200 days...

Hello again, 

It seems the only time I have to make a post is while we are driving. This whole trip has been a whirlwind. Between planning routes, driving & riding the routes, visiting new areas, regular life duties (groceries, laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc), and my classes, there is rarely a spare moment before we crash into bed at abnormally early hours. Everything is starting to blend together in my memory... was that Missouri? Or Colorado? Or was it North Carolina? New Mexico or Arizona? Which stop in Texas was that? I know, I shouldn't complain, we are incredibly blessed to have been given this opportunity. And I'm really not complaining, just commenting. 

Where have we been since our last chat, you ask? Well,  let's see...

We stayed in College Park Maryland for 7 nights. While we were there, we gained a passenger. he 3 of us ladies got to explore our first Ikea.

We toured Washington DC via the Olde Town on and off Trolley. I highly recommend using this company, or a similar on and off tour, for big cities. The drivers we road with were full of great information. Everytime we reboarded the trolley we learned something new. 

In addition to learning about our nation's Capitol, the girls learned how to navigate a bus system, how to navigate the metro train system, how to read a written map, and how to use Google Maps to get walking directions and how to follow those directions using street signs and landmarks to get where you want go. So much learning! 

We really pushed the girls in the afternoon, they wanted a "break" after riding the trolley all morning and having lunch at the Hard Rock Cafe. (I think all of our kids will have a rude awakening when they return to a full in person school day... with no naps). I rejected the break request and we began our walking tour of monuments, which continued until it was clear that no ice cream treat was going to pep them up again. It was a solid 12 hour day.  They did great. 

We went to Six Flags America where Mike and I rode every rollercoaster - all 8 of them. This park was a little less impressive in the sanitary and PPE department,  but we met no lines and had a fabulous full day. 

We also went to the only smithsonian museum currently open,  the National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Oh my, don't skip this one if you are in the area. It's not on the Mall like the rest, but it is amazing. And they have the space shuttle Discovery there. That did it for me. Childhood dreams achieved! 

We spent 4 days in Amish Country Pennsylvania recovering from our big city adventure.  We were in Manheim,  which is in Lancaster County.  Everything there is just so green and relaxed. We got fresh veggies and homemade rootbeer (YUM!) from an Amish farmstand. And spent a stormy afternoon exploring an indoor market in Bird-in-Hand, PA. We had the best hand made soft pretzels ice ever had there. Yum.

Then we moved on to Port Republic, New Jersey. We went to Six Flags Great Adventure where we were all very disappointed. While we were required to have timed passes for entry, it did not appear that the passes were being enforced. The crowds were slightly less than you would normally see. Our fellow visitors were not respecting social distancing or wearing masks. There was also a severe lack of sanitizer available, in comparison to the other parks we've visited. We were only able to ride 2 rides all days due to lines. The rides we were able We opted not to return to the park for a second day as planned, due to health risks.

We visited Ocean City,  NJ instead. The girls really enjoyed the boardwalk and the freedom to wander and explore the shops in this "dry" beach city. There were friendly police stationed all along the boardwalk, ensuring the safety of the many small groups of young teens. It was a great alternative to Atlantic City, which we heard was full of crime and drugs. 

Today, is day 200 of our adventure. And today, we officially entered "home" into our GPS. It is both exciting and terrifying for me to be returning home. But home is where we belong. Home is where school is, whatever that will look like this year. Home is where our parents and other friends and family are. Home is where we are safe, where life is predictable, where our "real" life is. So... we're coming home! 

I'm not sure if this will be my last post or not. I'm sure I'll have more to say, just not sure if anyone is interested in hearing me. If you feel strongly one way or the other, I invite you to comment on this post and let me know. I have enjoyed sharing our journey over the last 7 months. It has been amazing from beginning to end. We've all learned so much about one another that would not have been possible had we not be crammed into our tight tiny home. We have seen so many amazing things. We have truly been blessed. 

So with that, I will sign off for now. Have a safe and healthy day. Remember to pay attention to the little things. Those are the things that make our lives full and purposeful. Love one another. Seek peace. Life is short.