Today was another long stretch. We passed through several states.

Oklahoma was gypy and didn’t have a state sign for us to photograph. So, we just sang Oklahoma! songs until we felt we were adequately acquainted with the new state.

Besides an inexplicable amount of dead armadillos on the side of the road, I can’t say there is too much to say about Oklahoma.

Dad and I listened to the whole audiobook of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. (Rabbit trail: I personally believe the series is best started with this book instead of The Magician’s Nephew. TMN is more like an after-thought prequel versus the beginning of an amazing series, so that’s why we started the way we did).

We stopped at Chick-fil-A for lunch and for the first time in my life…I left without eating their waffle fries.

It was an Eeyore moment, and momentarily tainted the otherwise fresh and yummy salad I had instead, until I remembered what I was choosing over those fries: self-discipline, self-empowerment, self-trust, self-respect, self-confidence, and yes, ultimately health.

That salad represented a choice that took me one step closer, one step deeper into this lifestyle I’ve chosen. When I was able to look at it from this perspective, those waffle fries seemed like such trifle little things (sacrilege to say so? Perhaps).

Dad and I have got quite the exchange of music education going on. I trade off his knowledge of different rock bands to my intrinsic (and arguably worrisome) regurgitation of Disney song lyrics. We can all be experts in something, right?

Finally, we arrived in St. Louis, our last stop before reaching our final destination: home.

Dad picked a local Irish pub for our dinner spot and we were both delightfully pleased with our meals. I got the corned beef and cabbage, Dad the shepherd’s pie. When in Rome, right?

I’m really happy at the thought of seeing familiar territory again. To drive around streets I can navigate by memory alone. To be around people I don’t have to introduce myself to. To savor the small things that don’t feel very small when you’re thousands of miles away.

I’m really happy at the thought of being home.