Armed with my new prescription sunglasses a spray bottle of air conditioning coolant and a basket full of library books....

we made our way to New Jersey.

After 15 straight hours of driving, a killer head cold and a few tiny transmission glitches we followed Route 80 to the end of the road and came into the beautiful bustle of the big city. My eyes are doing much better... and I think I can even wear my contacts next week. It's amazing how fast your body can heal. Thanks to Elizabeth I have a new solution and I am ready to go.... although I do like my new sun glasses. Polarization is an amazing gift I tell you.

We've been hitting all the sweet spots since we arrived.

Crab fishing with Grandpa Bill... we caught nothing... and it was probably a really good thing because we were just off a pier in the Hudson River. Can you actually eat anything out of the Hudson? Especially a scavenging little thing like a crab. But the kids do love to throw that basket in and haul it up by the string over and over. And in the event that a crab gets fooled by our trap and ends up on the pier... ooooh dancing fun! It is a scrambling good time that none of us can resist!

NYC. Billy has cashed in those frequent flyer miles and come up to visit for a couple days so we ALL got to spend the afternoon in New York City together. I'll put those pictures into flickr so you'll get to see them all... and more to come. I think Ava and I are heading back into the city tomorrow morning for a little while. I would love to see a play while we are here... but I just don't see that happening this week. Bummer to be so close and have it be so inaccessible. But I do so love the feel of the city. Something about that place just curls up in your bones and comes alive once you set foot back into that space.

Trader Joes... of course.

(julie... I bought you a present)

tra la la

AND... last but certainly not least... I think I have the best idea for fundraising yet. I figure my new job will get us on the mission field in no time flat... and what useful skills I will develop in the process. I can get my badge and credentials in only three days AND I picked up this coupon at McDonalds when we stopped to get ice cream.

Billy comes back to Michigan tomorrow... and we'll be back next week. I miss you all. I think I need to take a good long walk with you.