Christine

It is Thursday, November 2, 2006, I am finally getting a chance to write down a few thughts from this incredible journey. It truly is an "incredible" journey, and sometimes I have to pinch myself to make sure that this is really my life right now. And yes it is!

It has been just two and a half weeks that we have been traveling on this United States adventure, but it feels like we have been doing this a very long time. Then I have to stop and think we really have been doing this since August 4th when we sold our house and belongings, packed up what was left, and left Syracuse to housesit for our friends Sondra and Steven in Nyack, NY. Then you add in our 5 and a half weeks that we were in Italy. It has been almost three months. Wow!

People ask us all the time if we just won the lottery or are you independently wealthy. The answer obviously is "NO". We do have to take time to remember all the hard work that went in to making this happen. Then when we sold the house that we spent three years REALLY building ourselves we were able to make this dream happen.

I believe that to fully live the life that God created you to live you have to pay attention to the dreams that are in your heart, and then you have to see what He tells you about how to make them happen. Sometimes I think he gives you the wisdom to make it happen, and then you really have to work very hard to make it happen. Here He is teaching us a work ethic. Then there are other times that He gives you a dream and says now wait, and I will open the doors and you will see it happen. Those times are when the Lord is working on your faith. Although when those doors open you are still going to have work.

Today we are in Corpus Christi,TX. Texas is a really big state and we have been running the East coast of it. I really do not like what we have experienced so far in Texas. Also the beaches have brown ocean water.

Everywhere you look there are all these huge chemical plants. I can't imagine what is in the air that we are breathing right now or the water we shower in (definitely we are not drinking it). We both feel the same about it. So we are on our long journey out of it towards New Mexico. The state of NM looks incredibly beautiful at least from pictures that we have seen.

So far Florida has been the best state. St. Augustine Beach is the favorite beach as of now. There are still places there on the east coast of Florida that we might have to go back to investigate. Although now we are going West to the California coast eventually. I look forward to seeing my friend Brenda there too.

Another amazing aspect of this journey is all the time that Trace and I spend together. Traveling like this is a great test of your compatability. I would say that we pass with flying colors.

Basically we have been spending 24/7 together ever since our trip to Italy. Well of course minus our week in Syracuse between adventures, but most of that too. Yes bathroom time is private too! But in all, it is alot of time together.

I actually love it, and I really do fall in love with Trace more and more everyday. You can't help but get to know each other better. And if you did pick a good spouse you can't help but to find more to love.

I am not saying that we don't ever have disagreements. And there are somethings that we do to get on one another's nerves for a few moments. A few moments that is the key.

When there is a problem deal with it, and don't drag it on any longer. Why make your whole day miserable. I think what couples need to keep in mind is that your spouse is not the enemy. A marriage really has to be approached as a team never an I.

Now that is not saying that you should not have your individual likes and activities, but you need to support each other and encourage each other in those things. For example Trace loves motorcycle racing. I really could care less about it. This past Sunday the last race of the season - the championship race - was on TV. I knew he wanted to see it, so I encouraged that we stay in Panama City another day, mainly because I wanted him to see this race. It is also important to note that Trace also does not put his motorcycle racing before me - which is very important. Nothing should come before your spouse - that is also a key.

I don't mean to come across as some kind of expert, because I am not. I just know what I have experienced and what seems to work. Also it is my thoughts page and I felt like giving a lesson. Oh well!!!

It was great to stay that extra day in Panama City, FL. It was a Sunday and we got a chance to go to a really cool church called Eastgate Christian Fellowship a Calvary Chapel church. You could drink coffee at a your own personal table during service or sit on a comfy couch or if you prefer the standard row chairs - your choice. The preaching was very real, true, humble, and made the Holy Spirit happy!