Crossing the Red, White, and Blue

Everyone should drive cross country at some point. I am proud to have that knotch on my belt now. Not to say that I'd do it again but it was so cool to see so many cool things. We would begin to get a little "drive crazy" by around 3 or 4pm the last couple of days. But Erin was the fun supervisor and I was the "drive schedule Nazi". We complemented each other and survived! YEAH!
It is amazing to drive so far and realize that God is everywhere. When you see the vast nothingness that fills in between the East and West Coasts and realize that God is still there you start to fathom house infinite God is. Was awesome.
Lessons learned:
1) Never stay at a America's Best Inn hotel- Always go upper end well known hotel chains when you don't know! Was a fiasco but .......well, we're safe now so whatever.
2) The spirit of a dead snake can follow you. From Alabama to Illinois to California and Oklahoma. Just waiting for him to catch up to us in Alabama.
3) I do not love fast food.
4) Southern people have very thick accents.
5) A true friend sacrifices a lot
6) I love the USA.
7) I love Alabama.

Erin arrives in San Francisco!We were so happy to see each other. NO POSING for the pics. This guy was making SURE we didn't pose when he took our pic or he said it wouldn't look right. This is at Ocean Beach in San Fran.

This is the Mojave Desert in California. Was SO pretty and gigantic and hot. 107!

This is the Colorado River going from CA to Arizona.

The Grand Canyon! Totally posing for these pics. We could have spent all day taking pics of it. Just amazing to see.

Yes, this is my high school glamour shot (ashley).

Meteor Crater in Middle of Nowhere Arizona. It's HUGE.

New Mexico

Somewhere on Route 66

This is in Oklahoma City, OK. We stopped and had lunch with Lindsay and Riley. We met them when we lived in Illinois.

We stayed in Memphis the last night. Had to swing by Graceland.

Home Sweet Home

The END!

So Let's Catch Up

Well the month of May is long gone and we have now moved to Alabama!! About a week after Mother's Day (while my mom was visiting!!) we found out that Paul had gotten the Birmingham Position. So we made plans packed up and moved.....sorta. Paul and Ava flew to BHM on Tuesday June 2. My friend Erin flew to San Francisco and drove cross country with me from SF to BHM. What a trooper! Major applause to her for that. Here are a whirlwind of pics that have taken place in the past month.....

We went to the San Francisco Aquarium on the Bay where Ava pet bat rays and sharks.

This cool little nook was a bubble inside the Octopus tank. When you stick your head in it, it's like your in with the Octopus. Ava LOVED it. I thought she'd get scared when he came and sucked himself onto the bubble we were in but she thought it was funny.

Very pretty Jelly fish

This is the nite nite gang. Ava was demanding everyone was present to go to bed and at wake up.

This is in Napa at a gorgeous winery!

While mommy was packing Ava decided to "allor" or color the door with a pencil. She is proud of her work.