Two Weeks in July | Our Epic Road Trip

We might have been ambitious.  Or maybe others would call it crazy.  Regardless, we did it.

After celebrating Independence Day we embarked on a journey to see as many of our friends and ministry partners in the south as we could in the span of only two weeks! (We had a hard deadline of July 23 to wrap up this trip). When you're only in America a few months every couple of years, you have to make every day count!  Here's a very brief recap!  In spite of our tight schedule, we still didn't get to see everyone we wanted to see -- if you were someone we missed, please accept our apologies!

Week One

Friday night (7/7) we were with this gang northwest of Nashville, Tennessee!  We got to finally see Lindsey's horse farm which she's made into a thriving business! I think you can tell from the photo that we were a wild and fun bunch altogether!  On top of their own crew, they were watching a few extra kiddos while their mama was in the hospital delivering a baby.  Yeah, they're those kind of friends. :-)

Saturday morning (7/8)  we had coffee near Memphis with these friends through the Albanian adoption community.  Hoping we might get to see them again on the other side of the ocean someday!  And special thanks to Zach for allowing Ellie to play around on his violin... I think she may have yet another instrument she will want to learn...

Saturday afternoon, after years of online correspondence, we were thrilled to finally meet these ladies in person (below) in Little Rock!  We rocked our Albanian pride at the trampoline park!  You'd never have guessed the kids had never met before.  They hit it off beautifully!  #treshqiptaret

Sunday afternoon (7/9) we reached our destination for the next few days outside of Austin, TX with our good friends from Albania, the Schranks.  We got a few days of R&R and catching up with them.  I have to say it was kind of surreal to be with them in America after only knowing them in Albania. :-)  Gordon ran the language school where we studied Albanian.

On Tuesday (7/11) we were so happy it worked out to finally meet prayer warriors, the Callaways in San Antonio!  They made us an awesome lunch of brisket, BBQ and the trimmings. American food doesn't get much better than that.  The kids got to swim in their beautiful pool in the 103 degree Texas heat while the grown ups sat pool side and sweated off a few pounds acquired from the aforementioned brisket.

Wednesday evening (7/12) we shared with the Schranks' small group from Pack Saddle Fellowship (sorry, no photos!).  They were a lovely group with lots of questions and the most delicious lemon pound cake.  But Ellie will likely remember it as the place where she saw a fox in the yard.  And lots of deer.  Lots and lots of deer.

Thursday (7/13) we hit the road east and made it as far as West Monroe, Louisiana for the night, where we discovered we were just one mile from these folks (below)...we couldn't resist.  Our first time ever in Louisiana and this is what we saw.

Week Two

Friday (7/14) we took off from Louisiana and made it another 500+ miles for supper at Panera with these friends in Marietta, Georgia.  These friends didn't know each other but they had Albania in common so we thought, 'why not?'

Saturday morning (7/15) we were happy to meet up with our WGM missionary colleagues, Len and Betsy Phillips who will be moving to Albania this fall!  While we won't be working directly together, we look forward to having American teammates! (sorry, no photo)

Saturday night we were hosted in Toccoa by our friends, the Santors.  Then we worshiped Sunday morning at their church.  We were encouraged by the interest many there expressed!

Sunday night (7/16) we had a wonderful time with some old Asbury friends (below).  The kids had a wonderful sleepover together that was way too short.  Personally, I enjoyed Ricky's special pizza with applesauce, turkey bacon, and four cheeses!  AND seeing a postcard on their fridge of their village family that they regularly pray for.  Yay!!  It was a joy to give an update.

Monday (7/17) was amazingly our only cancellation in our entire itinerary.  My high school locker mate (who now lives in North Carolina) fell prey to a virus so we had to cancel lunch plans (sad face) so we kept right on trucking north and east until we arrived in Chesapeake, VA and visited one of my college roommates.  I was so glad that her parents came to join us for supper!  They so sweetly made me feel a part of their family many years ago it was only appropriate that they joined us too...  We laughed.  A Lot.  It was wonderful.

Tuesday (7/18) at noon we met former student friend, Joey, at a place off the interstate near Richmond.  He drove 2.5 hours to meet us for lunch.  We were humbled.  It had been 7 years... Sweet times over coffee at Dunkin Donuts.

Tuesday night we reunited with our friends from Albania, the Harris'!  They moved to the Washington D.C. area 11 months ago.  I don't think Ellie and Reni believed us when we told them last fall that they would get to see their friends again. It was fun to follow through on that promise.  The kids were a little wild with excitement. :-)

Wednesday (7/19) we met up for lunch with a former student friend, Kristie, and her family!  I'm SOOOO sad we forgot to take a selfie with them!  We were rather busy though -- where do you go on a hot summer day with young children?  The mall of course!  There was plenty to keep the kids busy when a mall has a Disney store, Lego Store, and a train. Thank you, "L" family, for a very special time together!

Wednesday night I got to see one of my former roommates from the days when I lived in Washington D.C. 20 years ago (gulp!).  It was a really special time in my life that I remember fondly.  While we don't keep in touch regularly, we picked right back up again...

Our hostess the two nights we stayed in the DC area was my good college friend, Jan.  Her home is truly an oasis.  Our time together is never long enough!

Thursday (7/20) we drove north past Gettysburg into Pennsylvania and met these wonderful folks who adopted Reni's orphanage 'brother'.  It was a super quick visit, but it was so good to see their family thriving!

Another three hours on the road and we made it to the suburbs of Pittsburgh where we met the Sofko siblings.  They SO sweetly planned a birthday party picnic to celebrate our birthdays (Nathan's is in May, Ellie's in June, and Reni's in July). It was complete with cake and ice cream and birthday cards and gifts.  Wow!  We felt so loved.

Then another 90 minutes on the road and we got to the McCready home.  They are dear friends from our early days in Kentucky.  We are so grateful for our friendship that has lasted all these years.

The finally on Friday, two weeks after we said goodbye at the lake, we were back again with Nathan's parents, this time at their home in Central Ohio.  Pictures from that visit to come later...

In the mean time, I just want to say we are so grateful to our wonderful network of friends who hosted us, fed us, prayed for us and encouraged us!  We couldn't do what we do in Albania without you behind us!