Birthday Party with the Cousins

Here are a few pictures of our nephew, Ryan's, 2nd birthday. It was a cowboy theme, how cute! Notice any resemblance to our kids???

On to Tennessee!

Our final night (Sunday) in Waxahachie was rough. Poor little Ashton woke up sick during the night and wouldn't sleep. Yesterday morning we left with a blanket wrapped over his lap hoping he wouldn't continue to be sick. Thank God, he was okay, but had a fever all day and night last night. Our drive yesterday took us through Arkansas and into TN. Arkansas was very green and pretty. Driving through I couldn't help smiling, feeling like I'm almost home. How I've missed the green country! We passed beautiful ranches in TX and pasture land and wooded areas in AK. My heart was joyful! I so enjoy God's creation. In AK, we stopped at a gas station and they told us to fill up first and then come in and pay. What? That would never fly in CA! There were many billboards with scriptures on them. In AK, I was shocked when I read on one, "Give your children the rod and save their lives." I don't think that would go over well in CA, either! We arrived in Memphis after crossing a rather large bridge (always scares me) and I must say, it's a pretty city! After a long nine hours on the road, we arrived at our hotel only to find they didn't have parking for the 26' truck Bryan is driving. We cancelled and then spent the next hour and a half looking for a room. The kids were very patient and well behaved throughout the process. Actually, I think they had better attitudes than Bryan and I during that time! We found a nice Holiday Inn and the room was less than our original one, praise the Lord. We went down to eat in the restaurant and were a little nervous about the kids being so tired and wiggly, but the booth had a tv screen in it, and they were glued. Well, at least it would be a peaceful meal. Is that horrible parenting? After a yummy dinner (kids eat free!) I brought Ashton up to rest and Bryan took the kids for another swim. This morning, we are on our way to Knoxville, TN. We have only a five hour drive, so we're going to go down and enjoy some breakfast before taking off. We are thankful for the continued blessings on our journey and for God's protection and provision.

Weekend with Family

We spent the weekend in Waxahachie, just outside of Dallas, with Bryan's twin brother and family. Our nephew turned two so we had a little birthday party celebration with him, the kids had a blast! We went swimming a few times (pretty much the only escape from the heat unless you go shopping, and I didn't want to be tempted :) in their community pool, it was great. I didn't realize how nicely priced the cost of living is, there. Nice, new homes sell in the $100,000's, it's incredible. One thing that surprised me about TX was all of the churches I saw. And not just churches, but larger churches. Bryan was able to spend a little quality time with his brother and we gals went out to a movie and to an few antique shops. It was a great way to break up the trip. I must say, however, that I was very anxious to get back on the road. This feels like the road trip that won't end! Thanks, Gerard and Raquel, for a fun weekend. We love you!

We're in Texas!!!

Today we traveled through Texas. It was prettier than I thought it would be! This top left picture shows how green it is near Dallas. We arrived at Bryan's brother's house this evening and the kiddos are having fun with their cousins. They even have a playroom! We had a good travel day, even though we were on the road almost eleven hours again. The kids are amazingly patient (now, if only Bryan and I could be...) We are very thankful for the great trip we've had. Stay tuned for pics from our weekend with family! We will be here through the weekend, and then leaving Monday for Tennessee.

Through the Desert

Yesterday went very well, much better than expected with an eleven hour truck ride. That included about two hours of stops. The kids are doing amazing. We are so thankful for their good behavior! The diesel truck is loud, so we swapped Ellie for Nolan halfway through the day. Yesterday we left Phoenix and traveled through AZ, New Mexico and El Paso, TX. Desert, Desert, and more desert. We caught a glimpse of Mexico when we were driving through El Paso. It was kind of neat to point it out to the kids. We're heading on to Dallas today where we will spend the weekend with Bryan's twin brother and his family. We are looking forward to seeing them!

Our Final Day

Wow, we are so grateful for the outpouring of love we have received from our friends during these past few weeks, since announcing our move to VA. We have had countless friends bringing us meals, giving our children gifts, baking treats, helping us clean & pack, etc. While excited to begin our new season, it is with great difficulty we leave our family at the Rock. You have a special place in our hearts, and will continue to influence us! We love you all!

On the Road Again

We left CA yesterday morning and had a great first day of travel. It was better than I expected, to be honest! Kaidan and Nolan rode with Bryan in the "big truck" and Ellie and Ashton rode with me in our truck. The coolers were filled and a box of surprise toys were sitting right next to me, just waiting to be opened by little hands when the need arose. With the dvd players both installed and seat belts buckled, we were off! We drove for two and a half hours and then stopped by a coffee shop for a quick play time. We found a General Patton Museum to explore and ended up staying for an hour! It was actually a really neat place. They had army clothes, warfare, dishes, tanks, & various paraphernalia. We arrived at our friends' home in Phoenix around 3:30 and the kids played the rest of the evening.

Today, we're on to Van Horn, TX. It's a longer drive, but with unopened movies and toys, we should be okay! Thanks again to those of you who helped with gifts for the kids and snacks for our trip. Love you all!