Davenport, Iowa


Late yesterday afternoon, just as it quit raining, we stopped for a quick pit stop and there was a large patch of grass nearby…and the kids ran back and forth

and back

and forth

and back

racing

and running

and burning some crazy energy…

And really, could it get any better than this?
A Cracker Barrel smack-dab next to our hotel!

Mmm, mmm, good.


And how exactly do we sleep at night?
Every night it’s different, but this was Davenport’s way:
Elijah and Isaiah share a rollaway.
Liberty and Jubilee share a rollaway.

Elizabeth has two chairs pushed together that we have turned into her own little bed…


Elizabeth is always wiggling…proven by the fact that as I snapped one picture she was doing backflips over the arm of the chair she is supposed to be settled into….


Buddies…no matter what…next to each other, yet end to end…Isaiah still wants to hold Liberty’s hand as he falls asleep…
I could sure tell you guys were praying for us. We had a really sweet second day, although it rained almost the entire way. I was actually starting to laugh about 3:00 pm as it was still raining.

I thought I would try to see how many miles we went today as I was typing this post. I map quested from the hotel yesterday to the one we are at now. It says it was 540 miles and should take us 8 hours. I laughed when I saw that. I guess we took the “scenic route” because it took us 11 hours!! And we did not stop to eat. We just ate as we drove, but of course had a boatload of potty stops.

Oh my. Map quest ought to have a “mom traveling with 8 kids and 2 dogs” box to check….cause they surely would have to put us on a bell curve or something like that, right?

Emma sat up front with me for probably 3/4 of the time. Graham the rest. Graham and I were talking as we drove and he was saying how he loves the landscape in Iowa. That boy loves it like his mama. I think Iowa is one of the prettiest places in the entire United States. Rolling farmland. Gorgeous old barns. Beautiful farmhouses.

Have you ever noticed the way the corn ends and the grass starts on a rolling countryside? I realized today that it looks like curly ribbons that decorate a pretty package….rolling, twisting, curling….breathtaking!!

Such gifts from the Lord. Imagine!!! He could have corn and soybeans and grass all look the same as it grows, but NO{!} He made corn to look all jungle green with it spikey tops and leafy leaves…and then soybeans a deeper green that’s bushy and low…and then grass, well you know grass….and put them all against each other and it is soooo tantalizing to the eye….as they border each other…

and Graham pointed out something interesting….imagine if corn grew in random heights? But it doesn’t! The corn stalks are all basically the same size…and that is just so very sweet like that…perfect rows, perfectly growing in unison! Love it!!

And now we are packed up and off…

Next stop?

Chicago!!!

The only whining we’ve heard this whole entire trip has been from Josh and Graham….all they keep saying is, “We want to go to American Girl Place Chicago! We want to go to American Girl Place Chicago!!”

So, American Girl Place Chicago, here we come!!

Anything to make those boys stop whining…

{haha – oh they are so going to kill me if they read this, and really, we will not torture them with American Girl Place…but find something fun for them to do! }

25 thoughts on “Davenport, Iowa

  1. It ws nice to see your day went better and that you enjoyed Iowa so much. We have lived in Iowa for 14 yrs now…close to MN border, flatter up her, but still filled with corn and soybean fields….I have not thought about it the way you have described it and so your words have given me a better view of Iowa!! So glad things are going well for you…..

  2. thank you for sharing your journey with us, Linny! I'm such a horrid, whiny, complainer when we travel. You've inspired me to stop and take note of the positive and actually ENJOY the journey instead of just enduring to the destination! Praying for you! As a matter of fact, I was praying for you at around 4 a.m. this morning, your time. Have a safe rest of your trip!

  3. I think the AG Place in Chicago sounds like a BLAST! My middlest has been to the ones in NY and LA, but, we've never been to Chicago. They sell T shirts that are only available in that location. 🙂

    SO glad that you had a better day. PRAYING for you all today! Have a blessed day!

    Love,
    Alycia

  4. Glad you are getting closer. Glad the Graham and Josh can go to the American Girl store:-)

    Just curious..how did you get the hotel to give you two roll aways AND extra sheets for Elizabeth's bed? I travel alone with 6 (soon to be 7) and it's like I'm asking for the moon when I ask for extra sheets.

  5. Linny,

    I feel like I'm on your trip with you. As a child & teenager our family would travel some of those same types"scenic routes" from WA to KY.

    Another song comes to mind for you. It's been in the at least the Lutheran hymnals for years: "On Our Way Rejoicing".

    Lots of hugs and prayers for you all,
    Barbara Lyman 🙂
    Marysville, WA

  6. Enjoy the American Girl place! Hope you all enjoy Chicago! Prayers for safe travels!

    I think they need a Mom traveling with kids button at least – that way they can add on a couple of hours to whatever they tell you (it should take you 2 hours to drive there – so 3 1/2). 😉 LOL!

  7. Oh goodness! The American Girl Place is so much fun! I went when I was 11. My 13 year old brother didn't quite appreciate it. 😉 Mom made it up to him by finding a great pizza place. 😛 Sounds like y'all are having a good trip. Wish I was with y'all… I am a PRO at driving in rain. 😛 It seems that every time I'd drive when we'd be on long road trips, it would rain. Just for me, hardly ever for anyone else. 😛 Praying for y'all! 🙂

  8. This is my first comment made here. I've been a "lurker" for a very long time. My friend in Virgina (http://ouradoptionblessings.blogspot.com) directed me to your blog a long time ago!

    Anyway, I live in Iowa with my DH and four children. I've never thought about corn the way you described it. And the fact that you think the Iowa landscape is so pretty is pretty amazing since you live in the mountains! So, I guess what I'm saying is thank you for inspiring me to think of the landscape that I see daily in a different way. I'll admit I've probably taken it for granted way too much!

    Praying for you on your journey!!!

  9. OH! Shouldn't you just torture them anyway? haha! Love it!
    I was praying for you yesterday afternoon when I read your tweet about it raining. Hope you have a much better drive today.

  10. Hey Linny! I just came home from a road trip to Utah & Arizona went through Durango on Monday at 3pm and arrived home in Dayton, IA (northwest of Des Moines) at 10am yesterday (Tuesday) so I guess you have been on my heels!!!

    I am glad you and Graham enjoy our corn fields!!! I find beauty in them sometimes, but have a much easier time seeing the beauty in the landscape out west! I thought of you often during the route from Durango to Denver, while delighting in the beauty of the Rockies, because I know you have taken it MANY times!

    If you come back thru Des Moines I'd love to treat the family to your favorite CB (if there is one there!) so let me know if you will be stopping for munchies! Actually … if you would be willing to go an hour out of your way you could likely stay at the camp where I work!!! :o)

    Praying for safe travels!
    Michelle

  11. Okay Linny- now that you're in Davenport turn left and I'll see ya in about 4.5 hours… oh ya I forgot you the mom with 32 children and 15 dogs-I mean 8 hours! 😉

    The only part of Chicago that anyone will be whining about is the traffic- ugh- that'll take a whole day- but for the AG store- oh, so worth it!!

    You are such a fun Mom!!

  12. i love seeing how you all fit in the hotel room. SUCH fun and memories!

    my in-laws are in davenport and we're right outside of chicago! =)

    praying always! have fun!!

  13. Okay, nobody ever says anything nice about Iowa's landscape! And I agree, it's quite beautiful in its own way. It's not a mountain or a lake … but it has a beauty all its own. I'm glad you saw it! That you appreciated it! God is so good at what He does isn't He? 🙂
    You were only only a bit away from us here in Shellsburg as you passed through. Hope the time in Chicago is sunny and pleasant.
    –Valerie

  14. Oh I miss the Quad Cities (Davenport), Moline, right across the Mississippi is my hometown!!! We now live an hour south of Chicago! If you need anything or need a place to stay around there, touch base! anglsamngulb at hotmail.com
    Lisa 🙂

  15. We went to American Girl Place today too. The only thing is it was in Los Angeles. My 18 year old son asked why we didn't invite him. I said it's way too girly. He said free food! Oh brother! I told him he would get to go out another time. I can't believe he wouldn't be too embarrassed to go.
    The girls had a great time. My husband and I enjoyed taking them. Hope all your girls had fun in Chicago and the boys too.

  16. Wow, what a wonderful trip and what sweet memories! I've been praying for all of you along your "crazy" exciting journey. Thanks for taking the time to post!!

    Chicago??? I LOVE Chicago!!

    Blessings to all of you!

  17. Love the hotel pictures. It makes me want to jump on all the beds with you guys. Would love to meet you in Chicago…Come on, stop by our house on the way back and stay…please, please

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