Tonight I write from Charleston, West Virginia. Today we actually were in four states and two time zones! We started the day in Illinois, then drove through Indiana, then on to Kentucky, and now have stopped for the night in West Virginia. We crossed the Missouri River, Ohio River, Kentucky River, and the Kanawha (kuh-NAW) several times. We have seen fields of growing corn, small oil drilling rigs, windmills and plenty of industrial areas. Hawks have swooped down in fields, or soared on the wind. I even saw a turkey!
The weather continues to surprise me. I feel the heat just hit me when I leave the car. Since the car heats up within minutes after turning off the air conditioner, we haven’t stopped for very long anywhere. Kioni, Gracie and Leonard are sporting fur coats, after all!
We spent a wonderful few hours with Tod’s sister and family in Richmond, Kentucky (which is different from Richmond, Virginia). It’s been a few years since Pam and I have seen each other, so it was so nice to catch up. Bonnie took a well-deserved nap, Kioni stayed very close to me, and the kitties stretched their legs in the garage before returning to their kennels.
Tomorrow is the last long-distance leg of our incredible journey. We will arrive in Midlothian mid-afternoon. There will be time to get some laundry done and spend a day outside of the car before we trek to Woodbridge, Virginia on Thursday afternoon, to see yet another Alaska friend, and send Bonnie back home to Fairbanks, Alaska. What a sweet friend God has given me!
As far as I am aware, Nate is planning to have some of our things moved into our house this coming Saturday, so by next week, I should be blogging from my own home (that is, when I get the internet hooked up).
Plea for Grace 
Woohoo! Almost there!
I hope you get your internet up quickly… I’ll miss hearing about your adventures! I’m so thankful that you have traveled safely thus far.
Love ya!
Almost home 🙂 Glad to hear the trip has been rather uneventful concerning mis-haps. You already have had enough of those. My girls are pillow-fighting in the house. We really need the sun to come out back here in Oregon. Tod might as well post a sign on his chest that says, “I miss my wife!”, because he sure does look like he does :). Miss you.
–Tammy