Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

1 John 4:7-8

Our grandchildren have been beyond wonderful on this trip, and they have travelled beautifully. But the 460-mile drive from Midland Michigan, through Ohio and deep into Pennsylvania, plus the fact that it was not only our longest drive but day sixteen of this year’s Summer Adventure, tested everyone just a little.

That along with running into (or being almost run into by) at least a half dozen legit crazy road-rage drivers. Including a semi truck/trailer flying past on the inside and then cutting in to force his way into a VW-sized space, in a traffic bottleneck while pushing 70-mph (our lane was locked in at maybe 50). Then something similar with a pickup truck doing at least 85!

Fortunately I am fairly good at paying attention while driving, so we managed to remain collision-free for the day!

It has been so good to spend a relaxed week with Andrew, Alicia and Mr. T. Family – like everything else – is a learning process, so this provided a great opportunity for our almost seven-year-old international grandson to get the ball rolling in terms of being a cousin.

So we said goodbye, and it felt good not to leave them on another continent this time. Andrew has been living overseas since he moved to Italy in 2008. That’s 18 years the other side of the Atlantic and beyond. In that context Michigan does not seem so very far away at all.

And now, Thursday afternoon, we will be saying goodbye to “The Orlando Three.” Let’s hope the drive to Sea Isle City is a bit easier.

Peace – and I mean that in every possible way – DEREK