The life of a drifter

I have been a vagabond the past two months. Therefore I have stories. Good stories. Sad stories. Happy stories! Frustrating stories. Rather than share all of it in its glory, I have opted to list some wonderful nuggets of my comings and goings:

I have slept on a bed for probably two out of the last eight weeks, which means I have slept on a floor with various degrees of padding for the majority of the time.

Ammon makes a mean breakfast burrito.

Ammon is the best front seat passenger. Seriously, this kid is funny and chill. 

The parents don’t mess around when it comes to breakfast. They begin each day with a meal fit for royalty.

Camille is the queen of sweets. One day, I ate Rocky Road ice cream for breakfast, Angel food cake for brunch, and chocolate pumpkin cookies for lunch. She keeps a large glass container filled with various M&M’s and always has a stash of Reece’s Peanut Butter Cups and marshmallows (because "Lucky Charms does not have enough marshmallows").

Mario gives the best hugs and has the best stories of outrageous people. He can’t help but develop a hilarious perspective of people. Whenever I hear his stories, I realize how uncommon it is to actually have common sense. 

Pineapple shaved ice is the best flavor at Shoobies. I should know because I experimented with multiple concoctions for 2 weeks. (Tiger’s blood and mango are close seconds.)

Shaun, Tina, and Maelin are the most pleasant and ideal hosts. 

Matilda is my favorite movie buddy because we can go to whatever show we want at whatever time of day. No babies allowed.

I am loved whole-heartedly from this little guy. I love him more than he loves me (at least I'd like to think my love is that powerful and encompassing) .

I have been able to run in Rexburg, ID (elevation over 6000 ft), the desert surrounding Page, AZ (God’s country), and the parks of Oro Valley (perfect temperatures). Each run was better than the last.

I have enjoyed the conversations with family and friends back here in the west. Long before I watched this video of Don Burnstick, my dad would tell me that "Natives love to laugh. We laugh at each other. We laugh at ourselves. We laugh the most of all people despite our history or the harsh realities of our life." I concur and I LOVE it. 

Conversations that had me laughing like a native...

Ammon (addressing me with a shake of the head): Xaz. All books. No Street.

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Camille: I wish we could keep you here forever.

Me: Uh... that is called captivity... and is punishable.

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Dad: Your mom was asking me some goofy questions earlier today, so I answered her seriously.

Mom: I asked your dad to tell me something romantic. And he replied “Randy Travis.”

Dad: It was either Randy Travis or George Strait.

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Phone conversation on speaker

Me: Camille, I’m watching The Amazing Race with the parents. I’m explaining why we would be a great team.

Camille: Yeah, we would be either really competitive or really funny because we were so terrible.

Dad: I think you two are too competitive and would take it too seriously.

Camille: Nah, whenever one of us becomes serious, we always laugh at the other person.

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Dad: I wonder what people think of the LDS people (mormons)? They act like Quakers and dress like Mennonites!

(Said on the way to church at the LDS meeting house in Echo Cliffs)

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Road trippin’... usually with my dad or mom or both

Dad: Xaz, do you think all elderly people are wise?

Me: No. You always ask me that question and then go on to share a story as to why they are not.

Dad: You know I’m at the age when I can be called an elder. People are supposed to be listening to me!

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Dad: Xaz, don’t ever let other Navajos tell you that you are not one of them.

Mom: You were born in the heart of the reservation- Fort Defiance!

Dad: Yeah, that’s right! You were born in the armpit of our nation.

Mom: In the old hospital—

Dad: In the old, condemned hospital that’s boarded up now.

(I really don’t know the origins of this conversation/ “pep talk”)

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Text from Stuart (Camille was driving Seth, Stuart, and herself back to Tucson after a relaxing trip north. They began the first leg of their journey on the newly paved Coppermine Road, N-20 between Page and Gap.)

The meanest thing Camille has said today to a fast driver, “I hope that the police is up there. Or a cow.”

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Dad: Ammon thinks I know everyone in the whole world, but I really know only three people and we hang out at the same spot so it seems like I know everyone.

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This lightly touches the surface of the many conversations had during my travels. I have yet to express my delight in visiting my many nephews and nieces. Camille and I have had some pretty serious conversations about Candy Crush and Percy Jackson. My dad loves PJ just to spite HP. He proudly claims he's a muggle! My mom and dad love to look for wildlife as they travel. It is all hilarious! I am extremely grateful for my family. I am glad that I returned to them despite the brevity of some of my trips.