, I normally listen to my Zune on long trips (but didn't see it while packing and accidentally left it in NC). Since I have been borrowing the parents' car between spring break and now (for my dad to fix the air conditioning) I have had SIRIUS satellite radio (Awesome!). As I made the trip yesterday from NC to MO without either of those options, I was forced to listen to regular radio with commercials and traffic reports and DJ's and call-in contests... EEEWWWW. I felt like Leroy Jenkins as I stabbed at radio station buttons to avoid a run in with Lia, Delilah, or John Tesh.. Have no fear: The Zune has been recovered and overnighted to Missouri so I won't have to travel again without it.  I am spoiled and I like it that way :-)