Monday, May 31, 2010

What a Country!!

New Mexico ..

Stopped at McDonald's in the morning to get some Sweet Tea only to be told:

"sorry, mam, we don't carry sweet tea."

Me: "really?"

Him: "yes, mam, we have a lot of diabetes here in New Mexico so we don't carry sweet tea."

Me: "really? lots of diabetes but you still have coke on the menu?" Not to mention all those other nutritious things on the McD's menu: big mac, fries, burgers.

Is New Mexico serious ... Sweet Tea?!?! Type 2 Diabetes?!?!?

I'd better alert the rest of the country.

Joy sitting as close to the brake as possible .. thinking she might be able to stop this move. The first 2 days in the car she was a bit out of sorts ...

New Mexico was amazing ...

Never saw a rain storm coming like this back in California ...

My travel partner ..

Look at these clouds!

Even Joy got into checking out the views ..

Don't think for a second they were going to lure me in .. I knew better after 2 attempts in New Mexico to buy Sweet Tea ... this stop wasn't going to have what I was looking for.

Sign should read:
"You are now leaving New Mexico, land of NO SWEET TEA"


Now we are getting there ... we drove from Gallup, NM to Oklahoma City on our 2nd full day of driving.

Shouldn't someone fix this Leaning Tower of Texas?
This looks very unsafe.
We visited the Oklahoma City Memorial.
No words to describe it -- just go to OKC & see this.

Oklahoma ... loved driving through this state.
Sad I never got to see Jet & Cord from last season's Amazing Race while I was in their home state. I am still bummed they didn't win!
And now, the birthplace of my sister, Rachel .... and the state that my parents met & got married.
And then, I saw this ... just incredible the view as the sun was going down for the day. What a great day to be alive!
Joy is wondering when our next stop will be ...
St. Louis!!! The Arch & the stadium where the Cardinals play. My parents used to go here all the time .. my dad got free tickets because he was a minister.
I know, people, I saw SuperSizeMe.
I did not eat fries the entire drive.
Just twice :-)


This is where Joy sat for more than 1/2 of the road trip.
Between me & the door.
A couple of times her paw hit the window control button & suddenly we'd be experiencing noise & lots of wind!!
Hoosiers .. we drove through the Southern part of the state after making our way through Southern Illinois. But somehow I didn't get a picture of the Illinois sign. Sorry Uncle Ed, Aunt Kathy & all the family in IL!
One of the first KY plates I saw while we were driving.
Do all KY backseat passengers hang their feet out the window?
I wonder .... I think my girls might like this place.
Yes, there it is ... Lousiville, Kentucky~!!
We made it!!!
No car accidents, No road troubles, No traffic.
It was a perfectly wonderful exhausting drive across our amazing country!
City of Louisville.
(Excuse the corrupted view, those are bugs from 8 states stuck to my windshield - souvenirs I will have removed at the nearest car wash!)
This is now "move in" week.

Installation stuff happens on Wednesday & the moving truck brings our furniture & belongings on Thursday.

The girls have been having a blast at my sister's place. I came up to Indianapolis today to see them & spend time with them before the major stuff starts going on this week in KY at the house.

Jim starts his new job tomorrow at University of Louisville ...I still cannot believe it! Just amazing how fast all of this has happened.

So thankful to the Lord for bringing our family out here & for the good plans He has for us in Kentucky!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

A Bit of This Week In Pictures

Monday: Hannah gets an award for District Benchmarks ... not bad for missing 13 months of school ... go, Hannah!!! Posing with her never-to-be-forgotten 2nd grade teacher, Miss D.

Monday: Lily & I went to visit good friends that have loved us & faithfully prayed for our family & encouraged us in so many ways! Thank you, Dale & Rosemary!


Monday: Best Friends & last goodbyes ... we love you, Spangle family!!


Tuesday Night: Kristi & Wendy stopped over to say goodbye & packed up the rest of my kitchen / pantry ... you guys rock!!!


Wednesday: Blair SAVES the day making a 36 hour trip to California & back to Indiana with both girls in tow. They are now safely at Aunt Miriam & Uncle Mark's house ... thank you Blair, Mark & Miriam for helping make our move to KY so much easier.

Blair texted me once they were settled on the first (of 3?!?!) flight.

Wednesday: Goodbye house of a decade ...

Thursday: Goodbye California & Hello Arizona ...

Sweet Tea, here I come!

My view for 629 miles today ... little Joy is traveling with me in my car while we follow Jim in his.

Self Portrait ...

Going 80 ...

Gallup, here we come!

Uncharted territory ... so beautiful!


Tonight: Made it to New Mexico!


It's been a very emotional week ... hard to say goodbye to so many people that we love & our home of 10 years.

Despite being hard to leave, we truly feel God's peace as we make our way to Kentucky for this next season of our lives.

I am so thankful that the girls are safe & happy at my sister's place and for the safe drive to New Mexico today. It was a great day of driving.

Tomorrow ... Oklahoma City!

With lots of sweet tea & pit stops on the way.

All God's best from New Mexico,

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Last Week in California

Life is a bit of a blur right now.

We are busy saying goodbye to so many dear friends & tying up loose ends.

Plus, it is the end of school year -- tomorrow is an awards assembly (Hannah is getting an award!) and Tuesday is her end of year party that I am helping with.

But honestly, I am so thrilled for this time of NORMAL. So happy to have busyness that has nothing to do with a hospital or doctor's office. I vividly remember last year at this time as others were starting the summer & we were preparing for Hannah to have her 2nd treatment at NIH. Just unreal that time in our lives was only a year ago & now we are preparing for a big change with a move to Kentucky! Thank you, Lord!!

Hannah had her last apppointment with her hemotologist here. Everything is looking great. Her numbers continue to trend upwards. Please just continue to pray that she stays this way! Truly, she is a miracle!

Today our precious Sunday school class had a potluck in our honor & prayed over us. We have such an incredible community of family at our church!! Thank you, Fusion, for all you have been to us over these years. Particularly during Hannah's illness ... cards, gifts, prayers, meals, visits & love. We can never thank you enough for all of the incredible support you have been to us during one of the hardest times of our lives. We love you & will miss you all!

Here are some pictures from this past week -- our final trip to Disneyland and a super special evening of shopping & dinner with three of the most beautiful girls in the world: my nieces! How I just treasured every second with them!!

Such treasures!

Taking a break from shopping ... so fun!

Hannah & Jane wanted to get outfits & dress up like twins!



Look who is going to High School next year?! Oh my goodness ... so proud of you Bridget!

Disneyland fun with good friend Jenna ... it was such a nice day with her & her mom! Love you guys so much!

One of the highlights of the day: taking Lily on Dumbo. She LOVED it, "up & down"!!

Jenna's mom got the girls faces painted and they loved it. Thanks, Wendy!




And probably what Lily loved the most of the entire day: feeding the ducks her popcorn & chasing them all over! The workers at Disney were not so thrilled but Lily was having her own little party with the ducks.







All God's best from our HOME in California --