And we are home.

So, we made a whirlwind trip into Springfield, MO, and now we are home. We left Tuesday evening at 9:45pm, got to Greenville, IL, around 3:00am (yikes!). We then left for Springfield (with a stop in Soulard for breakfast at one of our favorite breakfast places) the next morning, arriving around 3:00 in the afternoon on Wednesday in Springfield. Mom was in town, visiting Joel and Shelley, so she came over for supper that night, arriving just as we were sitting down. :) It was fun to have her there with us.

The next morning, I woke up early to have a walk with mom and then have breakfast with her at the nearby Panera. That was fun. We walked at a local track, then went to Panera. On the way home to Tam and Dales's, Dad called, so that was really a fun treat to talk to him by cell phone in Ethiopia. I can't remember EVER having such a clear connection overseas by cell phone!

I took Caleb across the street to the firehouse (probably the highlight of his visit!). Every morning, he'd go to the nearest open window to see if the "woo-woo's" were out.

For lunch, we went to Incredible Pizza (yikes; read: loud, lots of kids...). Caleb was exhausted when we left. :) So were we. That evening (Thurs) we went to Joel and Shelley's for dinner, and that was nice. We talked and laughed and went for a walk and just generally had a good time.

Friday, I went out for breakfast with a girl from Truman--and then we came back and went to a park. Lunch time, nap time, and then dinner time, and then John and I went out to the Branson landing.

Saturday arrived with 97 degree weather, and it was time to hop in the car to go home. After a visit to John's grandma in Ellisville, his grandpa's gravesite (by accident; we just happened to be passing the church as we were going to a Starbucks before heading back to Ohio), and of course, a Starbucks off of Manchester, we headed back for Dayton, and made it safely here around 11:00pm last night.

Three summer trips down, two more to go. We think we're heading to Indy for John's and my trip, and then to Grand Haven for a 4-some (just our family) trip later on in August.

Ok. Enough writing. I remember Carol McDonald's detailed letters about their trips, and I hope I just didn't do that! :)