June 17, 2014 (57th Day)

ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END

"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened" - Anonymous

It was drizzling, damp and chilly in mid 40's. The family were still asleep, so Edith went ahead and transferred pictures from the SD card to her computer.

After breakfast we were ready to bid the family good bye, but Conner begged us to stay a bit longer and to play a game with him. Actually, Erwin was all ready to hit the meandering road again and Edith was tempted to stay one or two more days. We gave in and played Ticket to Ride game with him, Keri and Dustin. Then Conner said one more game, OK we did.. It was not till almost noon that we finally decided that it was time to hit the road.  It was very hard leaving the lovely family.  Edith and Keri kept hugging and hugging till there was no breath left in them. We enjoyed every bit of our time with the family and hope to see them again.  We hugged every kid and told them to be good at school and to obey the parents.

Playing Ticket to Ride board game

Erwin getting Hunter out of the highchair. He fell asleep after snacking

Why you gotta be leaving?

During 2 weeks stay there was not a picture taken of Edith and Keri until the very last day

Squeezing hard.. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC_k2Cw2OlY&list=UUc1sN0j1aIwLmqT67a9kMUQ

Left: Edith and Hunter when he was 3 months old (September 2013)

Right: Edith and Hunter (1 year old)

with our adopted grandchildren
Left: Conner, Sasha, Zella and Nikkol
Erwin holding Hunter

It was really really hard to say good-bye. We waved and waved at them until we saw no more of them when we turned left from the road.  Lots of lumps in our throats, but we knew our 2 week stay with them was every bit worthwhile. 

We decided that we were going to stay on 287 toward Butte instead of getting on I-90.  We stopped at Wheat Montana bakery in Three Forks to get coffee, then to Conoco to get gas. While there Keri texted and said that her Target card was still in my purse and told us not to go anywhere and to wait for Dustin to come get it. It was a good thing that we had not ventured farther from Three Forks.  After giving the card to Dustin we continued on 287, then turned right to Route 2 that led us to I-90. The weather started to get foul.  

In Butte we shopped at Safeway to buy groceries.  Before leaving Butte Edith wanted to get her Starbucks fix.  We got back on I-90 then exited to 1 (Pintler Veterans Memorial Scenic Highway) near Anaconda to go to Phillipsburg, MT.  There were still snow on the Pintler Mountains.

While riding in the van Edith kept looking at and rubbing the Hungry Caterpillar clothe pin to think of Hunter and his family. (It's still there, and will be for a long time!)

Hungry Caterpillar cloth pin that Keri made for Hunter's 1st birthday party

We arrived Phillipsburg, MT after 6 pm but the store we wanted to go to to buy handmade soaps was already closed.  Phillipsburg is a small town, so other stores were closed early as well.

On the outskirt of Phillipsburg we got a camping site at The Inn for $30 a night.  The temperature started to drop to low 50's after 8 pm.  Edith took pictures of the sunset, also took time lapse of the clouds.  It was too cold for us to go out for a walk.  We went to bed very early.

Good night, Sleep tight!