1192. Road trip wedding vows.

A few weeks ago my family and I drove to Tampa, Florida.

I don’t know if you’ve looked at a map in a while, maybe a topographical gem or one of those ones that used to be on big rollers in elementary schools, but that’s a long drive.

It’s more than 700 miles.

And we did it during Spring Break, which meant that at 5:15AM in the morning when we were at the Monteagle rest stop, there was a line in the bathroom. I expected a ghost town but there was a line, mostly populated by people from Michigan and Indiana. I’m almost positive those two states were completely empty that week because they were all on the road with us.

Before we dragged our 6 year old and 8 year old out of bed at 4AM to get started. Before we fired up some Ducktales and Rescue Rangers DVDs in the backseat for our kids, a whoo woo! Before we even came up with our snack strategy, my wife and I do something every time we travel long distance:

We renew our road trip wedding vows.

Prior to any trip of substantial girth, my wife and I look at each other in the eye, put on a little Babyface and say some form of the following:

“We’re about to spend 13-solid hours in a car together with two children under the age of 8. We’re about to battle 18-wheelers, mountains and Michiganers as we barrel down a long, relentless highway. We’re about to get behind an ocean of slowly moving RVs as snowbirds leave Florida with their winter tan plumage. And no matter what happens. I love you. Nothing on this journey will change that. No vomiting child in south Georgia. No rest stop bathroom grossness. No GPS directions that attempt to steer us into the ocean. With God and Google Maps as my witness, I love you.”

And then we get in the car.

If you’re not married, print this post out and keep it in your purse or wallet. You might need it some day.

If you’re married, have you and your spouse ever renewed your road trip wedding vows?