California - Here we come!!!

All good things must come to an end, and this trip was no different. We have had the time of our lives, but with work, school, and all of life's responsibilities, we reluctantly aimed our motor home towards California. We stopped at Saguaro National Park in Arizona to look at the Cactus unique to this are of the world. We spent the night in Phoenix, and then relaxed for a couple of days in Palm Desert - this was a much needed break before getting back into the full swing of things.


This was truly an adventure! We saw many sights, and experienced many new things as a family. We praise God for his grace, mercy and the protection of our family. We want to thank you for travelling along with us - we hope you enjoyed it. We also hope that we might inspire some of you to go and visit some of the places that we did. We do live in the greatest country on the planet! There is sooo much to see, and our fellow Americans are so friendly. We are planning our next trip as we speak....


May God bless you, and we look forward to seeing you soon!


Eric, Nancy and the kids

Journey to the center of the Earth and Desert Sledding

As we made our way West, there were a couple of places that intrigued us and we had to explore them on the way home. Carlsbad Caverns and the White Sands Monument - both in New Mexico.

Carlsbad Caverns is a National Park in Southern New Mexico. 700-800 feet below the Earth's surface are giant caverns that go on for what seems like forever. We took an elevator down to the floor of the caverns and walked the 1.5 mile trail inside the cavern. We all agreed that it was a bit creepy to be this far below the surface, but awesome at the same time! The formations and designs were so amazing and different! There were so many tunnels and paths, but the one that we all agreed was the most impressive was the Big Room. This "room" was 3,800 feet long and 600 feet wide, and filled with stalactites and stalagmites of all shapes and sizes! After exploring this side of the cavern, we decided to hike down the Natural Entrance, which leads to another area of this underworld creation. Now we must tell you that there was a tremendous wind storm as we drove up to the park, but we never thought that the wind would have an impact on our visit to the caverns - well... we were wrong! As we neared the bottom of this entrance - we were about 600 feet below the surface - the lights suddenly went out and it was pitch black! Yikes!!! A few moments later, the emergency lights clicked on, but they were very dim. We had a quick family meeting and decided to hike out of the cavern instead of taking the elevator out. And I am glad that we did! When we finally got back to the Visitor's Center, they had no power - the wind had knocked out the power and they had some trouble with the generator system. We asked about those who took the elevator, and how this effects them. "Oh, the elevator stops when the power goes out" was their answer. The elevator shaft is cut out of rock and there is no way out. That's just not right! I am so glad that we decided to "hoof it" out of there. The wind was terrible all day, but we braved it so we could get closer to our destination for the following day - White Sands National Monument.

White Sands is a most interesting place - it looks like snow in the middle of the desert! It is actually a fine gypsum sand that is formed in the area, and is not found in any other area. The "dunes" area encompasses 275 square miles! That's huge! And the stillness of the air was amazing. It was so quiet out there. So we took our sleds out to the desert - doesn't that sound strange - and cruised down the dunes. We had a blast! We laughed and hollered as we tumbled down these giant sand hills.

Make a Difference Concert-Texas

Nancy and I surprised the kids and bought tickets for the Make a Difference concert in Wichita Falls, Texas. We purchased the tickets several weeks ago, and we had to really finesse and massage our travel schedule to fit it in, but we did, and we were so glad it worked out! The venue included Michael W. Smith, Third Day, Toby Mac and Max Lucado. The concert benefited the kids of World Vision. The concert was simply amazing! Each of these Christian artists had a great story to tell, and their passion for these kids was contagious. Max Lucado spoke, challenging all who were there, and his message was simple - Matthew 25:40-45 - taking care of those who can't take care of themselves. We need to remember that it really is not about us, but about Him and all of His children. It was a great reminder to our family, and it gave us a lot to talk about as we moved towards home....

Family in Texas

We enjoyed a visit to Aunt Marilyn and Uncle Bob's house. They have a great lake house in the East Texas country - the Piney Woods - with hills and trees! The kids had fun fishing off their dock and shooting a BB gun at pop cans. It was so fun for us to get caught up on what was happening in each other's lives!



We spend the following evening with Eric's cousin, Dan, and his family. They took us to a Texas High School football game. As you probably know, High School football is huge in Texas! Their son, Preston, is in the band and is the Drum Line leader. Just before half time, they announced that we needed to clear the field because of possible lightening. Everyone left the stadium and once we were in the parking lot they made another announcement that we all needed to evacuate the stadium and head home. They were expecting a huge lightening storm! Our kids were excited to see a lightening storm, and they thought it was so cool to be evacuated from a stadium!


Please join us in praying for Dan's wife, Andra, who is battling breast cancer.

Galveston and San Antonio, Texas

One of our goals for the trip was to visit Canada, swim in the Atlantic Ocean and play in the gulf of Mexico. So, after we left our friends in Houston, we made the short drive to Galveston and spent some time swimming in the Gulf of Mexico. The water was super warm and the kids loved it! We were reminded of the recent hurricanes by the many vacant and torn up buildings....

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!

We visited The Alamo in San Antonio. As you may remember, the Alamo was the site of a short battle in which 200 brave men battled Santa Anna's 2400 soldiers. Though the battle seemed insignificant, it was the battle that prompted Sam Houston and his army to successfully destroy Santa Anna's and his men. The phrase "remember the Alamo!" came from Sam Houston, as he reminded his troops what Santa Anna had done there.... This phrase emboldened Houston's men to fight Santa Anna with everything they had! The defeat of Santa Anna was the beginning of Texas's independence and freedom.... As an interesting side note, Davy Crockett was one of the men that fought at the Alamo, and most historians believe he died at that battle.

Phil Collins, the famous singer, is a huge Alamo history buff. He owns a shop in San Antonio that houses a large diorama which explains how the battle took place. Like the diorama in Gettysburg, it gives one a sense of how the battle was fought, how the troops attack, a timeline on when the events occur. What makes this particular model so special is that Phil Collins narrates the 20 minute audio presentation of the diorama.

We wrapped up the day by walking around the famous River Walk.

The Great Smoky National Park and the battle of Vicksburg

Since fall was upon us, we were on a quest to see the phenomenon of the fall colors. We drove through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and we were not disappointed! Though the leaves had not turned completely, we were able to get a good sampling of all the different colors. At the park, we took a long hike next to a stream, saw beautiful views and climbed on a huge petrified rock formation. We thought the kids needed to hear some country music so we took them to a fun variety show called "Country Tonight". They played old and new country songs, and also did a nice tribute to gospel music. What can we say... we are a little bit country!!!

On our way to Texas we went through Arkansas, Mississippi and Louisiana. We visited the Civil War battle field at Vicksburg, Mississippi. There were many great things to see. The few that we found particularly interesting were some great remaining earth works (large mounds of earth built for protection), several large cannons, and a network of tunnels to help move the Union soldiers closer to Confederate lines. The battle at Vicksburg was one of the longest in the Civil War, lasting 47 days. There were a few attempts by the Union to overtake the Southern Army, and unsuccessfully, but most of the time was spent in a "stand off". The Union soldiers had cut off the supply line to the Confederates, and wanted to "smoke the out". The battle ended in a surrender of the Confederates. They were so sick and hungry, they could not fight. The Union Army's plan worked well.....

The highlight of the visit was the ironclad gun boat - the USS Cairo. This boat was struck by underwater mines in 1862, sinking in less than twelve minutes, with no loss of life. Because of the silt and sludge in the Yazoo River, the boat and her contents were preserved for over 100 years. The Cairo was raised in 1964 and later restored. Some of the artifacts that were recovered looked almost brand new including leather shoes, a thermometer, tools, and a large bell that had an air bubble trapped in it when they raised it over 40 years ago!

We hope that everyone is doing well. God bless!!

Visiting our friends....

As we moved West, we had the chance to spend time with some friends that we use to go to church with - The Miller, Merritts and the Kases. It was so fun to get caught up with these families!! We enjoyed the fellowship and fun we had with them. It was so nice to see the kids get along so well after so many years. We were so blessed that they opened their homes for us, and stopped what they were doing to spend time with our family. The smiles and hugs from familiar faces were so appreciated after a few months on the road. We hope that these precious families know how meaningful it was for us to be able to reconnect with them!!

Monticello, Appomattox and the D-Day Memorial

We are a little behind since we have been moving quickly across the country, so we are trying to get you caught up on our travels....

We spent the day at Thomas Jefferson's home - Monticello - in the beautiful mountains of Virginia. Monticello, or "small mountain", sits atop a most beautiful mountain in Central Virginia. The views were spectacular, and the grounds around the home were beautiful. Thomas Jefferson was a very interesting man. He was extremely well read, and considered an expert on any number of subjects which including weather, botany, history, and medicine. It was said that he would be reading 5-10 books at a time! One of the items at Monticello that we found fascinating was his famous entry clock. Not only did it display the time - inside and outside - but it also showed the days of the week. What made it so unique was that the entry had to be designed around the clock. Jefferson also had a large collection of Indian artifacts that he kept on display. And, most (65-70%) of the items at Monticello were original.

Since we were so close, we decided to stop in and visit the Appomattox Court House. This is where the Confederate Army surrendered to the Union Army in 1865. Our expectations were low, but we all were pleasantly surprised at how much we enjoyed this stop. They had a great museum, and a ranger gave an informative talk about how tough things were in Appomattox towards the end of the Civil War. We were able to see the room, and the famous tables, where General Grant and General Lee negotiated the terms of the surrender....

The next day we visited the D-Day Memorial in Bedford, Virginia. This World War II Memorial was constructed here in memory of the "Bedford Boys". In 1944, the city of Bedford sent 35 boys to engage in the D-Day Invasion, and 21 were killed - the most per capita killed in Normandy on June 6th, 1944. Matthew and Kevin really enjoyed looking at the bronze statue that represented Valor, Fidelity and Sacrifice. There was a staged replica of what the beach must have looked like the day of the invasion. There were simulated explosions, tank barricades and an AMTRAC transporter. It was incredible! This tribute to our soldiers was another reminder of the sacrifice that many have made for our freedom.

A special hello to Coastline Christian Academy

To those of you who may not know, we are fortunate enough to have Mrs. Underwood's 5th grade class at Coastline Christian Academy following our travels. As we make our way home and move west, we would like the class to pay careful attention to the route we will take home. We are going to move rather quickly so buckle up!! As of October 13th, we have visited 29 states and we have several more to go! We have traveled just under 8,000 miles in our motor home and logged an additional 3,000 miles in our tow vehicle. That's a lot of driving!

Our family has discussed some of our favorite places so far and here are a few of them.... Williamsburg, VA, Mount Rushmore, SD, Niagara Fall, NY, Washington D. C., Boston, MA., New York City, The Creation Musuem in KY, and the Lincoln Museum in IL.

We hope you are enjoying our tour of this beautiful country we live in! May God bless you.

Virginia Beach, Outer Banks and Kitty Hawk

We are a little behind in our blog entries, so we will try to get you caught up with where we have been.... The weather turned warm so we spent a few days in Virginia Beach. We were able to take a much needed day of rest and play miniature golf (they call if putt putt golf here) and play Bingo at the campground. Allison won $8.00!! Hooray! The next day, we drove to the Outer Banks in North Carolina and visited Kitty Hawk. You may remember that Kitty Hawk is the site where the Wright Brothers first successful powered driven air flight took place on December 17, 1903. It was special to be able to see where Orville and Wilbur made their first flight, after seeing the original airplane at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington D. C. They made four flights that day, and the longest was over 850 feet.... We then spent the afternoon playing at the beach where the sand is very soft and white. The girls read, and the boys threw the football... It is easy to see why the Outer Banks is a popular destination for those east of the Mississippi!

Harpers Ferry and Antietam

Hi Everyone,

We visited Harper's Ferry and Antietam before Williamsburg, but forgot to mention it. A possible senior moment.... We visited Antietam National Battlefield in Maryland. The bloodiest single day battle in the Civil War took place at Antietam, and the 24 acre "Corn Field" saw some of U.S. History's most horrific fighting. A Louisiana Brigade lost more than 60% of its men in under 30 minutes of fighting! How sad that day was. We were fortunate enough to see a Civil War Company reenactment while we visited the battlefield. They demonstrated different formations of fighting and the loading and firing of their muskets.

After Antietam we drove to West Virginia and visited the quaint town of Harper's Ferry, where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers border the states of West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. At one point, Harper's Ferry was going to be considered as the location of the US Capital, but because of the location and the flooding possibility, it never had happened.... Several important events occurred here, and many important and influential people visited Harper's Ferry. This town witnessed the 1st successful American railroad, John Brown's attack on slavery, the largest surrender of Federal troops during the Civil War, and was an armory and arsenal. Many famous people visited Harper's Ferry including Gen. Robert E. Lee, Frederick Douglas and Meriwether Lewis - of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. He came to obtain weapons for the Corps of Discovery and his expedition. Also, Thomas Jefferson was a frequent visitor of Harper's Ferry. In fact, Jefferson said, "The passage of the Potomac through the Blue Ridge Mountains is perhaps one of the most stupendous scenes in nature." We all agree with Mr. Jefferson! It was beautiful!

The town is part of the Appalachian Trail so we were able to walk 1 1/2 miles of it. We had our ice cream - and it was good - and kept on moving...

Blessings!

Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown....

We hope all of you are well. We have spent the last several days exploring Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. The history here is amazing! For those of you who might not remember the history of these three cities from our US History lessons, here's a quick rundown on each of the three cities..... By the way, they call this area the Historic Triangle....



Jamestown was one of the first towns settled by the British in 1607. Capt. John Smith arrived with about 150 people and they formed Jamestown, named after the King James himself. The first settlers were men and able bodied boys, and it wasn't until later that some ladies came over.... We visited the city of Jamestown, saw the ships that they sailed over on, and also had the opportunity to see what the Indian villages looked like. There is also a museum to walks through with various artifacts, and a glass blower shop - they were both fascinating!



Williamsburg was the capitol of Virginia until almost 1800. It was a bustling city and many events took place in Williamsburg at the outset of the Revolutionary War. The history is rich, and the city that is there today is very much the same as it was 200 years ago. We saw the Cabinetmaker's shop, the Gunsmith, the Wig making shop, the Blacksmith, etc... We toured the Capitol building and the Governor's Palace as well - both were very cool! And every day, they perform in the streets of Williamsburg, replaying some important event that happened in the city at the time. We saw George Washington and Patrick Henry speak, too. They were fantastic! Patrick Henry, as in real life, was a passionate man who was one of the most outspoken of our founding fathers.



Yorktown was the site of one of the most, if not the most important battle of the Revolutionary War. The proximity to the water and Great Britain's ability to cut off supplies to Virginia make this a strategic piece of land to fight for. The British occupied the area of Yorktown, and were fortifying it in case of battle. Col. George Washington had tricked the British into believing that the Continental Army was going to stay in New York. Washington and his Army marched 450 miles so they could surprise the British in Yorktown!! This was a "siege attack" - constant firing and lobbing of cannons with mortars and bombs. The battle went on for eight days!! This kind of attack is relentless, and it devastated the already tired and worn out British Army. This battle proved to break the backs of the British Army, and sent them out of Yorktown. This battle tipped the war in the direction of the Colonies, and even though the war lasted almost 2 more years, it was mostly political and the fighting was greatly reduced.

So, with that, here are a few of the highlights of the last week....

+We saw a "dig site" at Jamestown where they have uncovered some of the original foundations of the buildings - very interesting!

+The Army encampment of Yorktown - we saw a Musket and Cannon demonstration and Nancy was picked from the audience to be the captain and lead the "troops" - how appropriate(ha-ha)!

+We took a ferry ride across the bay - what a blast!

+And best of all, we met another homeschooling family - the McGlauns. What a great family. We hung out with them for a few days and saw the sights of the area. It was such a blessing to meet them! The kids got along well, and Nancy and I felt like we had known Greg and Donna for years. We hope to meet up with them someday soon....

So there you have it. You are up to speed on what we have been doing. May God bless you, and keep you!