On the road again!
Hello everyone!
We are sitting in Sevierville, TN tonight…sorry for my lack of posts! When I get around family and start having fun with them, I don’t seem to find the time to sit down and type a post. We also have been lacking wifi access with Lexi’s computer and Dirk’s just doesn’t seem to be able to give me access. Enough with the excuses!
We had a great visit in Indiana with family and friends. Dirk and I shared our testimony with a church in Bloomington and then again with a small group that is lead by our dear friends, Kurt and Annette Buehler. We have had some time to reflect and some time to really communicate as a family so far on this trip and it feels like it is crossroads of sorts. We continue to be humbled and touched by sharing Zach’s story, but we are also seeing that sharing this story is not the easiest thing to accomplish. It is something that we will always do with those we meet…just maybe not in a large group format. God’s timing is perfect and we know that He has a plan for this story that is already underway. No matter what format comes our way, we are open to His leading.
Our fourth of July was rather wet, it rained all day long!! That did not “damper” Lexi and Hogan from giving us a wonderful firework display. I also had another one of those lovely days where we count how many years we have been around. It seems the more that pass the less I really want to “celebrate” them! The thing that was really nice about having a birthday was it was a chance to get everyone together to spend some time together. Lexi made TWO lovely cakes (she has been watching Cake Boss a lot lately!) one for my family celebration and one for the Tucker’s celebration. It was really fun to spend time together and I am thankful we had the opportunity.
As is true with every visit to Indiana, I spent time at Zach’s grave. It is a reality check every time to go there and stare at Zach’s name on a headstone. How can this be reality??? But it is and I know it may seem strange that I still have these feelings after three years have gone by…I just don’t think it will ever seem right. We changed the flowers and always seem to end up walking around to the other graves, looking at other dates and wondering about the story behind each one. It is a quiet time to reflect and remember and to be thankful we have a hope to hold on to that one day none of this will matter. It will only be a distant memory and forgotten pain.
We left Indiana yesterday and headed to Ohio to visit King’s Island - an amusement park Dirk and I went to when we lived in Indiana. Unfortunately, after the first ride on a roller coaster, Dirk was done. He has been battling a sore back and the ride did him in. He could hardly walk back to Harvi, but thankfully he made it and relaxed as Lexi and I went back to the park to play! We had lots of fun - but did feel guilty that Dirk could not join us. When we came back we were happy to find Dirk feeling much better (I was really glad because I did not feel equipped to drive Harvi and thought I might have to!). We stayed at a really nice campground in Cincinnati called Winton Woods.
We took off this morning and headed south (Lexi is so excited we are now headed back in the direction of Florida!). We arrived in Sevierville, Tennessee this evening and are camping next to a river. We are headed to Asheville tomorrow and will keep going south. It has been a little hard to get back into the swing of being on the road…I think we are all a little tired of this routine. It is clear we are not ready to trade in the house for Harvi just yet!!
Until next time…love to all,
Sherry
