On May 24th, 1997 John graduated with his Bachelor of Science degree at 10 A.M. At 2:30 P.M. he and I were married.  We haven’t slowed down since.

Nothing was different as we approached this trip!  Although we amazingly managed to hit the road ON TIME, the day started some 16 hours earlier when my alarm went off at 4:00 A.M.  There was packing and eating, and packing and errands, and packing and napping (for me and Katriel anyway), and more packing.  And some partying.  It’s Johanna’s 5th birthday today.  (I told you we like to keep things kicking.)

Now, she had had her friend party 8 days ago, her family party one day ago, and a Build-A-Bear date in the morning.  Today’s party was basically gifts and cookies and pudding.  And singing.  There is always singing.

Dinner was a special event.  You know what I mean.  “Kids.  Everything perishable needs to go.”  It was a smorgasbord.  “Who wants salad?  Who wants the last meatball?  Who wants the whatever-this-is?”  Good stuff.

We’ve never done this kind of vacation road trip before.  Packing was an adventure.  We ended up deciding one bag per hotel with an outfit for each of us, and a separate bag for all the pajamas and toiletries.  The second bag would come in at each stop, but we’d not need to empty the van at each hotel.

I’ll let you know if that works out for us.

We grabbed some video footage in the driveway for the music video I asked Stewart to create, then piled in the van. John started out in the driver’s seat and the kids were wedged in their seats and surrounded by the contents of their bedrooms some pleasant activities to stimulate their minds over the next 6,000 miles.  Nigel asked, “Is this really happening?”  We confirmed this was no dream, baby; I handed out maps and we started out.  We made a stop at Walmart because it is tradition.  (Yeah – for sure we always forget something…) 

I’ll pick this back up in the morning.  Hopefully at a Bob Evan’s restaurant. 

 

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.