Roadtrip Synopsis

I am sitting in our motel in LA as I write this. It's a been a full past couple of days. Since the last time I posted, we drove from St. George, Utah, where we stayed with friends of Elisha's and went to Zion National Park with them. From there it was on to the Grand Canyon. It was absolutely awe-inspiring. I wish we could have spent more time there. We only had time to drive to a couple view points. I would love to go back and hike to the bottom--then I would feel like I actually "touched" the Grand Canyon (in the ASL sense, Kim ;)). Right now I feel like I was just looking at a giant painting or something. From the Grand Canyon, on to Phoenix. Phoenix was beautiful. 80 degree weather, and it's their spring, so there are wildflowers blooming in the desert. We met up with some friends of Elisha's who were there for spring break and went to the Phoenix Zoo. It'd been years since I'd been to the zoo. It was a lot of fun, as was the fact that I wore short sleeves, flip flops and a skirt.

Last night we went to the Wayne Newton concert. This story requires some background: Elisha is in the National Guard and was in Iraq for a year. While she was there, she was part of Wayne Newton's security detail when he came over for his USO tour. She brought a picture of them together that had been taken then for him to sign. Before the show, she showed it to the lady selling Wayne Newton souvenirs and asked her if she thought Wayne would sign it. It turns out the lady was his mother-in-law. She sent it back to be signed, and a few minutes after, a lady came out and said we could be part of the meet-and-greet with Wayne before the concert. So we went back with a bunch of Wayne-iacs (as Elisha informed me his fans are called). We all got a picture taken with him. He kissed Elisha on the lips before her picture and kissed me on the cheek after mine (I dodged him--I really don't want my first kiss to be from Wayne Newton). Then he called Elisha back so we could get one with the three of us and kissed her again afterwards. He was kissing all the ladies. We were definitely an average of 40 years younger than everyone else. It was really exciting because it's the closest encounter I've ever had with a famous person, but still, I have not become a Wayne-iac. During the concert, he dedicated Moon River to Elisha. I am glad that we went because I know it meant the world to Elisha. But I will be ok if I never see Wayne Newton again. He is a very nice man, though, and very patriotic.

Today we drove to LA. I am kind of overwhelmed by LA. I love the ocean, but I feel distracted from that natural beauty by the monstrous megalopolis towering over me. We just got in this evening, so we drove to Malibu and got some coffee and walked around a little. Tomorrow we are doing the Walk of Fame, Groman's Chinese Theater and Rodeo Boulevard. Should be busy. I am happy because this is the turning point. Up to now, we were going farther and farther away from home. From here we turn north, then back east. I'm glad to be doing all this, but it is so much, and at moments I feel overwhelmed. Elisha is the kind of person that doesn't like to be tied down anywhere--she wants to be moving from place to place and always going somewhere new. I love to travel, but I also love to come home, and have roots and a loved place and people to return to. I don't like to stay there forever, but I don't like to leave it forever, either. Right now I am feeling really homesick. I lost my cell phone in Colorado so I don't have any numbers except my parents (oh yeah--so if anyone wants to e-mail me their number, I would love that), but I haven't even called them because I think I would break down and cry for no good reason. I think that once we get out and start doing stuff tomorrow, I'll start having fun, but tonight I just want to curl up between my parents on our couch at home and hang out with the bro and sis. I bought a calling card today, so I will try to make contact soon.