Happy Thanksgiving

Oh boy, it's only been 5 days since we had wireless, but as our photos attest, we have been many places (9 states) with many different faces! Let me introduce these sights and friends to you...this round of photos goes from most recent, so at the top is Robert, Andi & their son Logan (and let's not forget Woody and Goldie, the lovable dogs!). This family are known to me (Carrie) from Thunder Bay where Robert taught Outdoor Rec, and most importantly, taught and influenced me as a leader.

The next couple photos are from White House Hill - where we offroaded with the Clymers for a hilltop picnic. Martha and David are Corinna's parents - Corinna is a good friend and works with Leslie at Summit. The good food and fellowship were a delight (and memorable)!

Tell me you wouldn't giggle at a town named 'Intercourse'!!!!?! Well, good for you - we sure giggled however! The name was quickly overshadowed by the name Stoltzfus - we met the generous and kind Myron Stoltzfus. He and his family own and run Stolzfus farms - makers of wonderful meat - after a chat and tour we left, arms laden with sausage, lunch meat and a big beef bologna! Oh, and we weren't allowed to leave town until we had indulged in a Reuben sandwich - a tasty indulgence indeed - rye bread, corn beef, extra swiss cheese, saurkraut, thousand island dressing - all grilled up!

Generosity and hospitality seems to be a Pennsylvania trademark, as we received much of the same at the home of Betty and Eli Smucker - parents of Dustin who knows Leslie through Summit. So many connections eh!?! Incredible! Good thing we didn't stay in Pennsylvania too long - I think I put on 5 lbs. in this state alone! Oh, and I learned that there are more Canadian sayings then 'eh' - such as 'yut' - our particular way of saying yes - I think it's supposed to be yep, but we don't say it like that! All you Canadians reading this, pay attention to your speech the next bit and see if you don't say yut!

As most of you know, Pennsylvania has been through a recent tragedy with the shooting at the Amish schoolhouse. If generosity and hospitality are marks of this state, forgiveness seems to be another - at least in the example the Amish set for us. To be with in a few miles of this tragedy has impacted Leslie and I. To hear testimonies of the way this community has come together and the willingness to consider this terrible incident perhaps a 'fruitful cleansing rain' is astounding and gives me goosebumps.

Leslie has her arms around Amy Lowen, a former Summit instructor (getting the picture that Summit Adventure is far and wide reaching!). Amy is doing her masters in education at University of New Hampshire and was kind enough to let us invade her living space for 3 nights. The picnic table and leaves were what we encountered on a roadside lunch break.

It's hard to believe that 2 weekends ago we were at a concert in Montreal, last weekend climbing in Maine, this weekend enjoying waterfalls near Brevard in North Carolina, next weekend a folk festival at Eastern Mennonite University in Virginia and the weekend after that in Caronport, Sk! Does it make your head spin? Mine too! Things are still going well - the only road bump being that we discovered 9 hour driving days aren't our favourite as they increase our cranky levels and I found this weekend seeing familiar faces made me homesick for more familiar faces - but soon enough eh!!!! For now we are tucked into the 'mountains' of North Carolina at a little home that Robert and Andi have let us take over for 3 nights. This is a refuge and resting place!

By the way, happy thanksgiving to the Canadians! A tradition at my house is to say what were thankful for - maybe a list of 5 - sounds like the daily journal Jon keeps. So today I am thankful for water and the way it flows, for Leslie and her willingness to come on this journey with me and make it what it is, for the means to afford such a trip as this, for friends and family that span this continent that love us enough to invite us in and for friends and family that love us enough to let us go.

Carrie