We haven't dropped off the earth we've just covered a few miles this week. We left Louisiana on Saturday and drove through Mississippi and Alabama to get to Florida for church on Sunday (a rather long way to go to church, but definitely worth it). We are working our way south down the west coast of Florida, will do a U-Turn at the Keys, and begin to work our way north up the east coast.

We have been living in our itty-bitty home for 8 months now, and amazingly we are all still alive. We have however, become much better acquainted with each other than perhaps we thought possible. I have looked at times at each one in my family and wondered, "Have you always been like this?" Similarly, I'm sure, they have all wondered about my own sanity, or lack thereof! Finding time alone is the ultimate challenge. Ironically, this challenge is one of the most effective ways to facilitate and advance character development. Although this has not always been of a volunteer nature, it does, nonetheless appear to be mandatory.

The fact that we have travelled 17,000 miles, journeyed through 12 States, hiked canyons, fished oceans, climbed mountains, encountered lavish culture, experienced phenomenal music, tasted questionable delicacies (alligator), swam with exquisite creatures (manatees), and enjoyed precious visits with fantastic people, is perhaps superfluous on our journey together this year.

If in fact we do not kill each other in the next 6 months, we will be forever united. A living, cohesive, conglomerate of unconventional memories and experiences (some sworn to secrecy)! We are a "family" in a very different way than we were 8 months ago. We are becoming a family that I pray will never be normal again...