Park Place

Oct. 5, 2008 -

Fall Creek Falls

This is a beautiful State Park near Crossville, TN. The picture shows only the bottom half of the falls.  While we didn't hike to the bottom of this water fall, we did go play in the river at a different spot.  I think the girls could have stayed here for hours!

We popped up the camper here and spent the night.  It was a beautiful place!  

Oct. 4, 2008 -

Cherokee National Park

Our first stop is lunch at the park.  This park is in the Tennessee mountains.  It was a beautiful place for our first picnic.  The girls had a great time running around and stretching after the car ride.  Our goal is to reach Fall Creek Falls Park for our first campsite.  It is a 6 hour drive from home. 

For those of you who don't know much about this trip, my girls and I are traveling with another homeschool family to see some of the historic sites in the USA.  We will travel together as far as Oklahoma before we continue on different routes.  We feel priviledged to be able to take our children out into the world to learn instead just reading everything in a book.  Though we LOVE our books.

One thing we noticed as we drove around was that the water levels in all of the lakes and rivers appear to be much lower than they might normally be.  We based this observation on the exposed dirt banks of the waters edge.

Though we are starting out with a plan, and a possible schedule, we are leaving ourselves open to the adventure and where it may take us.  We are leaving our watches at home!

We will update the page as we can.  Keep checking back.  There are adventures to come.

Oct. 1, 2008 -

We're on the road!

     We have been on the road for 4 days now and are having a blast! We have been in 5 states and have a lot to report.  I underestimated my wifi options.  This is the first site to have that option.  It is currently past bedtime so I will update things tomorrow.  I just wanted to post to let you know we are out and about.  Watch for the pictures to come.

Sep. 23, 2008 -

Moving M&M

We are headed out again soon!

We had such a great time last year that we will do it again.  We have expanded our journey and invited friends.  We will be stopping at many historical sites along the way.  Our goal is to keep you posted as we go.  I found out last year that a daily update is nearly impossible.  Some sites don't have free internet access and sometimes the day is just too busy.  We will do our best to keep you posted.  In genereal, we do not stay in one place more than one night until I start visiting family in Texas.  So if there's no post, we're still moving and will catch you up as soon as we can.

If you and your children are following along on our journey, we would love for you to indroduce yourself here on the blog.  This is a homeschool trip and want to share it with others.  

We would love to know what state you live in.  Just click the comment link below.
(Please remember your internet saftey rules and only give your first name or nickname and your state.  Please never leave personal conact info on the blog.)

If you really want to get into it, you can ask your kids to submit a question/challenge to my kids that they can answer from information they collect at the visitors center in the state where you live.  We always stop at the visitors center.  We will start in NC and head west to Kansas and then south through Texas before returning to NC.

The M&M pictured above is our traveling mascot.  He goes everywhere with us. 

Our next update will be from the road.  Watch to see where the Moving M&M shows up next!

Oct. 13, 2007 -

Oct. 12, 2007 -

On the Road Again
Arkansas
Not my photo
Hot Springs

   We camped in Hot Springs.   This is a really nice little town.  We had such a nice moring.  We did find the hot springs.  When they say hot, they meat HOT!  I had plans on relaxing my feet in the warm water - NOT!

Oct. 7, 2007 -

Texas is HOT

We have made it to Texas and it is hot!

Oct. 6, 2007 -

Louisiana

We are only a long day away from our destination so the girls want to press on.  We did not stop to see anything in the state.  What was noteworthy though were the things you couldn't see.  Most of the rest stops and state attractions near Baton Rouge were still closed.  There was no where for us to visit.  As we traved west, the trees to the south were still nearly stripped of vegitaiton.  They had vines growing up them and new undergrowth but it was clear that something devistating had happened.

We need to continue to keep them in our prayers.

Oct. 5, 2007 -

Gators

Our camping location was filled with Gator fans getting ready for the Big Game on Saturday.  Our destination is the beach.  We traveled south through the Florida panhandle then crossed over Perdido Bay into Alabama.  We spent the night there then crossed back into Florida and spent the moring at the beach.  The girls had a great time and we very comfortable here. 

Oct. 4, 2007 -

We made it to the Gulf Coast!

We beached at Perdido Bay and then drove to the Gulf Coast side for some fun.

By now, Addison is having a hard time keeping up with what state she is in.  But she loves the adventure.  She has finally given up guessing where we are and just answers, "China" with a big grin.  She knows our destination though.  Today was mostly driving and beach time.

Oct. 3, 2007 -

    Our traveling M&M discovered a place called Cow Pens.  A battle took place during the revolutionary  war here.  They the visitors center helps you to imagine how the two sides met each other in the field.  If your up for the journey, see if you can find out how this area got it's name.  This served as a great lunch stop for us.

Moving on . . .

Georgia

    Stone Mountain was a great place to stay.  There was so much more to do than we could squeeze in.  We even extended our stay an extra day.  We decieded to have the full Atlanta experience and take the Marta into town.  For those of you in the big cities, you are used to this.  But it was a new experience for this country girl!  The girls loved it! 
    It's late here, we crossed into the central time zone today so our day has been an hour longer.
Keep watching for more info.

Aug. 11, 2007 -

       

Oct. 30, 2006 - Walk to Emmaus

          I just returned from an amazing walk with the Lord.  Christ truely met me as I journeyed through the weekend.  I had tried for two years to find a sponsor for this journey.  God finally sent me a sponsor.  I know now that this was the time I needed to go, not two years ago.  My experience and support would not have been the same had I gone earlier.

          It is hard to put into words the experience that I had.  The weekend was about personal spititual formation.  While I consider myself a woman of faith and I gave my heart to Jesus long ago, I discovered that I was still holding back.  Keeping a part of me and that stood as an obsticle to truely experience the love of God.  I left those obsticles there.  I pray everday now that I do not choose to pick them up again.  I pray that I can take the love I felt and messages I heard into the world and help others.

          The grace God has to offer us immeasureable.  It was a blessing to see the Holy Spirit working through everyone present.  I made new friends and learned new ways to worship.  I learned how to take my life lessons and use them for God.  I learned that I can lean on God's strength, not my own.  I prayed more than I have ever prayed in my life. (That includes taking youth on mission trips.  I thought I prayed alot then!)  God met me where I was, leaned down to kiss me and wrapped me in his loving embrace!!!

          If you want to hear more about my personal experience on this walk, please email me.  I don't want to put everything here on the blog because I do not want to spoil the gift for those who have yet to go.  If you are interested in learning more about it and finding a Walk near you, try this link. http://www.upperroom.org/emmaus.

Sue

Table of Elizabeth

Emmanual Emmaus Walk #90