Today, we are here...

 The journey continues. After a couple weeks off work and in travel, we are now live, working, and learning in Reno, Nevada.  The weeks off found us being lazier than we should have been.  Yet, we enjoyed seeing our friends and especially our family that doesn't travel.  This leg of our journey has found us packed up with the usual stuff in our new to us SUV.  The van was tipping 180,000, which is a lot of miles for a Chrysler.  So, now we have "Midnight" a black chevy suv with all sorts of fancy parts.  The kids have enjoyed opening their own windows and the DVD player. Stephen and I appreciate the storage, the lumbar support, and heated leather seats. 

 

         On the way from Texas we took a quick drive through the Petrified Forest.  If you haven't done this National Park and your children six years or older, you should make it a family trip.  Disney would be great but REAL INDIAN PETROGLYPHS are too cool.  The kids earned the Junior Ranger Badges, loved the rock formations, and the petrified trees.

Keeping to the road, we traversed Death Valley. The kids enjoyed the cactus, the tumbleweeds, and the salt flats that we saw along our way. Then, we crossed Hoover Dam. I expected this to be boring.  Yet, it was so amazing. It is truly a wonder in American architecture and a inspiration of American hardwork.  That view and the climate and landscape changes up, then down, the up again was more than I expected.

Now, we are settled in an apartment on the hillside in Reno.  We have lots of room.  The kids are using the closet as a play room.  We have explored town by suv, by bus, and on foot.  Downhill is easy.  Uphill may kill me or I'll finally loose that baby weight from 6 years ago. Truly, we are settling well.  We have found a wonderful Bible church called Grace Church,  www.gracechurchreno.org , and a bible study nearby.  The church is a mile or so downhill.  The kids and I walked this past Sunday.  We took the bus back up and my thighs still ache.  I think we will do a lot of walking and hiking to the library and to Ranger programs on Saturdays. 

The Journey will continue each day.  I pray for strength and patience.  Our life is on the road and other lives stay nearer to one home.  Yet, we all journey and grow.  I'll share more words and photos later.  God Bless the Journey.