Rocky Mountain (Schultz) High

The only way to Colorado from Kansas is through hundreds of miles of flat, hotness and a million refrains (if E is driving) of John Denver. Punctuated by Willy Nelson's "On the Road Again," of course. P had yet to be blessed with this adventure (we've lacked the braveness (or insanity) to attempt a 10 hour drive with him) so this summer we planned a trip.

E loves road trips. He can sit and stare and drive for hours on end. P, cannot. Nevertheless, we made it to Estes Park in one piece (and in only one day!) with P determined to take a mountain.

We've always camped in Colorado but excitedly went with cabins this time. And it was Nice. Practically the whole Schultz clan was present (minus Marielle who is off saving the world from sickos) so we spread through three cabins, though the noise level probably sounded like 10 :) Every day there was hiking or adventures of some sort (rafting, kayaking, rock climbing) and every night there were games and screaming. It was a blast. If I didn't think so highly of my husband, I still might have married him just for his family. I've never met such an amazing bunch of people with one DNA strand. Fortunately, the boys pick winners for wives and I adore my sister in laws too.

Now, I've loved this family for almost 20 years (longer than one of P's uncles has even been alive) but seeing them with P takes it to a whole new level of appreciation. They listen to him, even seem fascinated by him. They chase him and toss him and tickle him and basically, just love the hell out of him. And this forever impresses me because P adores these people so much that he's a loose canon of excitement around them. Jazzed by earlier hat throwing games he would randomly throw someone's shade down the mountainside. Excited by previous wrestling matches he'd run pell mell into an unsuspecting uncle. Anything, anything, to start a game or to get their attention (which, honestly, rarely left him to begin with). These exuberant surprises came from a place of sweet adoration and playfulness, but felt slightly draining as the trip closed. But the family never batted an eye. It was like a huge blanket of love surrounded him for a week straight (except for me, the loose thread of frustration by Friday :)

It goes without saying P wishes his family were everywhere he is. But on the drive home he added a wish. "I wish there were mountains in Kansas." Yah, kid, you and a million other Kansans :)