A trip to the South

When I was about 18 and ready to leave for college, my parents decided to take one last family trip.  We spent three weeks canvasing the southern half of the United States from California to Virgina, and then back again.  My Dad, who is a master of logistics, planned an incredible vacation.  At each stop there was something interesting to see, some unique bed and breakfast to stay in, and often a "gastronomic" experiences to enjoy.  My siblings and I have great memories of that trip.

So, when David and I created our family vacation list a trip to the South was a necessity.  I really wanted my children to have the same exposure I did to the southern part of the country.  Two weeks ago we took advantage of an opportunity to take the whole family to the South.

On Monday, November 12, we drove to Las Vegas and spent the night there in order to catch our early morning flight to Atlanta.  It was Oliver's first flight and he did fairly well.

Tuesday we arrived in Atlanta, Georgia in the early evening.  We picked up our luggage, rented our minivan, and drove four more hours to Huntsville, Alabama.  On our way we stopped by the "Trail of Tears".  Last year Ethan had studied how President Andrew Jackson forced the American Indians off their home lands onto a reservation.  Thousands died.  It was powerful for Ethan to step on that ground and see where history took place.  

As we drove we passed fields and fields of cotton. 

It looked like snow!

Perhaps people in the South take this common sight of cotton fields for granted, but for us seeing all the cotton production was new and exciting.

As we drove into the long-lasting southern sunset, I thought of my brother-in-law, Chase, and his mission to Atlanta, Georgia.  He often talked about the beautiful sunsets, there.  We felt a special kinship to him as we experienced the setting sun.