I am the man who has seen aflliction

Dear friends,
       Greetings from Albuquerque, New Mexico.    Polly and I have just finished getting our plans  in order for the next portion of our trip.  Lord willing our next update will be from the Grand Canyon.
       So,  a lot has transpired:)  When we set out from Columbia, it was with the confident assurance that we could tent camp our way across the country.  In like manner, Shackelton thought he could get to the South Pole using ponies.  They ended up eating the ponies.  Our tent tastes pretty bad:)
       We did survive one cold night in Amarillo, TX at the KOA campground, but pretty much decided to stay in motels and with friends for the rest of our travels.  Wisdom is a precious jewel!
        Other more positive highlights:
             - We finally got out of Louisiana (I'm sure it has its charms, we just haven't found them... of course we were both sick, and had to set up camp at midnight in this vast wilderness of pine trees, with people skinning wild pigs in the next site over with a loud generator, etc.) 
            - Seeing tumbleweeds beside the road all across Texas.
             -Getting to see Ben Forshey!  Made a quick stop in Witchita Falls, and he ran half way across the air force base to see us.  What a man.  I'm proud to have him as my new brother in law.  
            -Eating Texas Toast, in Amarillo, TX.  (And that's pronounced ama-ril-o, not with the Spanish ll=y)
            - We found a "Watch out for Rattlesnakes" sign greeting us at a rest stop!!!  
             - Seeing a road kill Porcupine (I wanted to stop so bad)
             - Stopping at a little dinosaur museum.
            - Getting to talk to my wife about dinosaurs:)
            -Watching the sun behind the mountains as we arrived into Albuquerque.
            -Getting to see the Moscow Ballet perform the nutcracker in Albuquerque!!
          And so here we are in the lobby of the Super 8 motel where we spent the night, waiting for our laundry to dry before we load back up and drive to Arizona.  The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”
          Love,
              -W