Sunday, January 22, 2022
Georgia
South Carolina
North Carolina
Tennessee
Kentucky
Home!!!!
An Adventurer Heads Home. . .
Month: January 2022
Treasure on Jekyll Island
Saturday, January 22, 2022
Today, we are going to the beach.
The high in Georgia today is only 47 degrees. And in Georgia, that’s COLD. But it’s currently snowing at home, and I’ve reached an age where I don’t like missing opportunities to see the ocean. AANNNNDDD we’re taking Rudy!!!
We chose Jekyll Island for a few reasons.
First, dogs are allowed on certain beaches and welcome in general around the island. Being first time dog tourists, this was important.
Second, there is an island wide treasure hunt in January and February. Every year island locals hide plastic globes all over the island and if you find one, you take it to the visitor’s center and exchange it for a beautiful hand-blown glass ball. We stopped in the visitor’s center and looked at them. They are stunning!
We didn’t find any though. I kept getting distracted by the beauty of the island, itself, and forgot to look. Spanish moss growing down from giant ancient trees, sand, salt, and driftwood… It was gorgeous. The newlyweds came along, and we crossed paths with them a few times. They did their thing, and we did ours. . . because well, they’re newlyweds:).
The boy loves the ocean… I got to spend the day on an island… and walk on a beach for a little while…. my toes weren’t in the sand, but my boots were, and I’ll take it this time. Because a cold day at the beach is better than no day at the beach…any day of the week.
Bonus! For lunch, there was local jumbo fried shrimp and barbecue. And I sampled Brunswick Stew for the first time — YUM!
It was an awesome day.
It was cold… but it was awesome…. and we can’t wait to take the boy back when we can actually play in the water.
Happy Birthday Rudy!
Friday, January 21, 2022
Just because we are traveling does not mean that we could skip our boy’s first birthday. He celebrated with the newlyweds and his buddy, the cat. I know what you’re thinking. . . but he REALLY is just ONE year old today. . . all 70+ pounds of him. When we adopted him, we did not realize, nor were we prepared, that he is half Great Pyrenees. But now that we have him, he’s ours, no matter how big he gets. . . We can’t really imagine a life without him now.
Happy Birthday, Birthday Boy!!!!
Just Keep Breathing…
“I’m just gonna leave you in God’s hands and not worry. . .”
Mom
Wednesday, January 19, 2022
Today, we are traveling to Georgia to bring our daughter her car and their cat, who stayed with us for the chaos of their first big move. He has missed them and been a little on edge.
We are also bringing our boy, Rudy, because while he is settling down as he ages, he is only a year old, this week, and a 70 lb Great Pyrenees mix. He’s a good boy, but a lot to ask family to look in on. . . Besides, he loves traveling.
Lastly, we are TOWING my daughter’s Jeep. . . as soon as my husband installs the tow hitch on our Jeep to pull it with.
We are carrying a lot this trip.
And it’s raining.
And it’s getting late in the day.
Snow is coming late in the day.
It’s a 10-hour drive. . . in good circumstances. . .
Did I mention the necessity to go thru Atlanta. . . to avoid the Smokey Mountains. . . Because we are TOWING a JEEP???
Wednesday is a very stressful day.
One hurdle after another leaves us battling to beat the coming snow, which, by the grace of God, we just barely do.
Earlier in the day (between the hurdles) when I stop to see my mom, she tells me that she’s decided not to spend the day worrying. She’s going to leave it all in God’s hands. My reply is “That’s all we CAN do at this point” and I commit to do the same.
We finally leave our home in Kentucky at 6pm.
In the dark.
In the rain.
With an eager dog and edgy cat in the back seat.
Using a brand-new tow hitch to pull another entire vehicle behind us. . .
If you are new to me, you should know that I have anxiety (unofficially, undiagnosed and therefore unmedicated because anxiety brain insists that I got this and I’m fine, thanks) and an astigmatism (fully diagnosed because my anxiety brain can’t tell me I can see when I can’t). And. I. Hate. Traveling. At Night. And/Or. In. The. Rain. . . . . . . . . .
And the moral of this story is….
I should really leave things to God more often…
Because of the rain, traffic is much slower and drivers are more deliberate, giving us ample space to maneuver our two vehicle span. As it gets later into the evening, traffic almost completely dissipates, giving our tired selves the whole road mostly to ourselves. The dog and the cat sleep almost the entire way. Truck stops are open 24 hours and full of the nicest people.
ANDDDDD my husband is an excellent driver… even in the dark… even in the rain.
It is an exhausting 13-hour drive, but every allowance imaginable is provided for us and we arrive safely at 7 am, Thursday morning…handing the kid her cat and collapsing into the bed she had waiting for us.
Thanks, Papa! You think of everything.
Old Souls, New Adventures
Monday, January 17, 2022
Two weeks ago today, my only daughter got married. On a Monday afternoon. In the woods. In the winter. In the middle of a global pandemic. It was definitely untraditional, but at the end of the night, when I asked both the bride and the groom separately “Was it a good day? Was it what you hoped for?” both said “YES! Definitely!” So, I feel like I did my part as a mom/party planner.
On Tuesday, we finished packing up the party, so to speak, and drove the hour back to the house so that we could gear up for Wednesday…Moving Day. 20 years of loving packed into a box truck to live 10 hours away. On Thursday, I felt horrible. On Friday, the COVID-19 tests were positive… We don’t do things small around here, y’all.
Today, I am cautiously feeling optimistic that maybe all those that came in contact have at least stayed out of the hospital so far. COVID is a weird thing. When you think it’s over, sometimes, it’s just getting its second wind. The worrying, the “Are you ok? How are you feeling?” texts and calls, and the prayers will continue for a while from our house. And so will the gratitude… for all of you who braved the weather and the woods and the pandemic to help our girl celebrate, THANK YOU!!! We are keenly aware of the risk you took to be there.
This momma’s heart can never repay you for the smiles of genuine joy and thankfulness that beamed from of the wedding couple when the officiant asked them to turn and take in the faces of those who had gathered to support them on this life changing day, to remember those faces as they journey forward, and to know that they are loved always. That smile on her face is the one that did me in and I can never thank you enough! If you need medicine or want soup, call me… I’m on it. I’ll be here, with my guys, figuring out our next adventure.
