Take Home Country Roads

So much happened since Mid-May! Heather has left Spain to Miami, Orlando, Ashville, North Carolina, Huntington, West Virginia, Indiana, and Ohio. She has been gathering research for her graduate assistant position. She says she has been learning so much and grown spiritual and physically beyond her wild dreams. My heart just soars knowing that this time in her life has been so positive. You always worry about your children no matter what age if they are happy, safe and healthy. :0)

July 18th Heather will come out to see us. I cannot wait! She will be back in time time to help us move, spend sometime with Leah and maybe, just maybe we can squeeze in some camping. In August it is back to Huntington where she will start working on her Master of Sociology full time. She is praying that she will receive a part time graduate assistant position. It will pay for her tuition which is awesome.
So now your up to date!
Next up....the rest of the family news. <3

Time move on...Hello Barcelona!

Heather's time at the Yoga Center has been amazing, She said that she has grown so much spiritually as well as physically. She said it would take some time till she was able to sit back and reflect in her time. Every morning she took walks with Leah to watch the sunrise. Part of the view she had was of Africa. "some day in my life time I will go there".

After her time here is over the girls will be hooking up with a friend from the states that is from Spain. They will travel to Barcelona for a few days and then travel to the border of Spain and France. They had hoped to go to France but Leah's visa will expire and then they will be stranded! They definitely do not want that to happen. Looking forward to seeing more pictures and stories about their adventures.

Heather update

If you are having trouble keeping up with where is Heather, do not feel bad! I too am having trouble! Last month has found her in North Carolina outside of Ashville. She has absolutely loved NC and would love to settle there she thinks. She has worked on a herb farm and stayed with a family that was just setting up their farm. Lots of heavy and hard work. She said it feel so great to be able to know that she has made an impact on this family in the years to come.
Heather and Leah have met up with their friend D that is from Spain. He attends school in the states. They are currently at Dollywood! Heather is hoping to met up with another friend and spending a few days at the beach and then D.C. This should put her in West Virginia by the end of the month. Golly I hope that I have this right!
She will still be traveling but this time she will be gathering research information for her Grad positioned @ Marshall University. But by then she will have an address and phone where I can contact her. I have so missed her companionship. We all have but what an amazing chapter in her life this has been. God has blessed her and those that she has met along the way. If only we should all be so Blessed to serve.
Stay turned for more updates on where's Heather!

Back in the US, back in the US back in the USA!

After a much anticipate return to the States Leah and Heather landed in Miami! The girls spent a few days and were to travel to the keys to work on a salt farm. Poor Leah and Heather received nasty burns to their shoulders. She blistered and was unable to carry her backpack. They were bummed but ended up staying with Heather's Aunt Andrea in Orlando. Andrea nursed Leah and Heather back to travel mode. But not before she spoiled them and they spent days in the pool! Thank you Andrea :0)
Their next stop found them in Ashville, NC. Working on an organic herb farm. Over the river and through the woods rural farm. They had a great time learning to cultivate herbs and attended the Ashville Herb festival.

Western North Carolina Farmer's Market Spring Herb Festival! Check out that 15 year old ginseng plant!

Heather has a little twang in her voice again and said she liked very much the vibes she has gotten while in NC. The girls have a couple of weeks left before Heather needs to be in WV. This summer she has a graduate research position. She will be traveling all over the Appalachia's gathering data. Leah will be heading back to WA soon to go to horse camp followed by getting ready to attend college in Colorado.
No moss grows under these girls feet!

Having the time of our lives!

Leah

"Repelling down a cliff face next to a 10th century church, exploring a castle, partying at the discotec, hiking to the top of a waterfall, sunset with the roof down zooming down the highway, having the time of my life.I´ve never felt this way before!"
                                                          Leah's latest facebook post.


It blows my mind that Heather and Leah are on this adventure! I love hearing what they are doing and where they have been. What a magical time for them. Some people must wait their whole life to experience the things these girls have, especially with all of Heather's travel. When Heather suggested a few years ago that she wanted to take a year off between Undergrad and Grad School, I told her, "No go straight through or you might never go on." I am so glad that she did not take my advice! She has learned and experienced so much that a classroom could have never offered. IS that not one of the reasons we home school?

The girls are now on vacation in Barcelona. Both Heather and Leah have friends that live there. The original plan was to head to France next week. But Leah's VISA runs out earlier than planned. So they will be jetting off to Miami next week. Instead of Waldo, it is now Where in the world is Heather?!

Where art thou?

The following gives a great feel for Heather's present location.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,305 in 2009, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe. It lies on the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) of the Mediterranean Sea, about 100 km (62.14 mi) east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 km (80.78 mi) north of Africa.

Málaga enjoys a subtropical climate. Here are one of the warmest winters in Europe, with average temperatures of 17 °C (62.6 °F) during the day and 7–8 °C (45 - 46 °F) at night in the period from December to February. The summer's season lasts about 8 months, from April to November, although also in remaining 4 months temperatures sometimes reach around 20 °C (68.0 °F).

Málaga's history spans about 2,700 years and is one of the oldest cities in the world. It was founded by the Phoenicians as Malaka about 770 BC, from the 6th century BC in Ancient Carthage, from 218 BC - Roman Republic and later Roman Empire (as latin Malaca), after the fall of the empire of the 800 years under the domination of Arabs (as Mālaqah (مالقة)), from 1487 under the dominion of the Spaniards. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabian and Christian eras convert the historic center into an "Open Museum" displaying its rich history of more than 3,000 years.

Shall we dance?

Just had to share tonight was Emily's 1st school dance! I still cannot believe it, my little baby girl. Yesterday was spent shopping our brains out! Emily was so proud to purchase her dress with the money she earned from her 1st babysitting gig. It was so much fun watching her try on at least a dozen or two dresses. She looked so old. I still think of her as my little Emmie rather than teenage Emily.  Jeff said soon she will be asking for the keys to the car. Bite your tongue.

Emily and Alex are ready to go to the dance!

Emily's girl friend Alex went to the dance. This was Alex's 1st dance as well. Her school does not hold dances so it was extra exciting for her. :0)

Emily wore big ol' clunky shoes with an open toe. It was a hoot watching her try to walk in those shoes. After about an hour of intense practice, she got the hang of it! She just about had a cow when I told her not to bee to worried because most girls take off their shoes after they get there! She asked what was the point? She might as well wear her crocs! :0) I am sure that she will have good dreams tonight but very sore feet!

Alex reported that Emily's shoes made it just passed the door and then they were off! They both had a great time.

Marian styling

Emily and friends.
Note Emily is the only one with NO shoes!