We have spent the past two nights here in rural western Kentucky. We spent a lovely afternoon at Jackson's Orchard with friends yesterday. Today was spent with a church here who support Hubs in his work, and they are lovely people who have welcomed us and made us feel very at home. This congregation reminded us in some ways of the one we left when we moved to LA. It was very comfortable and familiar to us; connections to many of the people here made it seem more so as the day passed.
I keep packing away the sweet memories of these wonderful people for later. I know I will need them. Our hostess asked tonight if I had compiled a list of the people I've hugged. That would have been a lovely thing to do, but I haven't. I'll just have to save up the sweet memories the old-fashioned way--through the way they have all made me feel.
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Friday, June 28, 2013
Nashville
Our time in Nashville started out way more eventfully than I care to admit. Let's just say it didn't go very well. Everyone is healthy, but my ego is definitely in check, and it was just humbling, if not humiliating. We'll leave it at that!
We had a lovely visit, though, thankfully, and met a lot of wonderful new friends as well as had the chance to see old friends. (The kids have had a lovely time seeing so many kids. The older girls have more pen pals!) For the first half of our time here, we stayed with people who graciously opened their home to us even though they did not know us well, and for the second half we stayed in the home of people who have never met us but let us use their home while they were out of town. I am continually humbled at the kindness of people and am trying to absorb as much as I can for down times that may come in the future.
We had a lovely visit, though, thankfully, and met a lot of wonderful new friends as well as had the chance to see old friends. (The kids have had a lovely time seeing so many kids. The older girls have more pen pals!) For the first half of our time here, we stayed with people who graciously opened their home to us even though they did not know us well, and for the second half we stayed in the home of people who have never met us but let us use their home while they were out of town. I am continually humbled at the kindness of people and am trying to absorb as much as I can for down times that may come in the future.
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Louisiana
We left College Station around noon and headed to northern Louisiana where my cousin and her husband live. We made good time and had an enjoyable stay with them. We were able to see some of the riverfront in Logansport, which was idyllic with a wood bandstand complete with theatrical lighting. It was like something out of a movie about a small Southern town. I wish I had my camera with me that evening.
Sunday, June 23, 2013
College Station
We spent the weekend in College Station and enjoyed getting to meet a lot of new friends as well as connect in person with long-time online friends. A big shout out to that long-time online and now in-person friend for offering her laundry room; I had not done laundry since we were at my brother's house, and even after only three days there was already a definite need!
We were greatly encouraged by the people here who support Hubs' work. We were fed well, provided with spacious accommodations, welcomed with warm smiles, and then sent off in an equally warm manner.
On to Louisiana tomorrow!
We were greatly encouraged by the people here who support Hubs' work. We were fed well, provided with spacious accommodations, welcomed with warm smiles, and then sent off in an equally warm manner.
On to Louisiana tomorrow!
Friday, June 21, 2013
Austin
I couldn't help but think of my maternal grandma and Marty Robbins as we drove through El Paso early on in our trip from Las Cruces to Austin.
El Paso was also the first time in my life I laid eyes on anything remotely resembling a third world country. It was surreal to look to our right as we drove east and see Mexico in the distance. Zoning laws don't really exist there the way they do here, for better or worse, and with the brown of the desert land coloring the majority of the view, I felt as if I were looking at 1980s video footage of Beirut rather than sitting firmly on US soil and looking south. It was surreal.
Seeing the land change mile by mile was fascinating; we left brown, seemingly desolate, mountainous (including mesas) land and ended up in a much greener (in the middle of drought conditions, no less) hilly landscape.
We took TX 290 from I-10 to Austin in order to avoid the dip down to San Antonio, and in the process we stumbled on Fredericksburg. It's a quaint Wild West meets German settlement town and was a nice surprise.
We arrived at our destination in Austin at 8PM CDT, and Hubs suggested barbecue at Smoky Mo's. It was some of the best I've ever had. YUM.
Tonight we were able to meet up with one of my mom's first cousins whom I had never met. We had a lovely time visiting with her and her husband. Afterward they joined us as we met up with some other friends for ice cream at the Austin Arboretum. The kids were able to run and play outside, something they have not been able to do much with high daytime temps.
We head further east in Texas tomorrow!
El Paso was also the first time in my life I laid eyes on anything remotely resembling a third world country. It was surreal to look to our right as we drove east and see Mexico in the distance. Zoning laws don't really exist there the way they do here, for better or worse, and with the brown of the desert land coloring the majority of the view, I felt as if I were looking at 1980s video footage of Beirut rather than sitting firmly on US soil and looking south. It was surreal.
Seeing the land change mile by mile was fascinating; we left brown, seemingly desolate, mountainous (including mesas) land and ended up in a much greener (in the middle of drought conditions, no less) hilly landscape.
We took TX 290 from I-10 to Austin in order to avoid the dip down to San Antonio, and in the process we stumbled on Fredericksburg. It's a quaint Wild West meets German settlement town and was a nice surprise.
We arrived at our destination in Austin at 8PM CDT, and Hubs suggested barbecue at Smoky Mo's. It was some of the best I've ever had. YUM.
Tonight we were able to meet up with one of my mom's first cousins whom I had never met. We had a lovely time visiting with her and her husband. Afterward they joined us as we met up with some other friends for ice cream at the Austin Arboretum. The kids were able to run and play outside, something they have not been able to do much with high daytime temps.
We head further east in Texas tomorrow!
Wednesday, June 19, 2013
Las Cruces
Our second stop was in Las Cruces, where my youngest brother is stationed with the Army; however, since he is currently deployed, we stayed in his house alone. It was nice to have our own space to stretch out, but we missed him!
We celebrated our oldest daughter's 10th birthday today and visited Old Mesilla. There were beautiful jewelry shops where we perused a wide selection of turquoise jewelry that reminded me of my maternal grandmother. I was also introduced to a beautiful stone called charoite. It's purple with swirls of lavender, and it's gorgeous. And of course the beautiful handcrafted silver bracelet I loved the most with a charoite stone inset was out of my price range. Hubs says I always like the nicest things. Well, I guess that's why I married him!
We were blessed to have dinner with some of the members of the church there this evening; one of the ladies made a cake for our daughter's birthday, which was very sweet. I know why my brother loves the people here, and I am glad they like him. (I am also glad a few of them thought I was his YOUNGER sister!) Tomorrow we have a long haul, one of our longest days of driving. Prayers would be appreciated.
We celebrated our oldest daughter's 10th birthday today and visited Old Mesilla. There were beautiful jewelry shops where we perused a wide selection of turquoise jewelry that reminded me of my maternal grandmother. I was also introduced to a beautiful stone called charoite. It's purple with swirls of lavender, and it's gorgeous. And of course the beautiful handcrafted silver bracelet I loved the most with a charoite stone inset was out of my price range. Hubs says I always like the nicest things. Well, I guess that's why I married him!
We were blessed to have dinner with some of the members of the church there this evening; one of the ladies made a cake for our daughter's birthday, which was very sweet. I know why my brother loves the people here, and I am glad they like him. (I am also glad a few of them thought I was his YOUNGER sister!) Tomorrow we have a long haul, one of our longest days of driving. Prayers would be appreciated.
Phoenix
Our first stop was
in Phoenix; after a relatively uneventful drive we were astounded to
find that there was significant traffic on the only road that goes from
Phoenix to Maricopa, where we were staying. I received (in the matter of only a
minute) two text messages from two different friends who live in Maricopa
letting me know that the power had just gone out. With the temperature
over 100, there was no way we wanted to wait in traffic only to be in a
hot house. Hubs did a random u-turn in the median of the road (legally), and from
the backseat came the dichotomous chorus:
"That was awesome!"
"That was illegal!"
After dinner in Phoenix we found out power had been restored to Maricopa and made our way there. We had a lovely late evening visit with friends and went to bed thankful that the first day had gone as smoothly as it had.
"That was awesome!"
"That was illegal!"
After dinner in Phoenix we found out power had been restored to Maricopa and made our way there. We had a lovely late evening visit with friends and went to bed thankful that the first day had gone as smoothly as it had.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)