Today was beautiful and hard. I somehow had decided during my trip planning, that a 10 hour trip across Texas was going to be a good idea for us and Polly. I have never driven all the way across Texas, I mean let’s be real here, I have only flown to Texas to the be picked up by an uber or family. Never have I driven across the entire state in one day…not sure why I felt we could do it except we really just needed to get to NM.
The landscape was stunning, wide open plains as far as my eyes could see with the faintest glimmer of a mountain in the distance. It is incredible how different each states ecosystems and landscapes are. We drove along 3+ hours of beautiful cattle farms on Highway 20. LARGE CATTLE FARMS. 100s of acres worth of land with cattle roaming on vast plains with brush. We would drive an hour before ever seeing a homestead and sometimes we never would see anyone or anything.
When you picture a gas station without an attendant what do you picture? We were in need of gas but it had been hours since we had seen any sign of anything but ranches. We pulled up our gas app and saw there was one within 30 miles, we drove on. When we arrived it was actually just a gas pump with a pay station. And no matter, were so grateful for it. That entire area just felt nostalgic as if I was back in a time where everyone depended only on what they could grow from the land. Beautiful and simple. You don’t often, or never, drive through such vast amounts of land without having anything assault your senses – no city lights, no stores, no traffic just the grass swaying and the animals living life.
It truly was such a beautiful drive but it was also very difficult on Dane. While the children napped or I read he was not given any luxury except to drive and control this big rig for hours upon hours. Yet, not once did he complain and when we did finally arrive at our campsite he told me he had been praying the entire time once the sun went down. We were nowhere near anyone we knew, on dark desolate roads pulling 45 feet of gear and our little ones. I am grateful for his prayers and God’s faithfulness in it. When we finally got to our destination in New Mexico it was around 9pm and the campground office was closed so we successfully navigated to our site solo. We did not bother putting out the slides – I carried a sleeping Sunny to her bed while Dane looked for something to feed his growling stomach. He was wiped!
Dane and Nixon sat up eating cheese sticks and Nixon declared, “YUM this is the best lunch ever!” He is truly the funniest person in our family, he is also the most outspoken which is saying a lot with Dane and I as his parents. Our heads hit the pillow grateful for Dane’s prayers as he drove and that we had made it without any major issues.