Day 12, Saturday, August 8: Portage, WI to Schaumburg, IL

Yesterday we drove from Alexandria, MN to Portage, WI (by Madison). We stayed at the Days Inn, where we enjoyed splashing a bit in the pool with Naya before getting a good night’s sleep. That was our last long drive! Woohoo! Interestingly, I had the first good night’s sleep that I have had in almost 2 weeks. During pregnancy, I suffer from Restless Leg Syndrome. I think that all the car travel has really worsened the symptoms, and it often takes me half the night to fall into a deep enough sleep to not be awakened periodically. What strikes us as funny is that I fell asleep as Noe had the TV on- I believe he had been channel surfing when he fell asleep, as when he tried to turn it off partway through the night, I woke up from actually being asleep to see the TV on infomercials! Too funny.. so I told him to leave it on because I was finally sleeping well! I’m hoping for the same good sleep tonight, Lord-willing!

Today we left Portage around 10.30am, and we arrived through some rain to Schaumburg, IL (north of Chicago) around 2.30pm.

At the beginning of the drive, we really wanted some good coffee. Our GPS led us to a little town called Lodi (population of just under 3,000). In Lodi, the sun was shining. All surrounding Lodi we could see dark clouds and it was quite clear that it was raining. This seemed so perfect, as this quaint little town was having a parade, in “honor” of the town mascot, “Susie the Duck.” (i have NO idea…..) Noe fueled up while I picked up the espresso. We nearly got trapped in Lodi, because “all” of the main roads in and out of town were being blocked for the parade… we finalyl found our way to a street that went through the middle of a street fair of sorts that the townsfolk were setting up… we were saying “just act like you know what you’re doing! we’re not tourists!”

We got checked into our hotel this afternoon, and in the evening, we had the pleasure of meeting up with Greg, Bridget, and Chris for dinner at a Thai restaurant! It was great to spend some time with them! It is nice to have some family nearby, too! Only about 200 miles from Jackson.

Before sending Naya off to bed, we again enjoyed splashing about in the pool. We are looking forward to our second-to-last travel day tomorrow! It is about a 176-mile drive to Kalamazoo, MI! Then on Monday we plan to drive the last 65 miles (!!) to Jackson and move in to our little apartment on campus. We are soooooo ready to be done with this trip, as marvelous at it has been! It really has been beautiful to see sooo much of God’s creation- in so many different forms from the west coast to where we are. Mountains, rivers, rolling hills, flatlands, lakes, …corn…. haha. but really, how gorgeous!

Psalm 8 comes to mind…

“When I consider the heavens, the work of Your hands, the moon and the stars which You have set in place– what is man that you are mindful of him? The son of man that You care for him!?”

Hallelujah!

Noe, Lisa, Adannaya, and “Little Two”