And we're off!

So much to say...

Here we are sitting in South Dakota, and finally have time to write a bit for you to hear about our trip so far! We left early Sunday morning and as we were leaving, it really started hitting me that we really are doing this trip! HAHA! Neither of us has ever really done something like this and as the trip goes on, we are both feeling that it is completely what God wanted for both of us. Shortly into our trip, we came to the realization that this trip is so not about us at all...it's totally about God.

[JAKE'S COMMENTS ARE THOSE ADDED IN ALL CAPS THROUGHOUT OUR ADVENTURE]

I TOTALLY AGREE- THIS OPPORTUNITY IS COMPLETELY FROM GOD. KRISTIN AND I WERE SEPARATELY DREAMING OF OUR OWN ADVENTURES THIS SUMMER... AND GOD CLEARLY WANTED US TO TEAM UP AND SEE THE [WHOLE] COUNTRY AS TWO FRIENDS ON THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME. I FEEL STRONGLY THAT THIS EXPERIENCE, WHILE ONLY SPANNING 2 OR 3 WEEKS, WILL LEAVE LASTLY LIFELONG IMPRESSIONS IN OUR LIVES.

Our first big stop was in Iowa when we arrived at the "Biggest Truck Stop in the World." (Interstate 80) We met up with friends in Council Bluffs and went to watch the Magic lose (BOOO!!!) in Omaha, Nebraska. David gave us a fun night tour of the city, which was really beautiful and as we were leaving we were so much wishing that we had more time there! (I'm sure we'll end up saying that everywhere.) It's great to meet up with people you haven't seen for awhile and also meet new people in fun cities! Thanks David and Kristi! We had a blast!!!

This morning, we decided to go back to Omaha and do some site seeing and ended up going to this amazing place called "Boys Town." It was one of those things that was really unexpected that touched us both in several ways. Boys Town is this place where couples take in several troubled kids into a home and basically live in community together. It was so incredible to see the museum and also to just go to the church and experience some time of quiet and God. Someday I (Kristin) would love to do something like that-it seems like such a challenging and fulfilling experience. We'll see what God has planned.

THE STORY OF BOYSTOWN IS TRULY INCREDIBLE. IT WAS STARTED JUST BEFORE WWI BY AN IRISH IMMIGRANT PRIEST BY THE NAME OF FATHER FLANAGAN. HE BORROWED $90 FROM A FRIEND TO START A HOME FOR ABANDONED AND WAYWARD BOYS IN OMAHA. GOD PLACED THIS ON FATHER FLANAGAN'S HEART AND HE LISTENED.

BOYSTOWN TURNED OUT TO BE A POWERFUL STOP FOR ME (FOR US BOTH). AS WE SAT IN THE CHURCH BEFORE MASS THE ROSARY WAS BEING SAID WITH THOSE WHO WERE GATHERED TOGETHER. IT REMINDED ME OF MY IRISH CATHOLIC FAMILY, AND MY GRANDPA ESPECIALLY. I FELT SO PROUD TO HAVE KNOW SUCH A CARING AND THOUGHTFUL MAN. HE DEARLY LOVED HIS FAMILY, HIS IRISH HERITAGE, AND HIS CATHOLIC FAITH.

We then traveled to the amazing (not really) South Dakota, which is filled with obnoxiously funny signs every 1/2 mile that say something stupid about the upcoming "Wall Drug" in Wall, South Dakota. (Of course we did try to go there, but it was closed...we totally fell for it.) We stopped at the Badlands and took a fantastic drive through the area, at sunset, and greatly enjoyed the view of it all. What a wondrous creation God has made that we are blessed enough to experience!!!

Tomorrow, it's time for Mt. Rushmore, so look for another post! Thanks for following us and for the prayers. Pray that God will really speak to us in our time alone with Him, as well as blessing our time with friends-new and old. Later!