Eastern Trip -- Day 9

Today concluded our eastern trip!  It was very nice to sleep in until about 7:45 since we didn't have a long drive today.  After breakfast (cereal, a biscuit, banana, milk), we were on the road and heading west toward home.  We stopped in Effingham, Illinois, for fuel.  A rest stop just a few miles west of there was our intended spot for a picnic lunch, but it was closed, so we went on to a lovely little park in Altamont.  That worked well because after our lunch (chicken wrap, clementine, nuts, watermelon-strawberry juice), we walked to the Dairy Bar, a neighbor to the park.  Everyone got some sort of shake/sundae (I got a hot fudge milkshake) to enjoy in the 95-degree weather as we finished the drive home.  I'm used to the cooler, drier weather of the northeast, and I like it a lot better!

We arrived at our home around 3:30, immediately followed by a quick visit to my horses before unloading and organizing.  Thankfully, my two college classes on Monday have been cancelled due to the eclipse, so I have an extra day to get everything in order before beginning my sophomore year of college!  There are undoubtedly many more adventures to come for myself and the whole Kelpe family, so make sure to check back.  This was yet another incredibly special trip; I continue to be grateful for everything and everyone that made this a possibility.  From seeing beautiful Niagara Falls, to climbing Mt. Washington, to swimming in the ocean, to experiencing Gettysburg battlefield and everything else in between, I have a gazillion more memories to cherish in the weeks, months, and years to come.  Thank you so much for "joining" me on this journey...sometimes, making blog posts at 11:30 or midnight means I don't get the sleep I want, but it's all worth it when I hear from happy readers.  So please keep reading, enjoying, and following along, and I'll keep posting!  As always, feel free to share my blog with anyone interested, and I'm also quite happy to provide recommendations/suggestions for anyone considering a trip in the direction we went.

Blessings and love in Christ,

~Anna