The Dreaded Family Car Trip

6 hours and 37 minutes. That was how long my GPS was telling me our trip would take, but I knew it would more likely be 8 or 9 hours after stops and traffic and who knows what else. We were heading home last week, at the tail end of a weekend visit to my wife’s parents in Virginia – our minivan loaded down with enough stuff to undoubtedly fill at least 3 school cafeterias to the ceiling. I’ve resigned myself to the unfortunate reality that there is no easy way to manage a long northward trek with a van full of 3 kids.