We've Arrived in Vandalia, MO

We left a week ago, driving North. That seems like months ago!!

Phoebe left some sidewalk art near our house in San Antonio. 

Beautiful and striking.

Thursday was Loading the U-Haul day. 

Phillip packed every box! 

He and Jonathan loaded and unloaded everything from the U-Haul. 

Adrian stopped by to say goodbye.

The boys had to really Tetris the goods to get everything to fit.

But by using the back of the pickup for some of the stuff, we got everything on board.

Closed!

Liz stayed the night on the floor with the rest of us.

Friday was cleaning the place. We got done by lunch. Phillip was taking a different route and left before we did. He didn't want to take the U-Haul down I-35 where everyone's going a zillion miles an hour.

Our neighbors put this out for us Friday morning! It was so thoughtful and sweet. 

We will miss all of you too.

Don and Julie (roommate from college) kept us for the night in Dallas. She and I had a nice walk when I got there; I was so happy to stretch my legs!

Driving down the road. 

This was probably in Oklahoma. We had clear weather all the way (thank you, Lord! We had furniture in the back of the pickup).

I have to do a little bit of school. 

I've always wanted to stop by this George Washington Carver memorial when we've traveled to Vandalia, but we were always in a hurry to get there. But this time we stopped! There was a recording of him speaking. We've read in his biography of his high, squeaky voice, but we were startled when he started speaking!

They also had the foundations of the home he spent his childhood in. I just read the biography to Harrison this year, so it was enjoyable to see exactly where he grew up.

Jon took over the driving for a bit.

I got a picture of this house because it's maybe a mile from our home, and it originally was the one-room schoolhouse that Phillip's dad attended. It was called the Nadine school and we live on Nadine Lane. I need to find out who Nadine was.

This is one reason I'm so glad to move here -- Vandalia and the surrounding area has a sense of Place for us. The Gores and Fergusons have lived here almost since the town was founded. (Maybe since then; I forget the details.) We get to live (I can hardly believe this; those who've read Wendell Berry will understand) in the house Phillip grew up. The house his parents started out in at marriage. The house his Grandma lived in before Paul and Elayne came here. 

The first night we spent here Phillip announced, "I haven't slept in this house since December 16, 1983!"

We arrived and got to attend church Sunday morning. What a relief to be here and meet with believers.

 Phillip was driving slower than us because of pulling the pickup truck on a trailer, so he arrived Sunday late morning. (Anybody else think the past tense of arrive should be arrove?)

Our home.

The first area we completed as we were unpacking.

This chair is from Phillip's grandma. Paul and Elayne had it here in this house while Phillip was growing up. He remembers his dad holding him in this chair as a little kid and singing "Me and Bobby Magee."