Hello From Georgia!

So this trip has been very different. It is such a relief to be out for only a week! We have a quarter of the luggage we took last time, and unloading and loading is a breeze. So far this adventure has been a piece of cake:o).

The kids have fallen right back into the routine, without hessitation - except as we got near Memphis, Tennessee our first day of driving, Jadon asked what color the new house was going to be. We explaind that we were going to a hotel. "Nooo!" he cried, "We have to stay at a yellow house, so my new fishies will be there! They will be sad without me." And he started crying. Poor kid! He will be very excited to get home this time:o).

Bryce has had a very good run of installs so far, and is fine tuning and reworking a lot of the system with which installs take place. He's excelling at it - and is feeling very needed and good at what he does. It so much fun to watch him get all worked up (in a very good way) about his job.
The kids and I are enjoying lots of exploring time. We found a beautiful park on a river and with a lake, just off the Mississippi river. We visted a very cool zoo, and were about the only people crazy enough to brave the frigid 45 degree weather (in our spring coats no less:o)! We were able to whiteness the feeding of a hippo, have intimate interaction with a rhino, get a royal greeting from a flock of flamingos, who looked very much like they were eager to be better acquainted with Elie, and have a personal tour of the park on the train, where we sat in the caboose. And, these are only a few of the wonderful things we got to see. I think I really like visiting Zoos in the off season.

We've had very interesting walks around some very interesting parts of town... experiencing what it might feel like to be a minority. The kids make me so proud in how they act and respond to different people. They are accepting, respectful and full of joy. I've been stopped too many times to count any more to be complimented on their behavior and cuteness:o).

I am learning even more areas I need to let go of control in and where I haven't been trusting God to do His part. That's been my biggest challenge on this trip. Something about being stranded in a strange city without a car... :o). I've taken the opportunity in the quietness of the kids' afternoon naps to just soak in the silence and rest. What peace. I really enjoy that part of getting away from home.

We are heading to Kentucky tomorrow morning, bright and early! We're going to surprise the kids with a trip to the Creation Museum, and spend the night in Cincinnati, Kentucky. I can't wait! Then we'll take our time heading home to Michigan, with a stop over in Middleberry and Shipshewana, Indiana, one of our favorite places to stop and play as a family. It will be snowy again, and back to the 10 degree weather. We've really enjoyed the snowy winter, but I have to admit that a crisp sunny 45 degrees was an awfully nice break!

I'll send out pictures when we reach Grand Rapids.