Life in the Lonestar State

We just finished our final travel assignment in Houston, Texas. On a county road in the rural area of Alvin, we got to experience a new area of the southwestern United States. After a brief time without a home when we got here, we settled into a garage apartment with a family and truly had a special time.

We weren’t that far from civilization, but looking at the road we were on, you’d definitely think so. Filled with fields of cows, lots of dogs, and a large animal clinic, it was certainly what you imagine when you picture rural Texas. In the process, I found out that my wife has a new excitement for brown cows – especially the longhorn ones. But just like our previous travel assignments in Florida and Oregon, it was good to be in a different environment that grew us. And even though we didn’t do as many wild trips as we did in the summer, we had some fun times in the Lonestar state.

During our 12 weeks here, we visited many of the major cities, saw various sports teams, and even drove 10 hours to visit Big Bend National Park. But just like that, our year of travel is coming to an end. As both of us reflect this week, it’s crazy to think that in January we were packing up our car to live in northwestern Florida, and now we’re packing up to return to Cincinnati. It’s bittersweet, of course, as we’ve had such a special time together. We’ve experienced so much adventure, grown in our marriage, and definitely grown in our trust in God. Yet it’s also the time that we believe God has called us to come home, to build community and follow our careers. Even with the bittersweet ending, we are ready to call it a year.

I’m grateful to have shared these adventures with you, as I’ve documented some of the wild times my wife and I have had this year. I hope that you will continue to stay up to date, for adventure is not just something we experience in new places – we also experience it in our hearts. Together, as God’s children, we were given a heart made to grow and change. No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, God can use each of us in his grand plan, and of course, in his grand adventure.