A stop in Bloomington, Ill didn't prove to be too enjoyable. Our second tow of the trip! This time it was a U-joint on the drive shaft that corroded out allowing the drive shaft to drop to the ground while pulling into a Farm and Fleet driveway. There we sat until the tow came. It wasn't very amusing, however our RV was able to "spread the word" while we sat waiting to be towed from partially blocking traffic both on the road and in the drive. While in San Antonio we added verbage to our RV to add to our evangelizing efforts. Here is what our RV reads on it's sides...
God Answers Knee Mail Matt 6:24
Jesus is Cool, Hell is Not John 3:16
Get a Life John 3:16
Elect Jesus
The New Age is an Old Lie- Matt 24
Evolution is Science Fiction
Fight TRUTH Decay

All for His glory! The RV was fixed in under two hours and we were back on the road again. We stayed the night south of Milwaulkee and the next day we were home.
Home Again, Home Again..Jiggity Jig Jig...as my mother would often say as we'd pull into our driveway at Monroe St.

The adjustment has been just as much as it was going into the RV. We miss the road already, but have had a wonderful time sharing our trip and reconnecting with family and friends.

We are, for the first time EVER, looking forward to next winter, when..God willing...we will hit the road once again!

We stopped in Hope, AR, home town of Bill Clinton, on Friday night. It was the third evening of rain--just pouring. We stayed at the Hope Fair Ground RV Park and found out after checking in there was going to be a rodeo that evening. With very few options for entertainment, and no possibilty of an evening walk on a clear AR night--we bought tickets to the rodeo. It was hosted by the FFA and the participants were all kids. I was just amazed that 9-15 year old kids were riding a bucking bronco. Michaela leaned into me shortly after the third kid got whipped off a bull and whispered, "Would you ever let your kid do that?" I said, "NO WAY!". This was taking country to the next level--not Wisconsin style, that's for sure!
Nick stayed back at the RV with Zeke, as it was too chilly and damp for him to be out and he already seemed to be congested (later found out it was teething). I ran back to the RV to switch places with Nick as I really felt he'd enjoy the show. He stayed till the end. At a break time in the rodeo competition, the announcer called all kids down into the ring for a competition. Not even knowing what they were running to, Grace decided she was in. Turns out it was a pig scramble. They let a bunch of little piglets out to be caught and even though Grace didn't have a shot, it was quite a scene. Kids dove at these piglets like it was the pigskin of a football-literally covering them in a full tackle and then bringing it up by the hindlegs to show off the catch. It was very entertaining!

Our night out and our new addition.

The pics posted on the blog last is just the funniest story of a man we met at the park who could just not get that silly duck to stop following him. It was absolutely hilarious.
San Antonio was just gorgeous. We stayed there for a week enjoying the 85 degree weather and pool. We had a wonderful evening down at the river walk downtown when we took the kids to Rainforest Cafe to celebrate our trip coming to an end. The rest of our travels was going to be a very quick shoot up the highway back north to WI.
The first day of the week we spent in San Antonio we were relaxing by the pool when a visitor showed up. A gentleman who had been at the park longer than us excused himself from our conversation to get her a drink. We were immediately taken by her gentle attractivenss, but tried not to stare.
Later on that evening she decided to give us a visit at our RV site and from that time on, she never left. All that evening she remained guest outside our RV, quietly sitting outside our door, "protecting us". Nick and I were amazed at her loyalty after such a short friendship and especially since we hadn't taken our relationship to the next level as she had us.
The park referred to her as Freckles and Pebbles. We called her Dot, and after the third day of Dot's unrelenting friendship, crying and pleading children trying to keep her from the pound, and endless recommendations for her to become family, Dot was adopted into our family.
San Antonio has over 1,000 stray dogs roaming the city of which many become abused while others simply perish in the heat of unrelenting Texan sun and no water. One man in the RV park, of whom we did not know gave us $200 for taking her in--thrilled the pound would be able to be called back and told not to come. After that offering people, whom we did not know, began stopping by our site and giving us dog leashes, soap, treats, money and even human food. We were just stunned. I guess everyone at the park took a liking to her and was just thrilled someone had adopted her. (Turns out most of the longer term residnets have adopted 1,2, or 3 dogs themselves.) Dot, was special though--everyone really loved her and by the time we had left, we had received over $500 in donations to care for Dot. The amazing part of the story is that is the exact amount it cost us to be in San Antonio that week--starting from our drive from Lubbock, to the RV park cost, gas, grocery, and dog care! The Lord is amazing. What tickles our hearts was knowing that while we were praying for Dot to find a home (other than ours) so that our girls hearts would not be broken upon our departure, they (Particuarily Grace) was praying for their parents hearts to be softened,"turned to mush", as Grace later confessed to us. The prayer of a child is powerful indeed.
Dot has turned out to be a lovely new addition and has been great at potty training and has already learned the commands of sit and lie down.
Another sweet thing was that just a week prior while Grace was co-piloting she asked Nick how it is that one can cry tears of happiness. Nick tried to explain it was simply the overwhelming emotion of joy that makes it happen. Grace still a bit confused, accepted that response for the time being. At the moment Grace found out we were going to allow Dot a place in our family, she began to cry tears of happiness. Nick tipped up her chin and said, "Hey, what's all this about?" She responded, "I am crying cause I am so happy." It was a tummy tickling, heart warming moment I will never forget. God is good.