Because I believe that freedom is not primarily for the privileged, but for the oppressed, and because I believe that the strong are obligated to take up the cause of the weak, and because I believe that those whose voice has not been silenced are duty bound to speak for those who have no say, I will fly my flag proudly today and say thank you to those who have given their lives not only to protect America, but to fight for freedom all over the world.
August 4th finds us back at home for our second full day. We actually arrived on the 2nd, but there was too much to do to find time to sit and write. I haven’t had too much time yet to gather my thoughts, either, but here are a few things:
We traveled 9,197 miles, used 417 gallons of gas, visited with about 48 family members and friends, saw license plates from 49 states (missed only Alaska, which Nathan swore he saw, but we couldn’t verify on the speeding car that passed us by), ate at about 27 restaurants (it would have been more if not for picnic lunches packed at the benevolence of our friends), traveled through 24 states and slept in 19 different beds, only 6 of which were in hotels.
We saw elk, bison, buffalo, deer, a little coyote, a chipmunk, squirrels, various birds, dogs and cats. Those were the live ones. The roadkill was way too numerous to count.
We have one ding in our windshield from a rock thrown up by a passing semi in Idaho (I think), a tweak to our front bumper from a blown tire on another semi (in one of the Carolinas), and road dust that all has something to say about our journey.
Only a few small things were left behind: a small container of shampoo, a hairband that went with Morgan’s wedding outfit, a beach towel purchased in Huntington Beach, a comb, a bracelet, one charging cable and a library book that is required reading for Justin. That one will be mailed by the hotel in Georgia. Not too bad for living out of a suitcase for 31 days.
We experienced a terrific rainstorm in Wyoming, blazing heat in Arizona and chilly drizzle in Washington that cleared for the big wedding day. Our temperatures ranged from the low 50s in Washington to 113 through the California desert. But the van’s a/c stayed reliably in the mid-70s.
For being stuck together 24/7 for 31 days, the kids did remarkably well. They had their moments, of course, and I was thankful for the DVD player, but they’re all still friends at the end of the day.
As are David and I, as evidenced by the kisses from sea to shining sea:
Ormond Beach, Fla.
Newport Beach, Calif.
Thankful today for:
510. a reliable washer and dryer
511. winners who give glory to God
512. smoothies
513. dvr
514. choices
515. memories
516. a nice camera
517. a happy family
518. a healthy trip
Day 31 of our journey finds us in Savannah, Georgia. Not quite home, but we can see it from here. The Florida license plates have become more prominent, but we were blessed to finally find the elusive New Hampshire plate at a rest stop in North Carolina. We’re hoping someone from Alaska is on their way to Florida right now and heading south on I95.
For the last 5 days, we’ve been driving, sleeping, getting up and driving again. Thus the lack of posts. We did have a chance to visit with ministry partners we’ve never met, but who welcomed us into their home. We can now call them friends. We also saw two families we haven’t hugged in years and met kids we’ve never met before. Morgan wasn’t so thrilled with the household of boys, but she loved the girls who painted her nails a cool purple and white pattern.
A cool rock formation in Wyoming, on the road to Mt. Rushmore
As we head into Florida today, we will swing by the beach in Jacksonville and wade in the Atlantic so that we can say we have actually gone from “sea to shining sea.” I’m sure it will take me a while to process this whole month. Suffice it to say right now that we are still talking to each other through goofy road games, a near miss by a blown-out semi’s tire, collecting 49 states so far in the license plate game, unnumbered dvds all while traveling thousands upon thousands of miles of roadway across and around America.
Here’s my summation on day 31 with home still several hundred miles away: Wow.
And here’s the big question that will surely remain on our minds for a lifetime: Is it pop or is it soda?
Thankful today for:
498. travel mercies
499. friendly people
500. health throughout the journey
501. new friends
502. old friends
503. memories
504. creativity–both God’s and man’s
505. the promise of home
506. a few more weeks until school starts
507. clean accommodations
508. a rear entertainment system
509. Pandora radio
It’s hard to believe that we’re making our way back home. All the national sites are behind us; only scenery and the few friends with whom we’re staying lie ahead. What a whirlwind! Here’s my summation to date:
Spacious skies
Amber waves of grain
Purple mountains majesty
Fruited plains
We’ve seen horses and cows and sheep in every state, but no longhorns in Texas–only in Florida. We experienced heat and humidity in the south, blazing heat in Arizona and the So. Cal desert and a terrific rainstorm in Wyoming.
We were a little chilly in, but enamored with, the Pacific Northwest. We fished in Idaho, were awed by Yellowstone Falls and sobered by the contingent of newly graduated Army officers gathered at Mt. Rushmore. I thanked one man for his service; he thanked me for my support.
My love and appreciation for my country has grown, which makes my heart ache for the trouble in which we find ourselves.
America, America, God shed His grace on thee, and crown thy good with brotherhood from sea to beautiful, shining sea.
After two days of driving, with an overnight stop in Hattiesburg, Miss., we made it to David’s aunt and uncle’s house in Justin, Texas. The cool thing about their place is that they live in a community of airplane pilots who all have hangers behind, in or as part of their houses. There’s an airstrip all around, and planes come and go throughout the day. It’s an aviation lover’s dream.
Morgan got to experience driving for the first time–in a golf cart. She loved it. The boys drove also, and ran around just loving the fact that they weren’t in a car for 10 hours.
Tonight, the boys went with their cousin back to his home about an hour away, and the rest of us enjoyed dinner and then sat outside in the dry air and breeze of a Texas summer night and watched fireworks exploding all around us for more than an hour. I didn’t even attempt to photograph them, as they never look as good as when you’re there. It was the perfect setting. We didn’t have to fight crowds, and we were far enough away not to be deafened by the booms, and we enjoyed a diversity of scenes from the comfort of our own chairs.
Tomorrow, we start making our way to the Grand Canyon, stopping overnight in Santa Rosa, N.M.
Happy birthday, America. We’re enjoying getting to know you a little bit better this month.
Thankful today for:
426. the freedom of our country
427. our founding fathers and their vision
428. family
429. the sites that await us in the next couple of days
430. that we have the ability to give our kids good gifts
431. watermelon
432. dry heat
433. other people’s fireworks
434. America
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Honoring God, Encouraging People
The Blog of Rasool Berry. Leader, Speaker, & Cultural Observer.
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easily-understood technology for ministry
An All American Rags to Chickens Story
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Pregnant and Dealing With Domestic Violence
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