The sound of our dear ones' voices and the feeling of their hugs after five years being apart.
Chips and salsa and green chili burritos and monkey bread and cheese and crackers and Moscow Mules and freshly made bread and so many other treats on constant parade before us.
The uncrowded, almost-ghost-town feel of a retirement town after the claustrophobia of Los Angeles.
Golf carts driving in the bike lanes.
Getting stared at in the grocery store because we were young and had kids with us.
Saguaros. And everything else pokey you could possibly imagine.
The spacious villa we called home while there, with lovely desert views from the veranda where I sat and stitched and drank my morning coffee every day.
The kids flopping over on each other, sound asleep in the back seat of our rental car.
The moment a Roadrunner crossed in front of our vehicle while I was driving and everyone else was asleep. Beep beep!
Being way underground in an old dry cave and seeing formations that looked like bee skeps and missing my bees but also being in awe of the hidden world below the desert.
Aunt Maddie putting out her Christmas light projector in the back yard just because she knew we would enjoy it even though it was October and it was warm.
Lillybella, the sweetest little fluffy white dog ever. And I'm really not a dog person.
The kids getting golf lessons from Uncle Mike.
The starry night sky. So many more stars can be seen in the high desert than at home.
Cumin.
Lillybella falling into the hot tub in the midst of a tussle with her best friend the neighbor dog, and subsequently getting a full towel down and pamper session from her loving human Mama.
The kids, laughing and splashing in the pool.
The triple chocolate yummy ice cream that the four of us bought then forgot to eat until the last night, so we "had" to eat the entire quart in one sitting (which we failed at, but it was fun to try).
Finally seeing Javelinas on our very last night in Arizona; we looked for them five years ago when we visited and never saw them, so this felt especially great. Plus, there were babies, which made the kids squeal with happiness. Why do people's voices get all high and squeaky when they see something cute? I don't understand this phenomenon.
Being sad to say goodbye and not wanting the adventure to end, but also being ready for normal life to resume at the same time. It's always good when a vacation is just the right length.
Seeing GREEN again. After a week in desert climates, my eyes were so happy when we crossed over the Cascades into the most beautiful valley of the entire earth. Wherever we wander, there's no place like home.
