The Grand Finale

So here is the place where we finished up our travels and rested and relaxed and played with frogs....ok, so not ALL of us played with frogs. But we did all have a good time. I was dreading the trip back, it seemed like we never really stopped traveling the whole time we were in Maine and then to make the looooong trip back, without feeling like we had much of a break, was not something I was looking forward to. So being able to stop at our friends house for 3 days was a wonderful way to break up the trip.The first afternoon we were Tom and Debi took us to the Flea Market in Shipshewana and, despite the crowds, we had a good time and saw lots of neat stuff. For the rest of our time we pretty much had a lazy day routine and just hung out while the kids played outside and got so dirty having fun that they needed a bath pretty much every night.

Here's Alana and her $1 Flea Market purchase.

One afternoon Daddy and Logan headed down back to the wetlands but didn't stay long on account of a certain someone thinking about the possible snappers, snakes, etc. that were hiding among the tall grasses.

We ALL fell in love with Gunner (named by a die-hard Marine who was in for 33 years!) He's the cutest puppy and it was good for the withdrawal I've been having....=(

The kids enjoyed playing inside when it rained since they found the toys - every grandparent has some hiding somewhere, right?

I took lots of pictures of my family and of the outside and of the view and the green - oh so pretty!

In the evenings we would stay up late (way to late =) and just talk and laugh and play games. We know that the Lord placed them in our lives for lots of reasons and we are blessed to call them friends.

Two pals....(AKA - peas in a pod) Making supper - yum!

Jesse was sick most of the last week we were traveling, including the time at Tom and Debi's, but he was chipper just the same most of the time.

Miss Debi made cookies and made the kids day by letting them help.

It's hard work helping!

One afternoon we walked over and invited their neighbors, and Amish family, over for a bonfire and dessert. It was so enjoyable to visit and talk with them - despite what we often think they are just people like we are and it was good to spend some time getting to know them. Monica and Jolene (19) talked about a wide variety of subjects, from weddings to ranching, and Zachery and Dwayne (12) sat on the porch and talked about lots of things as well, for example, how boring school is=)

Then came the time to head home. We had 18 hours left to go when we drove out the driveway. The Lord protected again on the way home as Matthew spotted a thin spot on one of our tires and was able to change it quickly before we got back on the road. I didn't take any more pictures of the states welcome signs or any scenery, by that time we were bored with it and just saw a lot of this....

and a lot of this...

And a TON of this!

Friday afternoon at around 3:30 our travels came to an end....We are so thankful for God's protection, for good meetings in 8 different churches, for time with family and friends, and for what a great time we had as a family being able to be together each and every day (while keeping our sanity)!