I can’t believe it’s April.
I can’t believe Easter has come and gone.
How many times have I said that time is flying by? How many more times in the next month will I repeat this exact same thing?
On the road again: Last week Wednesday we packed up our Red Bird Cabin and made the short drive to Ray & Barb’s motorhome campground. I was not 100 percent convinced that Tony’s parents had room for all four of us to stay with them in their RV, but I can admit when I’m wrong—plenty of room and a wonderful time! When we got to the campground, temps were in the 80s so we all made our way to the outdoor pool. That’s where we first became acquainted with the official pastime of the RV resort—sitting and chatting. (It’s a highly specialized activity!!) With all the couples they’ve met and befriended on their travels, there’s never a shortage of visiting or sharing stories or playing music and laughing. Fascinating people from all over the country—we also loved hearing all the different accents.
After happy hour we had dinner, then went for a walk around the campground. By the time we made it back to the motorhome, it was time for visiting around the campfire. Had the winds not picked up and the rain started, I don’t know what time we would have gone inside! Such a wonderful day with a fun crew.
On Thursday morning, Tony and I took off for a few kid-free days of travel. (The girls were more than happy to get a break from their parents and stay with Ray & Barb at the campground.) Our first stop was St. Augustine, where we climbed the 219 steps to the top of the lighthouse for unbeatable views of Anastasia Island and the surrounding waterways. Breathtaking…or was I just out of breath? All that climbing makes you hungry, so we found a fantastic Irish pub for lunch. We made it to Mass for Holy Thursday at the Cathedral Basilica and then met THE MOST AMAZING ghost tour guide on the planet. “Matt the Undertaker” is literally a funeral director by day and what he calls a “Ghosty Hosty” at night. If you ever get to St. Augustine, you definitely want to hear his theatrical presentation. The man dressed in costume (top hat and cape) and spoke in rhyme. Best ghost tour ever!
After drinking from the Fountain of Youth on Friday morning, Tony and I set our sights on Savannah, Georgia. I told him the Bonaventure Cemetery (which was in full bloom) was the most beautiful cemetery I’d ever seen. He added, “I think this is one of most beautiful places I’ve ever seen.” We also checked out Forsyth Park, where we saw a family having a picnic with their pet pig and watched a live proposal in front of the fountain. Love is in the air! We made it to dinner at the Dockside Seafood Restaurant, followed by drinks at the Rusty Rudder; pretty sure we only scratched the surface of the Savannah night life. Would love to go back some day.
Broullire, party of 8: On Saturday, we reunited with Tony’s parents and the girls at Zac and Tammy’s new house in Beaufort, South Carolina. Driving into town again was so surreal; it felt simultaneously like a million years and yet five minutes since we’d said goodbye to our son and daughter-in-law in December. And I somehow forgot how beautiful the scenery is in Beaufort.
The newlyweds made an excellent decision in purchasing their first home—an updated 3-bedroom bungalow on a small lake with its own dock. Incredible views, lots of birds and wildlife but no fish on Tony’s hook. We had dinner together on Saturday night and attended Easter morning Mass outdoors. (Certainly can’t do that in Wisconsin!) But the best part, of course, was just being together. The girls were ecstatic to play with Zac and Tammy’s two German shepherds, a male dog named Max and an all-white little girl named Millie. It was hard to say goodbye to them and Tony’s parents on Sunday afternoon, but it won’t be too long before we get to see everyone again.
Time for Vitamin Sea: Now the four of us are on Hilton Head Island; it was only about an hour from Beaufort to our beachy townhouse here. We can have our toes in the sand in less than 10 minutes if we walk—even faster if we take bikes, which pretty much everyone on the island does. Tony just has to have his fishing pole caddy attached to his bike, and he’ll be set for the next two weeks. I’m looking forward to finding some local seafood and soaking up some UV rays. And relaxing. In the past week, I’ve stayed in six different places. Time to fully unpack and settle in for a little bit.
To God be the glory: With every week that goes by and every new state we visit, I’m continually amazed and grateful at how smoothly most things have gone. Yes, we have had our annoyances and minor spats along the way—that’s just to be expected. But we are all still in good health. Tony’s job continues to go well. Our van is plugging along like a champ, and the weather at this moment could not be any more beautiful. In years past, I might have chalked all that up to coincidence and good planning, but I know now without a shadow of a doubt that God has blessed this journey for us. Every week when we go to Mass, I say a prayer of gratitude for all the things that have already gone right and lift up a request for continued health and safety as we go. Lately, with each passing day that brings us closer to the end of our journey and return to Wisconsin, I’ve been asking for the peace and patience to fully enjoy each and every moment of this adventure, and for the faith to trust that everything will turn out exactly as it should.
We hope you all had an amazing Easter and that the joy of the resurrection and the coming of spring fill your hearts and your lives with warmth and peace!! Tell us what you are up to in the comments!