July 3 (Day 31)

The best way to a woman’s heart is of course through shopping, so me and mom both were very excited when dad printed off a coupon for one dollar flip flops at Old Navy. We did some shopping there and then at T.J. Maxx and then “moseyed” along down the road through five states (South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas). In each of these states we all waited patiently (mostly) in the car while dad ran at least a mile in each state. We ended up that night in Kansas City where we stopped at a hole in the wall Bar-b-cue place that is not only very well known and loved, but also very good, Arthur Bryant’s. After a nice supper there, we went back to the hotel and hit the sack.

Best part of the day? Mom and I got five pair of flip flops for five bucks and dad ran five miles in five states, so I guess you could say five was the best part of our day!

July 4 (Day 32)

We went to church that morning in Independence, Missouri and drove down the road a few more hours where we arrived just in time to attend Sunday night services in Saint Charles, Missouri. After church, we drove into Saint Louis to meet one of Dad’s trading friends (stocks and options) Leigh Jones. None of us had ever met her in person, including Dad, so as we drove to their apartment in downtown St Louis to watch the fireworks, I’m not sure any of us knew what

to expect. But man, did we have fun! We walked all around downtown with Leigh and her husband Scot (and later with her son in-law Derrick and daughter Jocelyn). They showed us some of the local sights,including a great place to see the fireworks, and later we all sat around a wrought iron table sipping smoothies from a local café on the sidewalk outside and laughed, talked and traded stories. It was such a fun, and unexpected night. We had a blast with Leigh and her family and we laughed all night long. God is so good to give us such good friends where ever we go!

Best part of the day? Keeping up with the Jones’s! J