Day 7 (and more of day 6!)

Seeing such beautiful countryside as we drove made the photographer in me want to jump out and take pictures.  So I did the next best thing - I grabbed my camera and took drive-byes!

Field in Kansas.  Made me think about amber waves of grain.

One of the millions(?) of windmills in Kansas.

A neat A&W we stopped at for lunch in Russell, KS

We finished up our journey west today, stopping only for gas, lunch, and a quick picture at the state line.  Such a unique state line sign!

One special memory on this day was seeing the mountains slowly come into view on the horizon.  The kids were so excited to finally see them!  And their new home!  After receiving the keys and doing a walk-through of the home (picking out rooms, figuring out furniture), we went out for Chic-fil-a and grabbed some groceries. We'd anticipated staying one more night in the camper with it parked in the driveway, but the drive was juuuuust a little too steep to get the camper level.  So, we made pallets and slept on the floor inside the house.  The kids had a "sleep-over" in J's room and were thoroughly exhausted.  For me there was a mixture of emotions and thoughts.  This new home was a good one with plenty of space for our things and for us to spread out and be comfortable, but it wasn't  MY home.  It felt like we were supposed to be here but it still felt foreign.  Having felt this way many times before, I knew this was normal.  It takes time to adjust to a new living space.

Over the next several weeks we unpacked and settled and made the place feel like home to us.  The kids were troopers when it came to unpacking and patiently giving Mommy & Daddy time to set up house!  And their dreams came true (with the help of their hard-earned money) when we got the trampoline they'd been longing for put up in the backyard.  One of my favorite spaces in this home is the fireplace room.  It's a great space to read, relax, and look out into the backyard.  We have a view of the mountains to our west and a view of the Blue Stern prairie to our east.  This is truly such a beautiful region of the country!

Day 6

Today we moseyed on through Kansas and made it nearly to its western border.  So often we've heard of the sheer boredom that ensues when one drives through Kansas - nothing to see and nothing to do. Nothing but prairie, and cattle, and oil wells.  We found the scenery to be peaceful and refreshing.  We marveled at the flat land and how fiercely the wind whipped through the prairie.  I think the thing that made it the most enjoyable was doing the long drive over the course of two days. 

We stopped for the night in a place called Goodland, Kansas at a KOA camping site called Goodland KOA.  It was a very clean, well-kept campground and offered many amenities.  We parked the camper, set 'er up, and went for a dip in the pool.  And our sweet li'l girl did her first underwater handstand at that very pool!  As for our nightlife that evening, our beagle ended up getting into some dog medication and ate not two or three but FIFTEEN pills!  So while the kids were sleeping, hubby and I were outside giving beagle peroxide to help oust what he'd put in.  Not fun.  And neither was the middle-of-the-night "code brown" that ensued in the camper after he tried to O.D. on those pills.  {Ahem}  Next morning we awoke with excitement yet sadness on our hearts.  Excitement that we'd be making it to our final destination that very day, but sadness that our epic camper journey was coming to a close.  The next place we'd park the Pioneer Wagon would be our new driveway! 

 A neat gas stop in Kansas

 Handstand!

Goodland KOA

Day 5

Day 5

We made our way into Kansas today. We counted RVs and campers as an in-car game to pass the time.  And we got over halfway to our goal of finding all 50 states' license plates. Our stopping place for the night was a campground in Paxico, KS -- Millcreek Campground.  The town of Paxico and this campground are a throwback to yesteryear, when the railroad was king.  We got to explore an old decommissioned train station with a telegraph and its poles still standing. We lingered over the nearby fencing to get an up close look as a train nearly a mile long powered down the track just a few feet away. The ground rumbled beneath our feet and the conductor honored our request to blow his whistle as he passed.  The kids delighted in all these things from long ago, reveling in them with the fascination that comes from novelty. The 6 of us, dogs and all, eased down an embankment to the creek, which lends its name to the campground, and stuck our toes and paws in the cool water flowing by gently. A relief from the day's oppressive heat! And before heading back in we took turns on the teeter totter and merry-go-round on the playground. Hubby hung up a sheet in the camper and using his projector we watched "Evan Almighty" to complete our ark encounter.  Fun ending to an awesome day! 

One thing we’re doing to combat boredom and sibling rivalry is audiobooks, and a little bit of school work, as we go.  I brought a couple of subjects that are "weak points" for us, so we can sharpen up and not loose learning ground.  It doesn't exactly make me the most popular person in the vehicle, but hey - I'm the mom, not the best friend!  For audiobooks, here is our list we chose for this trip:

• Chronicles Of Narnia Collector's Edition: Focus on the Family's Radio Theater  https://www.amazon.com/dp/1624053661/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_dp_ss_1?pf_rd_p=1944687722&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=1589972996&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=WA979S95GEDMK9KTD8NQ
• The Adventures of Rush Revere: Time Travel With Exceptional Americans (this is a 4 book series based HEAVILY on actual America history) http://rushrevere.com/AdventureSeriesBooks/index.html
• Story of the World, Vol. 2 (by Peacehill Press) https://peacehillpress.com/p/the-story-of-the-world-vol-2-audiobook-the-middle-ages-revised-edition/

We also tuned into some podcasts of our favorite speakers and preachers.  This all led to several excellent conversations and in many ways I felt we learned more on-the-go than any day in the classroom!

Day 4

We left Kentucky this morning and finally headed west (so far we’d only gone north and east!).  We crossed over through Indiana and into Illinois.  Shortly after crossing the river and seeing the great arch, we made it to our campsite in Missouri, just outside of St. Louis, in just enough time to kayak as the sun was setting.  370 Lakeside Park in St Peters, MO has a beautiful campground right on a lake - we highly recommend this site to anyone looking to camp in the St. Louis area.  In addition to a clean, nicely tailored campground (which is run by the city of St. Peters) there is also a very nice recreational area that is open to the public as well.  It is well within walking distance of the campground.  When we arrived they were having a “concert in the park” under a large, gorgeous, wooden pavilion.  We could hear the music drifting out onto the water as we put in. This time hubby and I each took a dog on board our kayaks with us.  The did pretty well and settled down after we got paddling, but we could both tell they’d rather be in the water than riding on it!  Dinner was sandwiches - both lunchmeat and ice cream!  The kids were begging for their beds by the time we finished eating.  Tomorrow we move on into Kansas for a 2 day journey on I-70.

Day 3

Day 3

The Ark Encounter was incredible - truly a sight to behold.  The sheer magnitude of its size is awe inspiring and thought provoking.  Great care was taken to maintain adherence to what Scripture clearly states regarding the ark and the global flood, while artistic license was taken to show what could have been possible considering the technology and inventions available to Noah during his time.  Because some translations don’t agree on the interpretation of Biblical units of measure, whenever there could have been a discrepancy in measurements regarding the ark the Ark Encounter went with what they termed “the worst case scenario” - clearly portraying, for example, the largest number of animals fitting in the smallest amount of space (along with several other scenarios).  I especially appreciated this approach as I feel it speaks directly to the skeptics who try to pick apart the ark and a global flood with cries of “It’s not possible!”  We also marveled at the number of years God allowed Noah to live on the earth — he was 500 before he had his first son!  Can you imagine what living for 950 years does for one’s perspective on life?  I theorized that there wouldn’t be quite the “hurry up” mentality of our current day.  In a generational cycle of that length, there would be time enough to do many, many things so why hurry?  A husband and wife could have children for possibly hundreds of years.  And those who trusted in God and walked with Him in righteousness would have five to nine centuries to witness His goodness and mercy, trace His hand of kindness, and grow in their personal faith.  Many of the scenes, plaques, and pictures we saw there brought answers to some long-seated questions I’d had regarding this beloved Bible story.  But at the end of the day, the ark and the flood still require faith.  Faith that God is who He says He is, did what He said He would, and will do what He said He will do (or won’t do, as in the case of another global flood!) The Bible tells us what we need to know, but there are still many questions left unanswered regarding the flood and the ark.  And that is where faith comes in.  Scripture takes us where we need to go and faith fills in the rest.  In the meantime, we added a few more questions to our “questions to ask God in heaven” list.

After returning from the ark, we took the kids out to the pool (ha!) to swim and then we enjoyed some dinner outdoors and a campfire with smores.  Tomorrow morning we’ll hit the trail again, St. Louis bound!

Day 2

Day 2

We made it to northern Kentucky today to a place known as Three Springs Campground.  We endured a lot of rain and stormy weather, but it felt appropriate to be rained on en route to the ark!  I enjoyed witnessing the beauty of horse country as we traveled in and near Lexington with all its bluegrass.  The logistics of traveling with 2 kids, 2 dogs, 4 kayaks, and a camper is still going well.  Today was a bit more interesting handling the dogs from sun up to sun down.  Our beagle is moody and so sometimes he bays at everyone and sometimes he sleeps through squirrels sneaking up on him.  We took it easy this evening after arriving at our campsite - pizza and salad followed by a brief bike ride and then we watched a video together.  Afterward we hit the sacks in preparation for an early rise.  We hope to be early to line up for our Ark Encounter.

Taking silly pictures of each other

Journey out west

Day 1

Today our family embarked on a journey that will take us out west to the Rocky Mountains.  Hubby has graciously and diligently plotted out each night’s campsite and also each fuel stop we need — and there will be many because this camper makes our SUV like to drink!  We traveled from Huntsville, Alabama to the national park in western Kentucky known as Land Between the Lakes.  Rain plummeted down on us for much of the trip - much needed refreshment in this part of the country!  The precipitation kept the temperatures down but kept the humidity high - our swimsuits and towels would NOT dry hanging up outside overnight!  We are taking these days of travel at a leisurely pace, averaging 4-6 hours of driving each day.  Once we arrived at LBL we set up camp and hit Kentucky Lake with our swimsuits and kayaks.  It was a glorious end to our day, watching the golden sun set behind a nearby hillcrest.  After an outdoor dinner and indoor dessert, we all piled up into the camper - dogs and humans - and bedded down for stories and goodnight prayers.  Tomorrow’s destination?  A campground near the Ark Encounter!

A marathon, not a sprint

My life as a happily married single Mom has begun. We are now located in our new abode and ALMOST all the boxes are unpacked. All except for a few in Chaplain's study/our guest room. And, no offense baby, but they are not a pressing matter. Rest assured that they will get unpacked long before your R&R. The move was not as tough as the last one, but somewhere in the midst of it all I remembered that I was 6 months pregnant for our last one. That made a HUGE difference in my energy level. My mom was so gracious to come and stay for nearly 2 weeks as we packed up, moved over, and unpacked. The kids and I are really enjoying this new home; the extra space is wonderful! My son can turn cartwheels and do flips and I do not have to fuss for fear of him running into something or things getting knocked over. I am trying to figure out what our new day-to-day routine will be in this new house. It is taking some getting used to having a second story. I have to stop and think, "Okay, I'm going downstairs now...what do I need to take with me first. Hmmm." But what a blessing!!! The kids and I both are still adjusting to life without Daddy. The immediate severe pain of separation was fortunately short-lived thanks, I belive, to faithful prayer warriors and the power of God. We have had SO many people in our lives praying, sending cards, giving encouraging words that it has unbelievably overwhelmed me. Praise God for people with a heart for loving on military families! Tim is doing well; surviving the unbearable heat over there and building up relationships with his comrades. He always sounds so positive when we talk on the phone and seems to feel very comfortable that he is exactly where the Lord created him to be. That in and of itself is SO comforting. The Lord is ministering to me on a continual basis each day, staying close to me through thoughts and silent whisperings in my ear. He is speaking to me through His word and prayer is constantly on my lips. I was thinking recently about what kind of wife/mother I want to be...I don't mean just for today, but the legacy I want to leave. Especially with this (and possibly other?) deployments in our future, my kids are going to be spending ALOT of time with just me and my husband will be going through times of just knowing me from afar. So, how can I impact their lives in the biggest way? Of course, one of the first Biblical thoughts that came to mind was the Proverbs 31 woman. Upon reading this famous passage again, it became clearly to me that she could very well be the wife of a deployed soldier! I mean, take a second look... v. 15 "She gets up while it is still dark, she provides food for her family" She has to get a shower before the kids get up at 0'dark-thirty. And ain't nobody else there to cook for those babies! v. 16 "She considers a field and buys it" Why else on earth would a married woman make a decision like real estate without her husband, except he be deployed! v.18 "her lamp does not go out at night" Oh yeah, she has pulled all-nighters with her workload. v. 23 "Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land." Her man makes her proud and he has earned respect in what he does, enough so that he is counted amongst the greats...sounds like a soldier to me! So I think I REALLY have a kindred spirit in this marvelous lady! But back to my desire for impact, my longing for legacy...there are a few verses in this passsage that I pray can one day be said about me. (She had 21 verses written about her; I'd be okay with just 3 or 4!) First, I pray that this year verse 11 and 12 are foremost in my husbands mind (if not his mouth).

"Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life."

May my children see verse 26 in me.

"She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue."

For myself and those who watch me run this race, verse 17.

"She sets about her work vigorously, her arms are strong for her tasks."

And to my God, creator of heaven and earth, my redeemer and Father, may he see that as in verse 25...

"She is clothed with strength and dignity, she can laugh at the days to come"

She is not anxious for what lies ahead, but she finds joy in her circumstances. There is one thing I have often been reminded of these past 3 weeks: This journey called deployment is a marathon, not a sprint.

1 week and hundreds of boxes later...

We have officially been in our on-post house for 1 week now. This week has been chaotic to say the least. I knew how much stuff was in our storage unit, but seeing it get unloaded AGAIN here at our new house overwhelmed me all over again. I have had to constantly remind myself that these 'things' are not just 'stuff' but 'blessings from the Lord'. We basically went from a 1650 sq ft house to a 1320 sq ft house...with most of the same stuff :) It has been a challenge and physically exhausting (for a pregnant girl) to unload all these belongings, sort through them, and find a home for them. Today we had 15 feet of trash lined up at the street for trash day! Praise the Lord for decluttering...it feels SO good! Next time we will declutter BEFORE we move. Thank goodness for the post-wide carport sale this Saturday!! Fortunately, Tim had requested 10 days of "permissive leave" so he has been here every step of the way. I could not have done this with out his help, and the help of my parents who were here for the first couple of days after the move. As of now, we are 95% unpacked (I shall pace myself for the other 5%) and are going to spend the next 3 days of Tim's leave time enjoying ourselves and relaxing. Since I have been given the gift of being a WAHM (work at home mom...very part-time), we can finish up the household later and enjoy our family time now. Fort Bragg is really nice. Our neighborhood is great, really quiet, lots of sidewalks and parks nearby, and a pool just at the end of our street. The people here are very friendly and our neighbors are great. We are surrounded by several Chaplain families, which is so cool! Dylan is very happy to be settled, to have his own room, and to be with his dad again. The Lord has indeed blessed us and taken care of us during this time of transition. He even allowed us to purchase a 2009 GMC Acadia for me to drive, that is paid in full!! We have been visiting a different protestant Chapel each Sunday in an effort to find the one where Tim would best like to serve. So far they have been like Goldilocks and the 3 bears...too hot, too cold, too big, too small, maybe some that are just right but we will keep looking for a couple more weeks...all the while praying for God to show us which one. I was surprised to find that alot of the attendees at these Chapels have been retirees. I am glad, though, because this makes for a nicely well rounded congregation. Both in and out of the Chapels, the people here seem to have purpose. For me, that makes for such a nicer atmosphere. I pray that Tim and the other Chaplains here can help the soldiers see that their deeper purpose is to glorify God and be satisfied in Him.

Moving, part 1

I’ve often heard it said that when you let God write your story it will be miraculous. This is something that we have experienced recently with all the changes that are going on in our life. Talk about perfect orchestration!! The Lord truly is our caring and powerful God. Our journey into Chaplaincy has begun and the first part of our story goes like this… In obedience to the ministry God called us (yes, us) to, we put our house up for sale the first week of December. God was moving us and we felt we had no choice but to follow His leading. The house was shown to a few people over the course of the month, and then a few days after Christmas the house was shown to a woman who eventually ended up being our buyer. We had an offer the first week of January. For those of you who are keeping up, that is exactly one month from the ‘For Sale’ sign going up until we got an offer…all while the economy is in the worst downturn since the Great Depression, according to economists. Through God’s provision, we were allowed to stay in our house until a month before our time to depart for North Carolina. We were blessed by Christian friends who helped us repair everything from a “shakey” toilet to rotted boots on the roof, all for free or drastically reduced cost. We were again blessed by Christian friends who helped us move virtually everything into storage in one day. And now Dylan and I will have time to rest and recuperate before we depart for the next leg of our journey. We are all adjusting to our new living quarters at my in-laws, another blessing we were given along this journey. We humans are settling in nicely; the dogs, however, are not happy campers. They want to go back “home” and are breaking out of their pin in an effort to do so!! I am a somewhat organized person and I really like planning things, but even I couldn’t have put this together any better. I am reminded again that there is no better place to be than in the center of God’s will!!!