This awesome kid and I got to spend 4 whole days traveling together. Grandma and Grandpa in Minnesota let us buy their old car for Bennett. This car holds alot of nostalgic value for Bennett since Grandma and Grandpa have had this car since he was 3.
We flew into Minneapolis and went straight to Grandpa's house. He immediately started teaching him all the important things to know about his new car. I think I took like 10 videos of Grandpa teaching Bennett how to operate everything. Those videos are going to be gold to him as he grows older.
Since this was my first time back to Minnesota in 14 months, I also got the chance to visit several of my previous students. I had the joy of teaching Sokharoth, the gentleman I'm sitting next to, for 2 years. After I left, Judy (the lady on the far right) became his teacher. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch visiting and reminiscing together.
I also got to visit another student at her home. She made this most amazing Afghani lunch for me - it was incredibly delicious!
This trip did not disappoint in the food department. We got to go to all our favorite old restaurants - Punch Pizza being highest on the list!
Also, Las Tortillas. I just can't seem to duplicate this meal at home no matter how hard I try.
Grandma and Grandpa took us to their gym and taught us how to play squash. We played for 2 hours. It was exhausting and super fun. I'm totally hooked now! I just love how active and playful my parents still are. They've always been that way and I'm so thankful to see that age is just a number for them. They are truly enjoying their retirement years.
I'm not so sure Grandpa was enjoying getting whooped by Bennett on the basketball court though.
The final evening before leaving, we got to enjoy a delicious dinner with my brother and his family. These are my sweet nieces, age 11 and 9.
I also managed to find time to drive past the old neighborhood and say hi to my wonderful neighbors as well as visit my friend and her husband. I love the friendships where you might not see each other all the time, but when you do, you pick up right where you left off like no time at all has passed. Those are the best of friends!
Bennett and I spent the next two days driving home. We're not big fans of Iowa and Nebraska right now. They seem to go on forever and ever (13 hours to be exact). This was the first time Bennett drove such a long distance and for hours at a time. He passed the test with flying colors.
However, I did get a little tired of playing "20 Questions" and "I'm going on a trip and I'm taking...". Apparently, I suck at 20 questions. Bennett kept telling me I wasn't asking good enough questions. I felt that guessing everything and anything in the whole world is too impossible given the parameters of only 20 questions. I can't even. My brain doesn't have the capacity to narrow things down very well - so I'm told. But I rock at "going on a trip."
Home is a wonderful place.
