Blog

Well, it seems as though we’ve been on the road forever, and we’re all running down. We speak in Richmond for the next couple of days, visit Jamestown for the big 400th anniversary celebration and then head home. Ahhhhh, home. Everyone is excited to stretch out and sleep in their own beds.

The RV has been running a little rough (although it runs good after it warms up). I’ve checked the few things that I know to check and it doesn’t seem too urgent. I would ask for your prayers that we’ll get home without incident so I can get it fixed before we head out for Ohio in 2 weeks.

Greetings form Arkansas, “the Natural State.” It is mighty pretty around here, and today we spent a chunk of the day looking for diamonds at Crater of Diamonds State Park. I think this is the only place in the world where you can hunt for diamonds and keep all that you find…which for us was just a bunch of rocks, mud, and good memories. I know the boys liked wading through the mud, but I’m not sure precious little Maggie Rose liked the feeling of 10 lbs. of mud stuck to the bottom of her flip-flops.

The sun is shining, and the family is swimming while I type this and stand guard while Caleb takes a nap. We pulled into Disney’s Fort Wilderness two days ago and have been enjoying our favorite family destination…or as Katherine likes to call it ‘paradise’.

When we pulled in to register I heard a voice say, “Aren’t you the Familyman?” I turned to meet another dad from PA who had just arrived with his family. Disney was right, “It’s a small world after all.”

Man, there is nothing like the smell of the salt, the warmth of the sun, and the roar of the ocean…especially to an Indiana family that has spent the last 5 weeks cooped up in a tight RV. The kids have had a blast on Edisto Beach (SC), and it’s nice to relax for a couple of days.

OK, if you’ve just come from the Familyman Weekly you know we got stuck on a steep incline. So I won’t repeat all the details. If you didn’t read the account, click here.

Besides being stuck, I’ve finally come to grips with the incredibly high price of gas (although in PA it’s around the $2.85 range). I just decided you can either cut bait or fish. You know, you can either pay the high price or sit at home and wait for the price to come down (which may never happen). Besides, I’ve found that God is bigger than gas prices. So…bring it on Exxon (just kidding…ha).

Before I give you an update on all the good stuff that’s been happening, let me just start by complaining about the gas prices!!!!!!!! 75 gallons at $3.25!!!!! Augggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m OK now.

Finally a little peace and quiet…could be because I’m sitting in Panera Bread sending this out while the rest of the family is out in the RV. We’ve had a great week…after the tire blow-out on the highway…and met a bunch of great dads and moms at the Kansas City Expo Center.

After traveling to Peoria, where we were able to encourage (and be encouraged by) lots of great dads and moms, we made our way to Hannibal, MO – boyhood home of Mark Twain. It was neat, and the kids hardly complained about being at a dead guy’s hometown. It helped that we have been reading The Adventures of Tom Sawyer at night. We saw of few sights, bought some souvenirs (see Familyman Show – travel edition) and stopped at Long Branch State Park where we stayed the night…and Ben (13) almost killed himself on the playground.

Elvis has left the building!!!! The raccoon is out for good, she took 3 of the 5 babies away to someone else's house, and my raccoon-loving wife passed the remaining 2 babies off onto some lady who cares for wild animals.Home

Houston, we have a problem! The furry kind. The kind that chews through the ceiling…has babies…and can take over the entire house!!! Well, I chased out the mamma, captured the babies, and sealed up the opening. Victory…or so I thought.

The next morning mamma was back and had ripped off the seal and taken up residence in my house…again. Tonight, is my last chance before we leave tomorrow morning…then I have to figure out something else.