We made it here. Our GPS brought us by a new route since I requested the “fastest trip” setting, so we took 1-75 to Knoxville and then 640 and I-40 East toward the Carolinas, and then south on some road that hugged the sides of the mountains (bonus: two genuine through-a-mountain tunnels, which totally impressed Jonas) and brought us past Spartanburg and Columbia SC, then at last over a little bridge and back into Georgia.

It was a loooooooong day. Backed out of my driveway at 4:15 a.m. and pulled into Mom & Dad’s driveway at 5:15 p.m. We shared a number of singalongs en route, including a re-write of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star:”

Georgia, Georgia, very far;
How we wonder where you are!
Riding in the car all day,
Seems like you’re so far away.
Georgia, Georgia, very far;
How we wonder where you are!

Overall, though, it was a good trip. The kids were incredible travelers. Susannah was such a trooper! She was a lot more “fun” on this ride than she’s been in the past; she could request songs when we were singing, she played peek-a-boo with a toy elephant’s ears, and she called out at passing big rigs: “Hey, wuck! Go, wuck! Bye bye, wuck!”

My favorite moment with Jonas was when he asked for something to read and I suggested that he check what he’d brought in his backpack. He pulled out his Bible and said, “Oh, this is the best book!” I told him, “You know, I didn’t have my Bible time this morning before we left; do you want to read a Bible story to me?” So he read us the story of Adam & Eve, the “sneaky snake,” Noah’s ark, and Jonah. Even though it’s a little paraphrase, hearing my son read God’s Word was a really special gift.