My Husband

My Blog entries to date have been about all of the wonderful places we have seen on this journey.  I’m so thankful for this platform to be able to share with you all of the amazing experiences we have had.  However, this entry is all about my husband, James.  I know he will hate this, but I simply have to acknowledge him and share with you what being on this trip with him means to me.  Without James this journey would not have happened, the memories would not exist, the life experience would be still unlived.  He is more than just my traveling partner on this journey, he is my leader, my guide, my friend, my husband, my protector.  Through Christ he provides the most stable life I have ever known in my 42 years.  So, this entry is all about him.

Some of you reading this have known James his entire life…40 years.  Some have known him since high school, some college, some have known him since his days at Coral Ridge Church, some through work and some know James by their association with me.  I have known James for almost 9 years.  I have been blessed to call him my husband for the past five years, ten months and two days (he hates it when I do that). 

There has been no break in our time together since starting this trip; i.e., 8 hours at work, time out with friends, shopping errands alone, etc., we have been together non-stop for three and a half months, 24/7.  Many of you may be shaking your head in disbelief and thinking, “There is no way…” or, “How in the world do they do it?”  But, I assure you, there are no magic words, secret formulas or tricks we have played.  I can say that this experience has been the best time since we have been married, and a lot has to do with Christ and a lot has to do with James.

I fell in love with James all over again on this trip.  Not necessarily the “butterflies in your stomach” kind of love when we first started dating, but more like a heavy, warm, comforting kind of love that is anchored into something substantial and strong…safe.  I have seen him in a way that I have never fully seen, or let me say, fully appreciated before.  I have always known James to be kind, caring and honest, but being with him for this amount of time and in all kinds of situations, I see his kindness, caring and honesty differently.

James is a man of great integrity.  I’m not sure how many of us truly appreciate that particular trait in the man.  I can’t say that I have ever given it too much thought, but I realize now that it is probably the most important trait a person can have.  Because of James’ integrity, I know I can trust him.  I know I can rely on him.  I know that when something goes awry, I can count on him…time and time again.  He is consistent in his actions and has provided me a stability I feel safe around.

James is also the most generous and gracious person I have ever known.  And I don’t mean material generosity, though he is this also, but just a generous spirit in general.  It emerges in the smallest of things, like when driving the RV on a two lane highway and pulling over so the cars behind us go by…even though he may be doing the speed limit or better.  If we are walking or hiking somewhere and see another couple taking pictures of each other, James will ask if they would like their photo taken together and then take it.  When he and I are walking down a street together, he makes sure that he is walking on the side of traffic, sheltering me from the oncoming cars.  When hiking, he lends me a hand, or foot, in the more challenging places, making his hand into a step for me to climb on or his foot as a brace while coming down a steep rock.  After nearly six years of marriage, he never fails to thank me for a meal I have cooked.  Never.  It could be breakfast, lunch, dinner or a small snack…it doesn’t matter, he always thanks me. 

They say you can tell a lot about a person by the friends they have.  That is true.  As you all know, I have met a lot of James’ friends on this trip and am honored to call them all my own friends now.  But, seeing James with his friends, some he hasn’t seen in years, some weeks, some months…is really special.  He genuinely loves his time with each and every one of them.  He is truly interested in hearing their story, catching up, reminiscing and just sharing space together.  And, his friends seem to feel the same way!  It is a beautiful thing to witness from the outside.  These are not only friendships, but relationships that have been carefully maintained by experiences of old and time apart hasn’t diminished their intensity.  There is a lot to be said about a person who has such friends.

These things I’m sharing aren’t big things…things that get one in the paper, or invited on a TV talk show, they are little things, and I believe it is the little things that show a person’s true character.  James isn’t a saint and he isn’t perfect, but overall, he is the best thing outside of Christ that has ever happened to me.  He is the truest friend I have ever had, the most honest confidant I have ever conversed with and the most loving husband I could ever wish for.

Maine-ly Fun

I can’t believe we have been in Maine for a week already!  Gosh!  Time does fly when you are having the time of your life.

I need to back up a bit and fill you in on a few other states we visited along the way.  Our time in Old Forge, NY was way too short, but a very special indeed.  Paul and Paulie Case showed us the sights and spent the evening catching up and praying for Katie, Paul’s six-year-old daughter who was badly burned a few weeks ago.  My heart aches for the entire family, but I know God has them all in His hands.

The Adirondack region of New York is quiet amazing.  Unfortunately, it rained, rained and rained some more while we were there…it even rained INSIDE the RV.  Yep, our first roof/ceiling leak, but, nothing major and it seems to have stopped since James climbed on top and caulked every possible opening he could find.  That’s my man!  Back to the Adirondack’s…autumn colors were in full bloom and the small, quaint towns we drove through made me feel like we were transported back in time.  I wish we could have stayed longer, but the short time has basically guaranteed that we will be coming back soon!

We then drove to Vermont and the beauty just kept blowing my mind.  Vermont is the “Green Mountain” State and what a perfect name it is!  As with NY, Vermont was at full peak in foliage color and for as far as the eye could see there were mountains with vibrant reds, yellows, orange and greens dancing in the rain.  Yes, the rain continued.  We stayed two nights in Vermont to do some RV maintenance and to watch some much missed college football.  It was lovely!

Next, New Hampshire.  We were only in the state for a short time, but with the few covered bridges and all foliage mixed with sunny, clear skies, it was simply perfect.  We had our destination in site and couldn’t wait to get there.

Maine.  All of Maine is gorgeous, but we are particularly fond of Bar Harbor.  I am sure it has a lot to do with the fact we have mountains and sea all in one beautiful vista.  We were thrilled to meet up with Tim and Diane for the first three days!  I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start our Maine visit. 

Everyday was special with them, but one really sticks out in my mind.  We decided to hit the local, and highly acclaimed, brewery, “Atlantic Brewery Company”, for a tour and beer tasting, which we did…at 10:30am.  Yep!  You read that correctly...10:30 in the morning!  The funniest thing was the fact that the “Master Beer Drinker,” as he calls himself, was not at all fazed by the fact that we were there well before lunch!  Don’t get the wrong idea, the size of the samples they give during the tasting aren’t enough to cause a buzz even if we were there all day!  There were some amazing beers and the most outstanding mustard I have ever eaten that made their way back to our RV.

Well, now it gets difficult to explain, but after the Brewery we decided to hit the company’s other business…a winery for a wine tasting.  It is now around 11:30am and still before lunch.  We had such a great time!  These little businesses in the area really rely on tourist and they show it by their incredible hospitality!  We felt welcomed at every stop.  The wine was good, not great, but set inside an 1800’s barn, it was tons of fun.

To continue with the “tasting” theme, I should tell you about our very favorite spot, “Fiore.”  This is an olive oil/balsamic vinegar specialty shoppe with complementary tasting of all their oils and vinegars.  Yes…I was in heaven.  We loved, loved, loved this stop and have enjoyed the Blood Orange Olive Oil with White Grapefruit Balsamic Vinegar several times since then!

To top it all off, we hit one of the local Lobster Pound for some delectable, sweet, succulent Maine lobster.  Now, I’m a Florida girl through and through, but give me a Maine lobster over Florida lobster any day!  Those who have had both know what I’m talking about.  We each had a 1.75lb lobster, well, except Tim, who went for the 2lb-er, and we all managed to eat every possible bite with no problems whatsoever.  We even joked about ordering more it was so good.  But, we opted to head to our RV, light a fire and sit under the gorgeous, star-filled night enjoying our wine from the local winery and some bread dabbed in the special oil and vinegar we bought from “Fiore.”  It was a day and evening to be remembered for all time.

Tim and Diane left on Wednesday and then it proceeded to rain for two straight days, which didn’t bother us too much as we enjoyed spending time relaxing and watching movies.  This was a much needed and appreciated down time for us.  Have no fear, though, we resumed our marathon driving/site seeing activities yesterday by visiting Lubec, Maine, the eastern most city in the United States.  We drove all along the coast to get there, about 100 miles, and enjoyed the little towns along the way.  We arrived in Lubec and was greeted with the "Annual Lubec Autumn Howl" happening downtown Lubec.  Vendors and musicians filled the street that overlooked the bay between Canada and the US.  Very pretty.  We went down to the water to watch the seals playing in the water and then a huge bald eagle flew right in front of us and I was hooked.  We had lunch, which I ended with a Fried Twinky…not so good.  Soggy, actually.  Yuk.  But, hey, I HAD to try it!

We are on the final leg of our trip.  We both have mixed emotions about this.  On one hand, we are sad that this wonderful adventure God has blessed us with is almost over, yet on the other hand, we are very excited to see where He has us next.  Yes, I know a lot of you want to know the same thing, so stay tuned!  I’m such a stinker!!   In the near future, we will be in Boston, New York and Washington DC. 

God Bless you all! 

Midwest

It has been awhile since our last post...sorry about that. Visiting with family and friends has been the main focus for the past couple of weeks, and what an amazing time it has been.

This journey has been filled with such wonderful blessings and this period of time ranks right up there near number one. This was my first visit to Wheaton, Illinois, where James went to college, and I loved it. It is a very pretty town with wonderful shops, restaurants and of course, the college, Wheaton. But, the best part was the people.

We met new people and reuniting with old friends, every visit was so special. Everyone opened up their homes to us and made us feel like family. Shayne, Jennifer and Dave, Jeff and Stacey, John and Krista, my Uncle David...everyone showed us such generosity!

After Wheaton, we headed to my Dad's place in Alexandria, Indiana. It always warms my heart to see my Dad. He generously invited us to park the RV in his driveway and hook up for a couple of days. Time was way too short, but very special none the less. We visited with my dear friends from High School, Jill and her family, Faye and her family and Laura with her family. What a great time. And, I got to eat my favorite pizza, Pizza King! Thank you, Jill, my wonderful friend, for putting it all together.

There is never enough time to spend with my sisters. We spent some time at Whitney's and then saw her again Sunday at Dad's house. I wish we lived closer. She is such an amazing woman and I love her humor, honesty and beautiful soul. Then, of course, there are all of our amazing nieces and nephews (including the "great" ones...dang, I feel old). They are all growing up to be beautiful and handsome individuals I'm proud to call family. Jordan is a Junior in High School, smart as a whip and drop-dead gorgeous. Brandon is working for the city, working out (he looks incredible) and taking care of his Mom and little Thor, his brand new English Bulldog puppy. Brooke and Mat continue to amaze me with their grace and gifts in raising four of the most fantastic children I have ever laid eyes on; Tristyn Grace, Kaedyn Nicole, Zoe Elayne and Ryder Alan. I could eat them up!!! Wow...how they have grown.

Dad took James and I to the James Dean Car Show in Marion, Indiana and we really had a great time. Cars from every decade were showcased. I had a hard time picking between them all, but I did find two cars I really liked, the '68 Camero with the 3.27 engine (3.27.68...my birth date) and the 1967 Charger. Yep, I liked those very much.

Family came over on Sunday for a cookout at Dad's and to watch football. It was a good day as the Cowboys and Colts both won! Yeah!! Dad and Linda also have a new puppy, Boomer, who is a Chihuahua mix...so ADORABLE!! I wanted to take him with us, and I believe Dad would have let us, but James said no...he said it would traumatize Peanut too much. I knew he loved that old curmudgeon of a dog. So, Boomer stayed behind. He really is so very cute!

Monday morning came too soon and we had to say good-bye. I hate that part. But, we take with us great memories and know we will all be together again soon.

On our way to Ohio, we made a stop in Greenfield, Indiana to visit my Uncle Kenny and Aunt Joyce. I hadn't seen their home (built in 1869) for nearly 20 years and was anxious to see the work they had done. It is a very beautiful home and we loved visiting with them.

Monday we spent the evening in Cincinnati and had dinner with James' college roommate, Brian, and his family, Audrie-Anna is wife and three sons, Jonah, Noah and Isaac. GREAT TIME! I have said after every visit with one of James' college/high school friends that I'm so incredibly blessed to now call them MY friends as well. These are such amazing people and I thank God for the opportunity to build friendships with them all. Thank you, Brian and Audrie-Anna, for opening up your home and for the amazing Mediterranean food!

Tuesday we drove the short distance to Columbus where we would be meeting Julie and David! YEAH! Again, spending time with my sister and nephew lifted my spirit high! It was so great seeing them. I'm so proud of both of them as they are both in school...Julie graduates this December, and I have to admit, I'm a bit jealous. I love being in school!! We ate at the Olive Garden and then visited back at our RV for a bit. Julie brought some old photos with her so we had a great time reminiscing and laughing till our bellies hurt. David is amazing. Period. I simply can't write enough about him. The only thing missing was our sweet niece, Samantha...she was at her father's house and couldn't make it THIS TIME, but we will see her soon. I love my sister so much. I am so proud of her and her determination to finish school and live her life for the Lord. Thank you, Julie.

So, now I'm filled with the love of family and friends and ready for this last stage of our trip. We are currently in Dunkirk, NY heading to Old Forge, NY to visit with our dear friend, Paul Case. For those of you not on Facebook, I ask that you pray for Paul and his family. His little girl, Katie, six years old, was in a horrible accident and suffered burns over 30% of her legs. She is in Shriner's Hospital in Boston for three months. We can't wait to spend some time with Paul and his son, Little Paulie, tonight.

After that, we will be on our way to Maine. We are blessed to have two good friends from the Florida, Tim and Diane, meeting us there for the first three days to see the sights, eat some lobster (pronounced lob-sta) and catch up. After that, we have still have a week there to reconnect and further enjoy the colorful foliage Maine has to offer.

To all of you we have visited in the past two weeks...THANK YOU. Each of you have made this trip very special for us. Your love and support means more than we could ever express. We know our paths will cross again and look forward to those times very much. May God continue to bless you all. We love you!