LAST DAY ON THE ROAD

It hasn't worked out to bring the daily updates on our progress eastward as I had originally planned.

Here's an overview of the past few days. Van Horn- San Antonio- Lafayette- New Orleans- Biloxi- Mobile. We enjoyed stops at the river walk and the Alamo in San Antonio, TX as well as the French Quarter in New Orleans, LA. We slept in Daphne, AL last night, which is on the far side of the bay from Mobile, AL. Today we plan to press on to our new home in Lulu, FL.

Along the way there has been a lot of "oohing" and "ahhing" at the scenery. After driving through the parched wastelands of Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas- Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama appear to have an embarrassment of riches in the water department. Everything is swampy and green. A lot of empty miles to just think. I like empty-mile daydreaming. With the increase in water has come an increase in the road kill seen alongside the interstate. Really, until east Texas there wasn't much road kill to speak of. I am grateful for the comedic stylings of Jim Gaffigan on my I-Pod for getting me through some of the longer stretches of Texas. Last night we permitted ourselves a detour along the Gulf coast, which was beautiful.

I have never been to a number of these states we've traveled through, and I have to say that at first blush I like them. I was especially impressed with Texas. San Antonio is a wonderful city. Louisiana was also special, and the gulf coast in Mississippi seemed nicer than average.

The cheapest gas we have seen was $2.95 in Slidell, LA. It has been over a decade since CA has seen gas that cheap.

There have been a lot of emergency pee stops, both on the side of the howling interstate and in some of our nation's most unwholesome bathrooms.

Jack threw up twice.

Sarah has been collecting Starbucks mugs from each state we pass through only to find that, according to the Starbucks employees in Biloxi, no such mug exists for Mississippi, and "maybe not for Alabama either." They are a little upset about that, but not as much as my wife. She is vexed.

We have celebrated at each state line by taking one last gulp of air in the state we are leaving and holding our breath as long as we can into the next state. Then hooting and hollering. Now we only have one more state line to cross as we pass into Florida. If our van is found crashed on the far side of the state line you will know that I held my breath too long.

Today the road trip adventure will give way to the Lulu adventure.

Please be praying for us, especially the kids, during this time of transition.