I know some of you may see that headline and think I’m talking about turning 50.  To you I say, “Thank you,” because I saw fifty a few years ago!  To you who immediately thought, “She’s lying,” I might be mad at you!

In all seriousness, over the past few weeks, my sweet husband has been dealing with some health issues which required him to take some time off, reduce stress, and get out of the heat.  Avoiding heat is not exactly an easy feat in our neck of the woods right now, so we loaded up the car and decided to head north.  The only thing we knew about our schedule is we would spend the first night of our adventure in Tulsa.

Prior to Wes and I marrying, I worked for a marketing firm which required national travel.  And travel I did.  I grew to love it, and only settled down because I loved him more!  He learned early on in our marriage that I would continue to travel every chance I got, and he could either go or stay home.  Over the years, he has grown to love it almost as much as I do.  We have a great deal of fun traveling together, traveling with our family, and also sharing it with our readers from time to time!

I don’t know that I have an official “Bucket List,” but I certainly have had A LIST going for many years, of all the states I have visited–with the goal of visiting all 50.  I have kidded my children for years that, if I died before I finished, they were to cremate me and spread my ashes in the three states (Idaho, Montana and North Dakota) I had remaining to visit.

As we plotted and planned, we decided now was as good a time as any to finish the list!  From Tulsa, we drove to Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, and back to Texas.  Almost 5,000 miles…the Badlands, Big Sky Country, Glacier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Grand Tetons National Park, the Rocky Mountains…can you hear me humming “America the Beautiful”?  Because it very, very much is.  We met interesting people.  We saw people very different from us, including some from other countries who were here to see, and experience, what we often take for granted.

This year is the 150^th anniversary of Yellowstone.  In a way, I wish I had seen it sooner…we certainly plan to see it again (and Lord willing, will experience it with our grandchildren someday).  But as I contemplate the last few weeks, I think it is fitting, in the grand scheme of my travel list, we truly “saved the best for last.”  If you haven’t been, start your own bucket list.  I promise, you’ll be glad you did!

Until next time,