You should see our van.  I’ll try to take photos later today.  It’s so stuffed.. only two girls .. but TWO weeks.  We spent all Monday afternoon taking stuff to the car.  Judi asked she could use a big black trash bag for her clothes.  It seemed a little odd, but I couldn’t think of a reason to say no, and was just glad she had had time to get her laundry done after just returning from youth camp in FL.  Got to love my big washer and drier.  

Judi told me later that she didn’t feel like she had time to plan out outfits and pack them all so threw ALL her clothes in the trash bag. Ha!  I mentioned hoping Suzanne had coset space for us.. she said.. all she needed was the floor.  Any given day, if you were to come see her room, you’d see a sea of clothes on the floor.  I’ve tried saying, “No driving ’till your clothes are picked up.” and that works sometimes…  I told her she couldn’t live like that at Suzanne’s.

Judi and I made it to MO yesterday.  It was a long drive.  Judi drove a total of 5.5 hrs and I drove 3.  So nice to be able to crash in the hotel.  It’s work for me when she drives, too.  

The very minute I started getting a little comfortable with her driving and the road we were on and thought about getting my knitting out she decided to try to throw away something, went off the left shoulder of the road and it was a few swerves before she had control of the car again.  Focus.  Shortly after an 18 wheeler decided to turn left and she just made it around his tail without hitting the car in the right lane beside her.  Does that count as my cardio work out for the day?

The only other scare we’ve had so far was when another 18 wheeler lost his tire and I had no time to go around it.. so I went right over it. It was almost a whole tire and felt a good bump under my car, flew up a little and the CD player stopped for a bit.  The car seems OK.  Thank you, Jesus and all the heavenly angels watching over us!

After lunch, Judi wanted to drive again and before we knew it we were in the Ozarks.  We cut through the Northeastern corner and they weren’t too bad.. up, down and around and around…  They had wide shoulders on the curviest parts.  There weren’t really any speed limit’s there.. just lots of caution curve ahead and a suggested speed signs.  The trucks coming the other way scared Judi at first.. especially the ones crossing the yellow lines but she got the hang of it and enjoyed the challenge.  

We had a good time listening to the new CD’s that we bought for the trip, ate lunch at a Cracker Barrel and dinner at an Applebees; threw away our leftovers because we don’t have a fridge. I found an all natural, corn free soda on a corn free list that they actually carry at this new heath food grocery store near us.  I got to drink a whole soda for the first time in 5 years.  Felt so spoiled.  The root beer was really good.  I won’t make a habit of drinking it.. ’cause they have a bunch of sugar in them.. but it’s nice to have a treat.
We’ve got 4 more hours to go ‘tll we get to KS and the wedding.  Keep us in your prayers.
Love, 
J