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| We stopped to mark the moment we were driving out of NY state. |
Slowly, I'm beginning to shed this zombie feeling and coming back to my normal senses. I say slowly because I have not yet gotten out of bed today and this may be only a very short-lived state of being. I've had a chance to pray and ponder with my Maker this morning and feel a bit like my right mind is being returned to me. I say right mind in that I'm more attentive to my state of utter need and brokenness. Funny how that works, huh?
When we visited Austin as a family for the first time we discovered, among many wonderful things, that our "new normal" for this season includes a family-sized emotional meltdown on a rhythm of approximately every other day. On our return to Austin, we're keeping that rhythm pretty strictly. Last evening would be a good example.
While I won't share the details here, you can probably imagine pretty well what two depleted parents, four emotionally-drained teenagers and one slightly stressed-out doggie hitting a new city tired, hungry and out of clean laundry might look like. We hit a wall where our desire to feel like we're on a great adventure and our desire to curl up in a ball in our old bedrooms and watch Spongebob ran smack dab into each other. It wasn't pretty.
It's a good reminder that we are finite. Yes, we were made for glory. But we still need a good meal and clean underwear. These are the facts. And, while I'd like to report that we've experienced the grand old town of Louisville, mostly we've been holed up in the Residence Inn on East Market Street, thankful for laundry facilities and a free soup and salad supper served at the same time we checked in last night.
Here's the photo diary of our first days on the road:
1. Endicott, NY to Marion, OH
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Brian worked really hard to set Duchess up in the back of the Tahoe
with food, drink, a kennel and towels to burrow to her heart's content.
About 8.5 minutes into the trip she figured out how to climb
the tower of suitcases and jumped into Natalie's lap.
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Sunday evening-ish
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Our little wagon-train. We're staying connected
through CB radios and twin GPS's
. Thank God for technology!
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Sunday, approximately 7:30pm.
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2. Marion, OH to Cincinnati, OH
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We used hotel points to stay in a Fairfield Inn approximately
30 minutes out of Columbus. Monday morning,
we headed south in Ohio toward Cincinnati.
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Trying to catch up on sleep.
Andrew and Alex took turns driving the long drive out of NY on Sunday.
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The route between Columbus and Cincinnati was beautiful.
Quintessential heartland.
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Also, quintessential "Bible belt". God help us.
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3. Cincinnati, OH to Louisville, KY
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Alex has a friend from Page School he wanted to visit in Cincinnati
so the rest of us found ways to enjoy the city for a few hours.
I was excited to visit the real neighborhood
"Over the Rhine". I've been told it's experiencing a revitalization
and I applaud the efforts! Unfortunately, most
of the quirky shops and galleries are closed on Mondays.
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yummy lunch and decompress for a bit. They showed us beautiful hospitality.
And lots of delicious iced tea.
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Alex and his buddy Scott
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I'd like to come back and explore Cincy again.
Old river-side city character aplenty!
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| But, it's time to move on. Kentucky in the front window! |
