Mov'n to Montana...Jump in the Snow (Part IV)

Day 5

We went 500 miles today, all the way across Missouri then straight up to Iowa and through Iowa until we hit Sioux Falls, SD. Approximately 9 hrs...we are all tired.

Avery did great and all in all it was an uneventful day. The flooding in Missouri and Iowa was still evident, I can't imagine what it looked like a couple of weeks ago. 

We have such faith in TomTom now we actually threw our paper directions into a recycle bin today. I would compare our experience with TomTom to puppy love. We actually sit in the car anxiously awaiting his next word. Our hearts skip a beat when he says, "turn left in 200 yards!"

 

Court had a great idea about checking out the Falls Park in Sioux Falls so after we checked into the hotel we spent about an hour walking around the park. It was beautiful and the waterfall was spectacular. I wish we would have had more time or better planning they have a nightly light show that seemed to be something worth catching.

On a serious note: During dinner we called a family meeting and made the decision to invite TomTom to sleep in the hotel with Donald. He deserved a good nights rest!

 

The highlights today were seeing the flood stuff first hand, not so much a highlight, but meaningful. Without a doubt Falls Park was pretty cool! And of course Donald earned a neck for attempting to open a push door by pulling it for about 45 seconds at a BP today. 

Text Message Competition Up Date:

Donald 612 (He did bait people by sending out a mass text about the blog.)

Ryan 2

Court 2

Police Report:

2 Traffic Stops

Mov'n to Montana...Jump in the Snow (Part III)

Day 4

After a short run this morning and a hardy breakfast we all walked the fifty yards over to my father's church, Gibson Baptist, a Montana Missional Communities partner I might add. After the worship service and a quick lunch we were on the road. Donald and Avery continued to grow their relationship as he took her to the playground for a short post lunch/pre trip play date. The Montana caravan now consists of Donald, Timber and myself in the Nissan and Court, Avery, Mom and Dad in the Honda.

About an hour and half into the drive we had our first interesting experience of the day. A roadside brush fire! It was pretty cool. Interestingly enough this is our second fire, in NC near the SC line we saw the largest controlled burn I have ever witnessed. Anyway, this wasn't a controlled burned, just a brush fire, I hope nobody got hurt.

The ride went well today, it was my first time in SE Missouri, I was surprised by the topography. I expected it to be flatter than it was, I knew SW Missouri was hilly, but I figured the SE Mizzo would be flat like West Tenn...

I don't know as much about the happenings in the Honda, but apparently my dad isn't such a good back seat Avery entertainer...he may not get a shift tomorrow. I do know that Court didn't feel well today, but she is a trooper.  

Side note...Donald and I both signed a pack tonight pledging our devotion to our  TomTom (GPS), we would follow TomTom anywhere. If TomTom told us our next destination was at the bottom of the Mississippi River we would take a hard right and drive on down.

Speaking of the Mississippi River, Donald earned a neck as we approached it today. He stopped playing his PSP, took out his phone, called his mom and proudly told her, "he was crossing the Mississippi river over a bridge for the first time ever." A few moments later I remembered he had indeed crossed the Mighty Mississippi with our Student Ministry when we went to New Orleans last year as a part of our Mississippi Katrina Relief Mission Trip. NECK!!!

After we got to St. Louis we stopped and had a great Cracker Barrel meal and finished the day off a few hours past St. Louis near Columbia, MO. 

The highlights today were the brush fire and Donald's Mississippi River neck, as well as, an amusing discussion about what it would be like if a talking car got into an argument with a TomTom (GPS)...I laugh as I type.

Text Message Competition Up Date:

Donald 186 (I asked him to turn off his phone during worship and he drove quite a bit today)

Ryan 0

Court 0

Police Report:

5 Traffic Stops

Mov'n to Montana...Jump in the Snow (Part II)

Day 3

Today was a day of rest! We spent the day at my parents house and we didn't do much. We ate breakfast at my Dad's dive, it was pretty "Delicious"!Donald did continue to improve his relationship with Timber and even began to forge a new relationship with Bailey.Avery spent most of the day showing her younger cousin Tucker the ropes on the playground. She did fall and scrape her back. That is the 2nd day with a visible injury in a row. She scraped her eye on a fall yesterday.

The highlights were eat'n dinner with my grandmother, my cousin and uncle, as well as, teas'n Donald about only coming out of his room when it was time to eat. Oh yea, I did get to eat some Memphis BBQ for the first time in forever. I was pretty excited about it. 

We'll leave for Missouri tomorrow after church. After tomorrow we'll be 8 hours closer!

Oh yea, Avery is beginning to warm up to Donald. 

Text Message Competition Up Date:

Donald 481

Ryan 1

Court 0

Police Report:

0 Traffic Stops

Mov'n to Montana...Jump in the Snow (Part I)

Day 1

We left Wilmington on Thursday bright and early and headed to Knoxville, TN. Thanx to Lanny my last Wilmington meal was a Manhattan Bagel, mmmmmmmmm! Court and Avery in one vehicle; me, Donald (the guy crazy enough to make this trip) and Timber (our 65 lb black lab) in the other. Leav'n is tough! I knew it would be, but it was harder than I expected. 

It took Donald and Timber a bit to get used to each other, but I think they are becoming friends. 

After a hard day of driv'n we pulled into Knoxville, TN about 5 p.m. on Thursday, we had a great dinner with Court's family. The highlights of the day revolved around me gett'n a neck because I forgot to put the truck in park and Avery's pottie experience. Ask me later...

Text Message Competition Up Date:

Donald 324

Ryan 2

Court 0

Police Report:

6 traffic stops

Day 2

We woke up to a home cooked breakfast and spent the morning with Court's family. After lunch we hit the road to Gibson, TN. This trek was quite a bit shorter than yesterday. Only 5 1/2 hours! Donald slept a lot and Timber took his lead, sleeping more. Court had a tough time leav'n her family, it was to be expected. Pray for her though and her family! Once we arrived in Gibson, Donald was introduced to the chaos of the Tucker's house. :) Within minutes of our arrival we had my mother, my father, Court, Avery, Timber, Donald, myself, my sister (Laura), my brother-in-law (Greg) and nephew (Tucker), oh yea, and their dog, Bailey. The house was alive with activity. We had a great dinner. The highlights of the day were the GPS (TomTom), and our guy Richard (GPS Voice) navigating our trip and walking over to Jerry's for ice cream after dinner. 

Text Message Competition Up Date:

Donald 150 (Carrie was at work!)

Ryan 0

Court 3

Police Report:

2 traffic stops

Sorry for the break

As you can imagine we have had a lot going on. :) 

Last week we took our last trip to camp with our students. It was a great week, but a very difficult one. We'll miss this place much!!!

Hopefully tomorrow we'll close on the house, anything and everything is going wrong so we need some prayer.

Court and I are holding up well all things considered! God is really giving us what we need when we need it!

I'll try to take some time in the coming weeks to share more details.

Bought a house and assorted prayer request

Court, Avery, Timber and I now own a home in Billings, MT. Well, we will as of June 23, but all the paperwork is in the process of being completed. We had a great week in Billings and we love our new home. Pray for our home to become a base for building community.

During our week we met a few people, we still don't know who and who won't be a part of this adventure. However, we do feel as if a support 

base is being formed. Pray for us to find people who have a heart for planting a missional church in Billings, MT. 

Also, pray for us to figure out the child care issue. 

Our move date is June 26...fast approaching!