One Minute Off and Other Firsts

We’ve just finished what many along the way have termed the “road trip of a lifetime.”

Most said such because of the historical sites we were privileged to see. Some who called it that were rangers working for the National Park Service, which celebrates its 100th birthday this year and hosts millions annually to famous sites where America’s future was shaped. To stand with my children on Jamestown soil, in numerous battlefields of the revolutionary and civil wars, on the floors of today’s house of representatives and of Independence Hall where the paths to our freedom have been discussed, debated and decided, and to tour the capitol of our nation, brought our studies of American history to life. We were moved, amazed, awed and impacted together.

Yet, friends and family members brought even deeper enjoyment to our three week journey.

It was a journey of firsts! First time for the kids and Geoff to meet some of my relatives; for the kids and I to meet some of Geoff’s relatives; to see my College friends Geoff and the kids hadn’t known; be with former New Hope missionaries we’d never seen in their homes this side of the globe and to experience together 24 states in this great union.

Thank you to those who have continued to support us while we’ve been stateside. Your faithfulness to us through prayer and finances enabled us to take this social, historical and educational tour!!!!

We ended our longest road trip to date on Sunday and as we set off from Illinois headed to Denver, Geoff predicted we’d arrive at his parents home at 8:15 p.m. There were times during road work delays and thunderstorms that we all wondered if his time would hold true, but we entered the driveway at 8:16 p.m. He called the arrival time of a 16-hour road trip only one minute off from the actual! I think he's superman!

We realized our kids had NEVER had bubblegum! We remedied that on this trip!

Visiting with the Mitchell's in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Sweet!!!

We went a little bit off the main trail and spent an evening with cousins I hadn't seen for a bazillion years. We thoroughly enjoyed our time with them and they certainly know how to host!

We all signed a piece of the copper that will be applied to the USS Constitution as it is refitted during its current dry dock session in Boston, MA. The kids were enthralled at the USS Constitution Museum and the ship itself.

Making our way towards Lexington and Concord we were pleasantly surprised to find Louis May Alcott's Orchard Home in Massachusetts.

You know you're getting old when you're nephew and his family take you out to dinner and not only pay for it, but also treat you with specialty coffees and other gifts to take back with you to Africa!!! I am so proud of Seth and his wife Delilah and their son Judah. I praise God for His work in their life.

Acacia and I pose with our ancestor's statue in Haverhill, MA. Story goes that she took matters and a hatchet into her own hands and gave her captors a dose of their own medicine when she scalped them. Don't mess with the women in our family!

Geoff gets his inner gangsta on at Faneuil Hall in Boston during some African American street performers' antics. He was chosen to be a part of the program complete with dancing and lots of humor at the "rich white man's" expense.

Toby was sincerely loved on and treasured by Sonya Hoover. It was fun to watch her follow him around.

The Britthoo school members revisited! Being with the Hoover's in PA was therapy.

The boys car was full of fun on the way to the Hershey Chocolate Tour!

Our Sunday dinner with the Hoover family was a Rolex fest in which everyone played a part and we all ate well. Geoff and Saraiah put together the Rolex's, while Sheldon fried the eggs, Acacia and Hosanna rolled out the chapatis for Toby and Hadassah to fry while Kevin, Mindi and I cut veggies. Yum.

Hosanna and Acacia rolled out the Chapatis for our Sunday dinner.

Creek Stomping in PA with the Hoovers kept the kids smiling for a LONG time!

Hoover and Britton family kids at the Hershey Tour

Toby and Acacia driving the boat on the Duck Tour in Boston

Everybody pose before we take the Duck plunge! It was a great tour of Boston!

Selfie with "Josiah Quincy" our tour guide on the Freedom Trail in Boston. I highly recommend taking one of these walking tours. He shared so much history and did it in an interactive format.

At Independence Hall in Philadelphia. George Washington's chair is in the far right of the picture. The chair of the "Rising Sun" so called by Benjamin Franklin for the sun rising on our freedoms.

In Washington DC we walked!!!!!!!! Literally between 8 and 10 miles one day! And while our feet were overwhelmed with ache, our hearts and minds were taken with the sacrifices made on behalf of our lives and freedom.

Geoff, his cousins and aunt in Fredericksburg, VA. They were sweet hosts and it was great to catch up.

Our favorite pose--the selfie! In Washington DC near the Washington monument.

And . . . a selfie at the White House. This is as close as they were letting anyone get on the day we were there.

The boys investigate one of the Yorktown, VA battlefields. The site of a decisive battle in the Revolutionary War.

The Liberty Bell was an inspiration to us all.

Toby was  so excited (as you can see) for this Lincoln Memorial selfie.

Silence at the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  We were in awe.

The chamber in the capitol building where early congress debated and decided our futures. The book on the desk signifies Charles Sumner's position in the room. We have never forgotten his story from our studies. Sometimes the debate on slavery became so heated that violence broke out. It deeply impacted us knowing that he was beaten so badly as he defended abolition that he was debilitated for four years.

The kids at the desk of one of our Colorado Representatives.

Acacia in front of the words for the Gettysburg Address which she memorized three years ago.

The Washington Mall was a fun walk!

We connected with my YWAM Switzerland roommate, Elizabeth, and her husband in Alexandria, VA. She and I found a lot of common ground as we discussed the happenings of the years we've spent apart. Neither one of us felt very good the night we visited, but it didn't matter--we loved catching up!

A peculiar road side site in the Montgomery, AL area.

Feeding the ducks and turtles at Linda and Jan's was a favorite activity.

At Martin Luther King Jr.'s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Wanda gave us a tremendous tour and we loved being with Jan and Linda as were heard about the triumphs of the civil rights movement.

It was moving to seeing this original Confederate Flag in Montgomery, AL, at the First White House of the Confederacy.

Uncle Jan brought us teriyaki grasshoppers from Japan!

The Triggs. Loved seeing my dear Pepperdine friend and her family in SC!

In the cockpit of the C130. Our private tour was beyond our wildest imaginations! Thanks Uncle Jan!

In Alabama we ATE and ATE and ATE and it was Good! Linda is a wonderful sister and fantastic cook!

Love the bathroom sign at the BBQ restaurant!

Yup. He wore this shirt on purpose for eating BBQ!!!!

Posing with the staff at Champ's BBQ

Uh, Oh! somebody is in trouble in the south!

With my childhood friend, Mark Crawford, and his family in Nashville, TN, who fed us well and treated us to an enjoyable evening.

Checking Kevin's bullseye

Geocaching! it made the road trip an adventure.

We are now in the throes of the final couple of weeks of our stay stateside. It has been rich and full. We fly on July 5th and will sleep in our home in Uganda on the 7th.