6 States, 2 Days

We left Wisconsin the morning of the 20th, planning to get as far as Cleveland, then head all the way to Cambridge on the 21st. Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio = a bazillion dollars in tolls. No me gusta. Other than stopping to empty out pockets of change at the toll booths every 30 minutes, it was an uneventful day. We found a Hampton Inn by the freeway and called it good.

Saturday the adrenaline was going. We were on the last day of our trip, we couldn't wait to just get to Cambridge. There was a HUGE weather front going through, and we were expecting to hit some rain while driving. It was a band of weather that extended from Canada to the Gulf and we were going to be driving right through it. Sure enough, as we crossed into Pennsylvania we got hit HARD. Rain so heavy and hard that you could hardly see in front of you. This was by far the scariest day for me driving. I was worried about Paul in the truck, and I was on an unfamiliar, winding highway through the Allegheny mountains where it seemed like every semi-truck was flying by me at 70 mph, shaking my car and throwing even more water up in front of me. Things cleared up a little by the time we got to Baltimore. I had one last obstacle between me and the Eastern Shore: the Bay Bridge.

http://www.panoramio.com/photo/53290362

Crossing the bridge everything finally hit me. I quit my job and left my parents, grandparents, Mariah and everything familiar to me; and took a leap of faith into the next phase of my life with my family. I was scared, excited, overwhelmed and exhausted. I kept saying, "This is home, this is home" over and over to myself. The distance we had just crossed in a few days, suddenly, I felt the magnitude of it. It was starting to get dark as we finally arrived in Cambridge. We passed through town and into the darkness of the country roads to get to the Horn Point campus where we were going to stay until we had a place to move into. We collapsed into our beds.

When we woke up it was like we had landed on another planet. The crickets from the night before were still chirping away, louder than I had ever heard crickets. The air was heavy with a dampness that just kind of sits on the earth. Different than other humid places I have been. It was called the Marsh House for a reason. We were in a flat, wetland area. Not even the grass was familiar. We didn't have time to rest though, we had to find a place to live!

The Marsh House

Big Bird could finally take a break

Lucia was fascinated by all the new bugs. Me, not so much.

This photo cracks me up. Random, but I love it.

Days 11-19: Wisconsin & Grandpa Joe

We had always planned to stop for a week in Milwaukee and visit with Paul's family as part of our road trip across the country. We last saw his parents when they were out for his thesis defense Memorial Day weekend, and last saw his grandparents and extended family when we were there in December. However, this stop in Milwaukee turned into much more than a quick visit when Paul's grandfather, Grandpa Joe, passed away on August 19th, less than two weeks before we were supposed to start our trip. Paul had gone home to be with family that whole week and when he came home we had to double our efforts to get packed by the time we needed to leave. Paul's family was kind enough to wait until Paul, Lucia and I got to Wisconsin to have the memorial service, so that became the focus of our time in Milwaukee. To be with family, especially Paul's Mom and Grandma, and mourn the loss of Grandpa Joe, but also to laugh, remember and celebrate the impact that he had on so many lives. He was truly an extraordinary man. I didn't get to spend that much time with Grandpa Joe, but I feel blessed for the part he played in making Paul the man, father and husband that he is. Once I met Grandpa Joe, Paul made a lot more sense to me (in a good way!) and it makes me happy to know that Paul will pass along those lessons and stories from Grandpa Joe to our children.

2008

February 2011

December 2012

Probably imparting some Grampa Joe wisdom

The service was on Saturday, so Thursday and Friday were occupied with preparations for that. Saturday was emotionally draining, but the service was beautiful. Oh, and Lucia peed on my lap...twice. Luckily, I was wearing a long summer dress with a lot of pattern. I was able to dry out mostly unnoticed.

The rest of our time in Wisconsin was spent with family and preparing for the final leg of our trip. We celebrated Lucia's birthday (she requested pizza), and spent some time with Paul's Dad and Cyndi, including a trip to the Milwaukee Zoo, which was fun! Lucia loved the bats and the giraffes. Paul and I got serious about finding houses to look at when we got to Cambridge, and lined up four potential houses to look it. Here are a few more photos from our week in Wisconsin. We are excited to be just a little bit closer to our Wisconsin family.

Lucia and Wendell bonded and spent many mornings hanging out together

Pizza party - Extra olives please!

Thanks to cousins Anna & Bobby for the birthday present

Sitting in Great-Grandpa's barber chair

The Milwaukee Zoo!

"Don't worry about your knees Grandpa, I don't weigh thaaaat much!"