It starts today!

Today we get on the Carnival Fantasy! We left yesterday around 5:15 pm. About a good hour later than I would have liked. So, pretty much right on time!! We arrived safe and sound shortly after midnight to Lonnie & Diana's home outside of Mobile. A couple U'ies there at the end, or as Garmin likes to say, "as soon as legally possible make a left turn followed by left turn", and we found the house. It was nice to have room and beds waiting for us at such a late hour!

The drive was great. We had some bad traffic at the end of our street hearalding major bumper to bumper on the freeway. We needed gas and by the time we filled up we couldn't make the left we needed to get to the freeway and the line of cars going to the freeway access going right was really long. Anyone who knows me, knows how much I looooooove long lines and the pains I will go through to avoid them. So we decided without further ado to take the scenic route across the back country and hook up to I65 past the bottleneck area. I'm sure we didn't save any time at all, and possibly added 15-20 minutes to it, but who knows, traffic might have done the same, and my patience for that kind of thing is not very high. We enjoyed sailing past pastures and cows with nobody in front of us. When we hit the freeway it was busy but not stop and go, and that made me happy.

I drove for awhile. Taryn drove for awhile. I drove for awhile longer. Then we were here. That's the short version. The longer version is that when you cross the stateline into Alabama....peeeeuuuu! The folks there feed their livestock something wrong!! And then there is a smell in a place I think is called Wetskumpa... I think it is named for what it smells like. We sped up to get past the smell (think rotten eggs) so I only saw a flash of the sign. Anyway, a pretty easy drive and we're looking forward to seeing what we missed in the dark on the way home....unless of course, we end up driving in the dark again! Oh well, we'll just have to book another cruise to make up for that.

Today we have the morning to do whatever....hang out with Uncle Lonnie, maybe see Mobile by car and then head to the port. Get ideas for some places to go when our cruise is finished. We have a few hours until we head to the port. The earliest we can board is 12:30 and we should board by 2:00. I'm going to be there at......12:30!!!!! The line thing, you know.

I have a personal saying about that... When virtues were being distributed in Heaven, there was a really long line for Patience. I took one look at that and said, Nah!!!

Wish we could post from the ship, but I guess we can't. Will take photos. Thanks Grammy for lending us your camera since I accidentally left Taryn's at preschool. Thanks Mariah for letting us borrow your flip, and then we gave it back so you can have it for your Spring Break, which I hope is fun. Gib - BE GOOD!!! Do alot of yardwork and stuff. Clean out the garage with dad (watch out for spiders). Indy - take it easy and breathe, you're almost there! Love you kids!!! Mike - Taryn & I are so happy to be on our Mother Daughter vacation! Thanks for everything and thanks for taking time off to be with the kids on their break! I love you!