Iowa Road Trip - catching up 2022

 Wow, I just realized I never posted about my Iowa road trip - the first major road trip D and I took together! I'd started working at my new job and everyone was still remote. Half my coworkers were in Iowa and one in particular had two adorable cats I just fell in love with. I mean, she was also a super cool person that I wanted to meet, and I really wanted to have some touchpoint with these people that were my coworkers but whom I'd probably never meet. 

D is always up for a trip. So we packed up the truck and headed to Iowa in the Summer of 2022. I think it was the summer of 2022. Anyway, it was an awesome trip. This country is so incredibly beautiful. The landscapes change before your eyes as you drive across the states, take a few off the beaten path detours, find hole in the wall places to eat and embrace adventure. 

We started off in SC, NC, Tennessee, found a slightly sketchy place to eat in Knoxville, TN, that D hesitated to stop at... but then fell in love with the food (Jackie's Dream, Food with Soul). Super nice folks and good food. 

Saw the biggest cross in my life at Caryville, TN. 

Amazing double rainbows in Mt. Vernon, KY. and Berea, KY. 

Rainbows and sunsets in Erlanger, KY

Covington, Indiana! You know I HAD to have a photo of that! 

Illinois also has corn and wind turbines! I squealed like a child when I saw the first one up close. They are majestic! We went off roading and parked in the middle of a corn field and it was dang creepy how silent it was. Bizarre feeling! See how close the corn was to the truck? 

Peoria, Illinois - super cute little stop on the river to enjoy water instead of corn for a minute. 

IOWA!! This was a rest stop and the corn was right up against the rest stop buildings. It was crazy! And of course, wind turbines everywhere. I was fascinated! 

So we of course got in touch with my friend/coworker, Rachel, and met her kitties! Here is one - Bae I think? She was so nice to basically clear everything from her life for the weekend and hang out with us wherever we decided to go. We did dinner with the coworkers who were available - soooo cool!!

We did the farmers market, ate downtown, found another super cool place to eat called Drake's, visited West Des Moines and East Village for goodies to take back home, the Art Museum (more shopping!) and let me say this - it was FREAKIN' HOT in Des Moines. Like, over 100 hot. I was dying. I know I'm Southern, but I do air conditioning. It was insanely hot and miserable outside. It was a whirlwind trip - two days - and back on the road. 

Talk about exciting - this is a wind turbine ... arm? Blade! I think that's what they are called - going down the interstate! We saw three in total, so that was AWESOME. 

No clue what this creepy vehicle is that we found in Missouri, but it was weird. 

Adorable houses packed in together in St. Louis, Missouri. 

The arch! We drove to go tour it but it was closed. We did find a guy shooting up at the base of the archway, sitting inside a kiddie sunshade tent thing shaped like a shark. It was bizarre and disturbing. We got the heck out of there. 

I realize I'm a country bumpkin and the city life isn't for me. And while I do find some of the graffiti interesting, it isn't my thing  

We are getting more southern! Barbourville, KY

Cumberland Gap

Tennessee! Rolling hills and beautiful green trees. The steam coming from the downpour D navigated us through because I wouldn't have driven through that nonsense. 

We had concerns about the flooding on our way home - and you could see the water was up and trees were now surrounded that shouldn't have been. But thankfully, we were good the entire trip. 

How did we end our trip home? With a stop at Waffle House. It was shocking how early things closed in Des Moines and we really needed a WH. But the closest one was in Kansas City! So that wasn't happening. Keep in mind, Covid was still a player in August 2022, so that was also impacting things. 

And long at last, a Carolina moon. 

What a great trip, and this is what kicked off our road tripping adventures. We were in each other's space for six days with no issues. We get along so well, it's a little amazing. Love this trip and would totally do it again! 

Goodbye 2022 and good riddance.

 Macy said tonight she was sad to see 2022 leave. Of course, Mom, Katie, and I said WHY?!? We are so over 2022. But, I am so thankful Macy sees so many good things that happened in 2022. 

2022 for me: 

— I changed jobs after being at my government job of 12 years. It was scary but so good for me. I worked from home and still haven’t met most of my coworkers, yet developed friendships all the same. 

— I traveled! At least three trips to the NC Mts with family and friends. VA/W Va to see Sherry and a promise to visit Shirley next time!!❤️ (This year’s autumn leaves were amazing!) Dylan and I drove to Iowa, met a few of my coworkers there (Rachel and her kittens!) and saw amazing views of this country. 8 states and another town with my last name!! Rachel came to visit us so we squeezed in Charleston and Folly Beach and a few trips into Charlotte. Hit up North Myrtle for Thanksgiving and enjoyed a quieter Christmas at home. 

— Watched Ellie win Miss Freshman at her high school - she was so confident and poised! I was very impressed! Enjoyed a little time with her and Donna where I was able to see how much she grew up during those Covid years! She’s a teenager now!!! And is such a”good kid.”

— And the toughest event ever - having my Dad pass away in September. Even with this, I saw so many amazing things. How he impacted the medical staff in a positive way. At various times, nurses came in after clocking out to say how much they enjoyed him and his family.  He showed determination. Strong faith. A fighting spirit. So much love for his family. We have loved the George stories, meeting his old friends and coworkers. Seeing family. Yes, these were (and are) very hard days. But for us because our hearts hurt missing him so much. He is healed, happy, with our Heavenly Father! And all the family and friends who went before him. We will see him again. For that, I am so thankful. 

So yes, 2022 sucked. But it was beautiful, too. It took a 10-year-old to remind me of this, but she is often wise beyond her years.