8 states, 5 pools, 3 visits and a funeral

Whew!

Our second visit to Lafayette, Indiana went well. In fact, the hubbie did not have an offical "second interview." Our entire family was treated to dinner twice but much of the rest of the visit was aimed at impressing the kids and myself---knowing that the hubbie won't take a job in a place that does not interest the family. The kids enjoyed the city and loved the hotel pool. (The big selling point of this city for the kids is the new pool--with BIG, colorful water slides--at a city park!)

When we returned to KC, we rented a minivan so the kids were thrilled. We made it to Norman, OK that night and received the sad news about the hubbie's grandmother while we were there. While the hubbie mapquested the next leg of our journey, the kids and I visited the hotel pool.

The following evening found us in College Station, TX which is another possible future home for us. We did not get the grand tour but visited the city ourselves before going back to the hotel for another swim.

The next day's drive brought us to New Orleans. (Interrupted by the rental van breaking down in Lafayette, LA but with the help of two animated southern ladies at National Car Rental, we made it to our destination.) Before heading to the hubbie's sister's home for the night, we toured the lakefront area where his grandmother had lived. They have cleaned up quite a bit from what I hear but the area is almost a ghost-town. The store where Miss I shopped is still closed; houses bear a brown-orange line where the water line was and bright orange "x's" marking dates when the home was inspected. (One house had the added info: "10/4-cats removed.")

Saturday morning featured a sad drive back through this neighborhood on the way to the church but quite a reunion once we got there. Not only did we get to see many relatives but also quite a few of Miss I's neighbors. Where those neighbors were scattered and where they are all living now is another saga.

Sunday morning we made a L O N G drive to Springfield, MO and had a long, refreshing swim.

That long drive enabled us to have a short and sweet drive back to KC on Monday to pick up our car and then a quick 2-hour drive home.

The kids, while understandably tired, were hellions at the grocery store today so they've lost their pool priveleges.