Observations

When we are on the road, different things catch our eye on each trip. On our many trips through VA on I-81, we have noticed that there are a tremendous number of colleges and universities. So this time I decided to write down each one as we passed the sign for each particular college along the interstate. There were a total of 28 colleges and universities signs that I managed to get written down (I may have missed one or two). In all our travels over the United States over the years, I have never noticed so many places of higher education along just one highway. That's just an example of one of the quirky things that I like to do to occupy my time when riding long distances in the car. This time we saw license plates from 37 states (including Alaska!) and Quebec and Ontario. We also saw many interesting license plates...some people are quite creative when it comes to what their license plate reads...some are quite hard to figure out. I may write down the unusual license plates that we see when we go on our next trip...planning ahead!

Everything seems off time-wise today. I felt that it was time to blog and realized that I was an hour early...but yesterday it was a little before 7pm...so my mind and body says that it is almost seven! This morning I woke up about an hour earlier than usual...again...really woke up at my usual time...but the time change made me wake up earlier!

Woody and I both went to Sunday School this morning. Woody taught his class. We then came home and started getting some Christmas presents wrapped. We now have a goal to get the presents ready to go to AZ...they are always the ones that we need to get ready first since they need to be mailed...but this year...they may be going to be delivered personally!!! When I mentioned what I might do to occupy my time on our next trip, I wasn't meaning our next trip to NIH! We have decided that we are going to go to AZ for Thanksgiving. We hatched this plan on our way home from NIH. I had mentioned to Woody on our way to NIH that I would like to go to AZ in March when we had a two month break from NIH trips. Well, we were given that two month break this time. So on the way home Woody mentioned that we could go to AZ for Thanksgiving and I thought that was a very good idea! Mother and Cheryl and my niece, Rachel, seemed to like the idea too. So it looks like we will be hitting the road again in a week or so! I can't believe it! I haven't been to AZ since before Woody was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma...so it has been about 2 1/2 years since I have seen my family there. Lots to do to get ready! I'm thrilled that Woody feels well enough to suggest this long trip (1800 miles...one way!). We could fly...but both of us would rather drive...that way I can spot state license plates (I-40 is a wonderful interstate to get license plates!) and various and sundry other things along the way...and, of course, take pictures! It will be good to take a trip that is a vacation for a change!

We wrapped presents till Nathan, Kathy and family got home from the second service at church. Then we went over to their house for lunch. Very good! We provided dessert...Korean musk melon popsicles that we bought at the Korean grocery store. We managed to get them home in our little cooler...with only one getting soft...and that one was edible...just a little flat!

After lunch, Woody went to the deacon's meeting at church. I came back home and did a little more for Christmas. Woody has been watching football this evening. He made us salads to go with our French Market soup for supper. I have talked on the phone with my sister making plans! Mother and Woody both said that neither of us would be ready for the trip/visit if we kept talking on the phone!

Tomorrow I will be accompanying Nathan and Abigail to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. Sweet little Abigail (7-year-old granddaughter) is going to have ear surgery again. We are praying that the doctor will be able to do the surgery through the ear canal rather than having to make an incision behind her ear and that the surgery be successful this time AND that Abigail be able to stay calm...last time (tube put in her other ear) she got so upset when she was taken from us that she hiccuped through the whole surgery...not a good thing for the doctor to be able to perform successful surgery! She is supposed to be given something to keep her calm prior to the surgery tomorrow...doctor's orders!