The things you do for love...

Like walking in the rain and the snow, when there's no place to go, and you're feeling like a part of you is dying...

Couldn't resist. Just heard that in the car. Love that song. It reminded me of this weekend. Let me explain.

My sister's husband, Jon, is in the Army reserves and is currently at Ft. Gordon in Georgia for 4 months of training. He is halfway through his time. Andrea was wanting to come for a weekend visit with kenzie about this time which coordinated with my spring break. So, Sue and I volunteered to drive her and Kenzie to Augusta. The plan was to leave on Friday from Andrea's about 2:30 and arrive that evening before Midnight. We thought it would take around 9 hours. Sue and I would stay the night in Augusta and then leave early Sat. morning for Jacksonville Beach, Fl. Supposed to take about 4-4.5 hrs. We would have the rest of the day Sat and all day on Sunday to lay on the beach and enjoy an area of Florida we had never experienced. Then Sun. evening, we would head back to Augusta so that we could pick Andrea and Kenzie up early Mon. morning to head home. It was going to be a quick trip, but would be a fun road trip and would help Andrea so she wouldn't have to drive that distance with Kenzie by herself.

Well...here's how it really went down. First let me point out that Sue and I had to drive 3 hrs to get to Andrea's. we left her house by 3:00 and didn't arrive in Augusta till 1:15a.m. It was a LOOONG day. ( I have to say though that Kenzie was amazing. Traveled very well for such a long time in the car seat) We got to deliver Andrea to base which was an experience in itself. First of all, Jon is on the phone with Andrea telling her protocal as we approached the base. You have to turn your lights off and approach with only your parking lights on...not sure why. After our ID's are thoroughly checked and we count our blessings that we are not over to the side being searched like the other cars, we head toward Jon's room. He's telling Andrea to tell Sue to slow down that they really enforce the speed limit (25mph) and that if someone is on the side of street getting ready to cross, you have to stop and let them; they have the right away. We are a little slap happy by this time and are making all kinds of jokes. I'm sure we are going to get thrown in the brig before we get off base, which is HUGE! I was picturing something much smaller. Amazing. So, we get to see Jon get Kenzie out of her car seat and see her for the first time in 2 months which brought tears to my eyes. Very sweet moment. She was a sleepy little doll. Sue and I head off to our roach motel and get to bed at 2:00am. We hit the road at 8:00 this morning planning to be on the beach by noon. Try 2:00 and the beach was out of the question. It took almost 6 hours to get here, AND they are having hurricane force winds. It was only 68 today. We walked out to the beach and had to turn right back around. Too cold. The breakers are 4-6 feet though. It was amazing to see. They have dangerous rip currents posted for the next couple of days for this area. So, we drove 18.5 hrs. total to get here for two days on the beach and we'll be lucky to even go out to the beach. Tomorrow is supposed to hit 70 and be less windy, so maybe we'll get to go out, but it's been a bummer of a day. Also, we have been amazed at what a wierd place this is. We've been to many, many areas in Florida and have never been to one that made us as uncomfortable as this place. Full of freaky, or should I say "unique" people. Not sure we care to come back. On top of all that, Sue is sick with throat and ear issues which doesn't make a "road trip" that much fun.

The things we do for love...Love you Andrea, Kenzie and Jon! :)