Conversations With Unkie

I had the absolute privilege of getting to be in the car with Uncle Steve for the 20+ hours in 2 days that it took to get here from South Dakota. In between podcasts of Armstrong and Getty, I got to hear stories and receive sage advice on everything from finances and family to remodeling, traveling, and dating (how did I know that would come up?). When Uncle talks, you listen. That’s the thing about LaBarbera men: they can be serious and firm and intimidating, and just as effortlessly they can joke and laugh with the surrounding crowd. My respect for the men in my life is through the roof.

The biggest things that stuck out in my mind was when I asked, "Can you believe this weather? How come it's been so mild?" He said, "I know why. It was so you could go and so you could come home." How special to make a girl feel like the weather revolves around her!

I’ll never forget this trip with Unkie.  We plotted about how to finally beat my Dad at Trivial Pursuit this next Christmas. We played, “Name that Carcass” whenever we saw carnage on the road, happened upon the windiest place in the world (Muddy Gap, Wyoming), out ran a storm, and saw at endless miles of personal notes written with stones on the salt flats in Utah. When we stopped for night in Wendover, NV, he went to a buffet at a casino and ended up winning on one of the slot machines there. Who gets that lucky? 

A VERY Happy 60^th Birthday to one of the best guys I know. Turns out you aren’t the only lucky one—we are all so very blessed to have you in our lives. Here’s to the next road trip! (to go get Mallory? It’s her turn!)