Mission accomplished

There was only one night in the past week where I got more than six hours of sleep, and that was because I was recovering from some heavy drinking. Exhaustion, however, is a small price to pay for the memories I made in Michigan. Memories of Uncle Wayne and Aunt Joyce taking us out for breakfast. Of Aunt Penny's gracious hospitality. Of my cousin David talking candidly about some of the mistakes he made as a teenager. Of those pool players in Paisano's. Of huffing and puffing to the top of that giant sand dune - and then finding out Miranda barfed halfway up. Of zipping around in a golf cart with my cousin Crystal. Of seeing the farm where my mom grew up. Of fake mustaches.

Miranda and I snapped a combined 1,400 pictures on our digital cameras, so the photographic evidence of our vacation will soon be available for all to see.

On top of all that, my siblings and I bonded in a way we haven't come close to in years, ever since those days we all lived at home and found a joint activity to annoy Mom with. I'll never forget the four of us driving down the back roads of Michigan, the windows letting in the chilly afternoon air and Keith Urban blasting through the speakers while we all took turns sticking our heads out the moonroof. Renee even took the wheel of the Jeep so Joseph could have a chance to experience the wind in his face. Dangerous? Yes. Fun? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely. You can't buy moments like that.