By Tracy - 7/18/06

Whew….what a wonderful trip. I feel the same as the girls, it’s kind of depressing to know it’s over, but it’s always good to be home. The heat, however, has me wishing we were back in Michigan. Only a few short weeks ago, we were there wearing jeans and sweatshirts. But…they don’t have SC peaches in Michigan (& nothing else compares!), so for the opportunity to have them in abundance, I’m glad to be home (& have consumed my fair share in the past few days!) And…though we did see Brian during our trip, it will be so nice to be home when he’s home this weekend! Though he saw a sampling of pictures each week that we emailed to him, we will have so much to show him when eh gets home. We covered about 4500 miles with the motor home and approximately 2200 miles sightseeing with our car. It was a great benefit to have the car to tow behind the RV this year. It gave us a lot more flexibility, and also allowed us to stay in one place for a few days which makes for a much more relaxing trip. We spent time in nine states and one Canadian province, and we saw all five Great Lakes. A highlight of the trip was definitely watching Independence Day fireworks at Mt. Rushmore. I stood there in awe as the explosions lit up the sky above the monument, thinking of our freedoms we have and giving thanks to our Lord and Savior for the leaders He has guided to help build this great nation we live in. It was an amazing experience. I think my favorite location though was Mackinaw City. I could have spent much more time there, exploring more of the coastline around the Great Lakes (& seeking out more lighthouses!) I love the coast, and being in Mackinaw City gave you much the same feeling as being at the beach. Also, the two forts we visited (Colonial Michilimackinac and Fort Mackinaw) were tremendous educational opportunities, and I highly recommend a vacation there if you ever have the opportunity. The Canadian side of Niagara Falls was another very beautiful area and fun place to spend some time, but very expensive! We took in so much – from scenic landscapes and seashores, historic sites, nature/animals, monuments, the fun of souvenir shopping in the tourist districts, cultural differences, sampling food from other areas (especially the Mackinaw City fudge!), the enjoyable and peaceful campground atmosphere, and the joy of spending time together with family. We will probably do some short local trips during the rest of the season, but will also begin planning for next year. We have some tentative ideas of where our travels will take us and planning the trip is half the fun! We hope to do a spring and fall trip next year instead of one longer one during the summer. This will allow us to grow a garden, enjoy our pool for the full season, have visitors (hint, hint!), and also for our teenager to possibly work a bit next summer. But wherever and whenever our travels take us, we never take for granted the opportunity and cherish every moment.