This Girl Is Following Me Everywhere I Go

aaaaalright.  so a lot of you have pre-requested that I blog so you can stay updated on us.

Nosey aren't ya?

 ah what the heck...  I enjoy updating you on the adventure lifestyle.

while all of you (meaning most of you) live your stable, planned out lives.

Polly and I are just doing what we can.  Not really having too much idea of what life is going to look like on the horizon.

I get jealous of you, you get jealous of us. That's the way it works I guess.

One thing I am getting good at is thanking God every time he gets us to whatever the horizon happens to be.

oh. By the way, I want to say a HUGE thanks to Jake Dugard for re-designing my blog.  He did a great job didn't he.  - rhetorical question,  because I know the answer.


So what has been happening?

Well on Sunday night, Polly and I loaded up and drove to Little Rock and stayed at my Uncle Tracy's house so that we could get a little head start on our drive.

Monday we drove straight north to Sioux Falls, South Dakota and then headed west to stay the night in Chamberlain, South Dakota (which is right on the Missouri River).  For lunch on Monday, we stopped by Kansas City to see my brother Steele.  He was kind enough to treat us to some authentic Kansas City BBQ.  What a guy right?

yum

On Tuesday, we got up and after dusting a sub-par continental breakfast off our shoulders, we drove to Billings, Montana where we stopped at Montana Brewing Company (it was a re-visit for me).  We started with the sampler then Polly got a Taco Salad (all you tech students who eat on campus can eat your hearts out) and I got the Black Jack Bison Burger...because it was so incredible two years ago that I remembered it.

With full stomachs we headed to Cabela's to buy some Bear Pepper Spray.  I tasted it, it's not too bad.

Annnnd then we drove north to Great Falls, Montana where we stayed the night.

Wednesday morning we left our Holiday Inn and drove to Canada....well sort of.  When we got to the border they did background checks on us, which took like an hour.  They probably re-checked mine like 10 times because I look so dang lethal.  Then they told us that we weren't welcome in Canada because I was packing heat.  So they sent us back across the border, and we drove to the nearest town, where we went mud riding in the Honda on their mud streets until we found the nearest honky-tonk.  In this honky-tonk was a guy named Danny.  I convinced Danny that he needed a Smith & Wesson .357 magnum, and he bought it for $300.  It blue books for $345 so I feel like I did ok.  Then we drove back to Canada, and this time they let us in.  Even though they still probably didn't like letting a lethal looking foreigner like me in their turf, and I think they suspected that Polly was smuggling in fruit and firewood.

ANYWAY. we wasted no time driving to Banff where it has been gloriously CLOUDY the whole stinking time.  But we have still been able to catch glimpses of Banff's beauty...

Our first night in Banff we stayed in this very trendy hotel called Banff Aspen Lodge.  Super cool place.  We ate supper at a place called The Keg...we thought it was going to be like burgers and stuff, but it was actually a really fancy steakhouse that we were not prepared for(financially).  We ordered their cheapest items and enjoyed our meal, and we tried to keep in mind that it wasn't the restaurant's fault that it wasn't what we thought it was.

The next day (Thursday) we had a "Rocky Mountain Continental Breakfast" featuring local bakery bread and the hotel's homemade granola (they were supper eco friendly).  Then we headed to Lake Louise and Lake Moraine.  I hadn't been to Lake Moraine before, and I am glad Polly and I went because it was amazing.  On our way back from Lake Moraine we saw a rushing river that we thought was cool so we stopped the car, threw on our hiking shoes, and tumbled down a SUPER STEEP piece of mountainside to get to the river.  It was worth it.

oh and Polly got up in a porcupine's grill to get a pic of it.  I have to give her props for getting as close as she did.  Even though they can't do anything, I didn't expect Polly to be fearless like she was.

2 slaps on me for underestimating.

After getting a little snow on our shoes and a lot of dirt on our rear-ends, we took the party back to Banff to check into our new hotel, the Brewster Mountain Lodge.  It is very....lodgey.

We did some Facebook picture posting, then went out on the town.  First stop - Maple Leaf restaurant (because we earned a $25 voucher there when we booked at Brewster) where we had fondue for two and asparagus tempura.

Then we walked down to the Banff Brewing Company to have a pint while we watched the Bulls get beat by the Heat.  We think the NBA finals will be a good series, and we have decided that we are going to root just a tad more for the Heat, but we can be happy with a Mavs win because they deserve a championship.

ok

We love Banff!

Tomorrow we will begin our journey through beautiful British Columbia.  We are planning on making it to Fort Nelson, BC.  Then Saturday we are planning to drive the last leg of the journey to Skagway, Alaska.  I hope to blog again at Skagway or on Sunday when we get to Juneau.  Hopefully we will have more pictures of wildlife to post.

Tug-of-War

As my time in Ruston reaches its end, I feel a tug-of-war emotionally.  Polly and I are leaving behind family, friends, and our church. 

I think if Plette hadn't just left I wouldn't feel quite as ready to leave as well.  I feel a little bit like the last man standing, even though that will actually be Jake when I leave.  I realized yesterday that no one is left that I was friends with freshman year except Jake, and of course Beggs.  However, I don't see them much these days anyway.

I miss the heck out of the blue house boys, Plette, Bailey, Christian, Potts, and others.  I think that living in Ruston just makes their absence in my daily life more obvious.  

Then there is my job. Man- I really do hate my job. I'm a college grad and my job title has the word "boy" in it. I am surely struggling with rage because of the disrespect I am surrounded with at work. I should take it as a lesson in humility, but man it's hard for me.

Looking forward, I am so excited to move to Alaska with my wife, and then move to Branson with my wife. I'm excited about going to the Kanakuk Institute.


Peace out Ruston.... is tugging me one way.


Then I'm reminded of what I do still enjoy here. My family- Jeremy(the president), Emery(first lady), and Luke(first baby), and of course Phoebe.

Also, my church which has been a home base for me in hard times and in great times.

My wife and I walked out of College Life for the last time yesterday, and I was really really sad.  But even through the sadness I feel encouraged by what I saw as I cast one last glance at the scene of post college life social circles.

I think back to my freshman year when College Life was "Access" and was held on Tuesday nights. There was probably an average crowd of 12-15 in a circle while Jordan Smith led worship on acoustic guitar. I remember feeling like I was pretty tight with all the people in attendance.

Now, College Life is way different, but still so good. To an old guy, it seems fresh and packed with potential. I want to stay and still be a part of the worship service that I love so much. It is so full of life and growing.

Then there are great friends that I've become so close to in these recent years and months.I have so much hope in the guys that I have gotten to mentor. That they will be men of God. Men of integrity. I want to stay and see what they do for the rest of their time in Ruston.

And to be honest. I like my house, and only paying $375 to rent it ain't bad at all.


I'm comfortable here, so why not stay... is tugging me back.


I have no doubt as to whether I will stay or leave. I have both loved and hated living in Ruston, but it is very clear to me that the time has come for Polly and I to leave. I don't know if 1 person will read this blog, but if anyone who I've known while I've lived in Ruston reads this; I'd like to say that it has been a pleasure.

*picture me and Polly on the back of the train with deuces held high....you're yelling good-bye, but we can't hear you because the train won't quit blowing that damn horn.