A Getaway Vacation

 This past weekend we were finally able to get away and enjoy some downtime. Our trip to Arkansas last fall was postponed due to building the house, so we finally packed up and went to visit our dear friends in northwest Arkansas. Even though I had just spent two days with the Ken Kauffman’s it was good to see them again and have my family along to enjoy the time together. We packed the weekend full with all sorts of things, especially making memories. I enjoyed going to an auction for the first time, inviting children to VBS; in the rain, singing at a nursing home, and visiting with the lady Melanie and I took to the coffee shop last time I was there. Everyone’s favorite memory of the trip?....was when we went to find adventure and adventure found us……… :)

This little girl was all excited to see her friend again, though it took a little while for her to warm up to Justin again.

 Late Sunday afternoon we all piled in the van and headed to the bluffs to go hiking. It had rained some that day and looked like it was going to rain again but we decided to try it. After going way back on winding and twisting gravel roads in a wildlife reserve we arrived, just as we stopped it started to rain pretty well. We decided to skip the ¾ mile walk to the bluffs in the rain and instead go to King’s River. We arrived at the river with it misting outside and the sound of air escaping out of a hole; when we opened the doors there was no missing that noise :) After locating the leaking tire, which was going flat before our eyes, we went on to the river but within minutes of leaving the van it was raining pretty well again. Most of us decided to just go back to the van but since a tire had to be changed we couldn’t exactly pile in it; only the moms had the pleasure of sitting in a dry place. Some of them found my stash of “trash bags” (wal-mart/dollar general sacks) in the van and promptly tied them around their heads, I thought a tablecloth wrapped around my shoulders was good enough and everyone else went with nothing. All of us were dripping wet by the time they had finished. At the time we were focused on getting the tire changed and especially on getting out of the rain but later we laughed and laughed. We drove all the way to the river to change a tire in the rain :) Our family’s favorite memory of the trip and one that no one there will ever forget…..

King's River 

 Monday morning we left to go up to Versailles, Missouri; a large Mennonite community. We enjoyed shopping at the different stores and shops and seeing all the horse and buggies that some of them drive. A family hosted us for a night so we were able to spend almost two full days in Versailles. It rained most of the day Monday so that was not exactly enjoyable to shop in. Since I am usually home when it’s raining I got tired of it pretty quick. After spending most of the weekend in and out of the rain and everything in the van getting muddy and wet I was more than ready for sunshine again.

  

We arrived home after midnight Tuesday night. It was nice to get back home, but it was also nice as a family to get a break from everything here. We actually forgot about “home” till we were on our way back :) I only thought of the house Friday night when I knew it would be storming here, and I thought of and missed my church family Sunday morning.