Getting here to my tower...

Can you believe it's August 20, and I have been here at Asbury for over a week? Now that you have considered that rhetorical question, allow me to start this post with another question.

Have you ever wished for a cave? Or a tower? A place where you can lock your self away for a day or two, maybe even three, to allow your self completely focus on writing or studying something?

My first four days in Wilmore were great! I  unpacked, organized my junk and wrote my internship analytical/reflection paper by myself. All by myself, alone, in an 8 person apartment. God gave me the tower I've wished for during other assignments!

The only time I didn't like it was when the has sunset, the street lights came on, I was tired and ready for my bed. Then I kind of freaked out.

Lock the apartment door

Check

Check the three other bedrooms – under the beds and in the empty closets

Check. Check

Check the two bathrooms – especially behind the shower curtains

Check

All lights off and blinds pulled

Check. Check

Go to my bedroom – lock the door, check in the empty closet and under the other bed

Check. Check. Check.

Get into bed, turn out my little light, pray and lay there listening - hearing every creak of this almost completely empty building

Repeat for four nights.

Here is the story, with a few photos, of our trip.

By late Thursday evening we were all packed and headed out east-bound. I even got to call 911 for the first time... ah, but that's another story. A slight issue made us back-track a little, but we had left the Portland lights way in the distance by 1 a.m. Friday morning. We drove and drove and drove… until dad got tired, pulled over at Perry Bridge park and we slept a few hours. 

Then morning came, we pulled out and drove to the Boise Cracker Barrel for breakfast. There I had macaroni and cheese, home fries and fried apples! Yum! I shared my biscuits with Dad.

From there, we drove and drove and drove… passing Fort Bridger of Apple Dumpling Gang fame… arriving at the town of Little America, WY in time for dinner.

It was a good dinner! We started out with the 50 cent ice cream and then went over to the restaurant for dinner. I had a breakfast burrito with potatoes and mint tea. Yum!

Then dad and I pulled over to the side of the parking lot and slept for a few hours. When I awoke, we were driving down the highway, still in Wyoming. We arrived at the Little America rest stop in time for breakfast. There I had lovely French toast.

Having hit our favorite destinations, we then hauled. We drove and drove and drove… only stopping briefly for dad to nap and then again to get coffee/tea and then make ourselves a dinner of high fiber O's and yogurt before hauling on further. We drove and drove and drove... We stopped and parked in a Sam's Club (I think) parking lot to sleep.  When dad woke, he started driving again. When I awoke, we talked about what we going to do and decided that we would stop for showers somewhere before we arrived at Asbury.

We arrived in Wilmore early Sunday afternoon. There I called the RD of Aldersgate and found out that it is a new lady and not the one I thought would still be there. A suite mate of mine, Katie, was there and let me in to the apartment before I went and got my early arrival packet (housing agreement, key, sheet of important rules and nice little letter from new RD). Somewhere between dad and me unloading the car and coming back from the storage unit and Walmart, Katie had gotten permission to move to her own room in the upstairs apartment and had moved.

Then dad helped me move everything in, hugged me, prayed for me and left. He only had a few hours to return the rental car in Ashland and catch the train.

I felt sad. I was all alone in the apartment. I knew I wanted my bed lofted and couldn't really settle in if I'd have to rearrange when my bed was lofted. I thought I might just do it myself but couldn't figure out how. I went and found pins for it anyway – just to be prepared. That's when I got a phone call from dad saying that he was able to come back to help me loft my bed! Apparently he had gotten a hold of someone who gave him permission to leave the car after hours! I was ready for him and we lofted it together, moved my dresser and desk in place, and then he had to leave.

So we got in the car and I drove with him as far as Talbot street. I got out and waved as he drove away.

After he left I made my bed and unpacked my clothes. Even though I was alone, I had a cell phone. I called my mom, Ruth and Abby.