We Are Headed North (2017) 7/9/17

Header image courtesy of Jill Sawatzki:  Huge crowds arrived on Mackinac for the 4th of July.  This pic is from the annual Stone Skipping Tournament at Windermere Pointe Beach, next to Hotel Iroquois.

Hi Friends!

Hopefully, a week from today we will be loading our baggage on a Shepler ferry and crossing the Straits of Mackinac to our favorite island!  It’s still up in the air whether we’re leaving on Monday or Tuesday – everything depends on how much we get done today. Ted is already fussing about the number of bags I need (because he has to somehow work out the logistics of loading them into the back of the truck), but I’m sure he will get it all packed in – just like he does every year!

We spent the 4th of July with great Sunset Inlet friends at a neighborhood cookout at Jen and Ernie’s. Then we all crossed the road to the beach to watch the fireworks.

Some of our neighbors brought sparklers, so we had “pre-fireworks” fireworks!

The “show”!

The rest of the week was spent tying up all those loose ends you have to take care of if you’re leaving home for a few months.  Too quickly it was time for Blake to fly back to Colorado.

Blake will be leaving to go overseas in mid-August, but we won’t see him again until next summer when he comes home for a few weeks.  Let me restate that.  We won’t see him until next summer UNLESS I decide to be brave and go visit him.  And yes, I’m thinking about it!

So hard to say goodbye on Friday, but I know he will be doing good work where he’s going.  And I know our Father will be taking care of him.

Enjoying our morning coffee surrounded by a lot of our deck furniture. Everything outside has to come inside when you leave the coast of Florida. You just never know when one of those pesky hurricanes will decide to show up uninvited.

Bodie and Maddie already know something is up.  As soon as we started pulling out suitcases they went on high alert.  This will be an interesting adventure with Bodie, as we have no idea how he’ll be on a long trip.  Bear NEVER enjoyed traveling and would stand between the two front seats the entire 1200 miles.  We’re praying Bodie will be a less anxious traveler.

We were worried about having to help Bodie into the truck until yesterday.  He jumps easily into my SUV, but the seats of Ted’s truck are much higher, and he refused to jump in.  Until . . . . . I used cheese as a lure.  Bam!  He was in that truck so fast he was a blur.  Good boy, Bodie!

We have a full week ahead.  We’re stopping on Wednesday to meet Ted’s sisters, Deb and Sher, in Hudsonville, MI.  After that we’ll be on our way to Spring Lake, MI and four nights with cousins Dave and Di.  On Saturday there’s a family reunion at cousins Marv and Ruthie’s place in Marne, MI.  It’s going to be quite a wonderful week, filled with new family we’ve been so blessed to have found.

Then on Sunday morning, July 16, we’ll be leaving for Mackinac . . . . .

Our home-away-from-home for the next three months. We have the bottom unit on the right corner – right next to Grand Hotel’s turn-out corral for their Hackney horses.  Can’t wait to see those beauties running up and down the fence again.  The landscaping is in, and the condos look absolutely gorgeous. We’re hoping to get there in time for a condo party late that afternoon. See y’all soon, neighbors!

As soon as we’re on the island and I get everything up and running, I’ll report in on the blog.  Until then, you can always follow us on Facebook. I’m sure I’ll be doing lots of posting as we make our way to Mackinac!

Please offer up a safe travel pray for our journey, and I’ll talk to y’all soon!

God bless.