Flood Waters on the Rise

Flooding in Arkansas; looks like sand bags saved this house.

Not yet to the Mississipi on the Tennessee side.

Water rushing over the levee before the Mississippi River on the TN side.

Road under water

Before the MS River; bridge that crosses it; we are still approaching

4-5 miles out from the MS on the TN side

Tuesday, May 9, 2011

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MYA!

Unbelieveable pictures this morning going from Dyersburg to Steele, MO. We had to cross the Mississippi River. The flooding is 7 miles wide. We started seeing fields flooded and water everywhere, around barns, silos, houses, buildings, and trees. Apparently this has not happened here since 1937. The levees on the TN side must not be as high or as apparrent. The flooding was much more severe on this side of the MS than the MO side. There was about 5 miles of flooding then after the river, another 2. It was hard to tell where the actual river should be; if not for the big bridge we crossed it would not be noticeable. I cried when I saw these farms underwater.

Sometimes you have to do your Business on the side of the Road

These 3 little boys can be quite a challenge for me at times but I wouldn't trade them for anything. I guess when one has to go they all have to go. Sometimes you have to do your business on the side of the road.

Happy Mother's Day ~ May 8, 2011

Sunday, May 8, 2011:

Our goal was to leave at 10 am; we left at 10:50; not too bad. We don't have too much driving today; only 7.5 - 8 hours of just driving time. We drove 522 miles from Landrum, SC to Dyersburg, TN just before the Mississippi River.

Our first stop was at the TN welcome center for a map and a bathroom break. We stopped just outside of Nashville to look at a War Monument for the Battle of Nashville in 1864 and for everyone to run around on the grass a bit. The children (and this mama) are enjoying our new "bus" quite a bit. There is room for me to walk around and visit all the little people, help when needed and it's easier to pass out food and lunch stuff which we did in the car yesterday. No need to stop for lunch with a cooler (thanks Corine!) that plugs in so no soggy food in water. After lunch, we had rest time (but not for the driver). We arrived in Dyersburg around 7 pm or so last night. Just before we got there, I happened to look up and see a giraffe; not a real one, but nvertheless, a very tall giraffe. Well, if you know Jackson, you know since he was about 13 months old he loves, adores, absolutely lives for giraffes. So we slowed down a bit and then noticed there were camels in the field, then all of a sudden, there were zebras, then boars. Jeff said, "I am turning around". We drove down a side road and realized it was a safari park but not open. But that was ok. There was enough to see from the road to enertain the children, peacocks, deer, some small animals we could not identify, and more. The children were thrilled. So thrilled with this trip that no one could calm down enough to go to sleep before 10 pm!

California Here We Come!

Well the whole gang's ready and we are on our way. We had several lists; well actually 4. One for what to pack for CA; one for what we need for the trip out there; one for food; and one oh so long list for what had to be done before we could leave. I wasn't sure how to work this; what do you not leave behind for 7 weeks? I finally decided upon a plan for dealing with clothes for 9 people in a different hotel room for 7 nights/8 days. We brought enough clothes for 8 days for each person to the living room floor and put each in separate piles. That's what living rooms are for, right? Then i gathered lots of tote bags and duffels. Then sitting on the floor, I started with one bag and took one outfit per person from each person's pile and filled bags for each day. A couple of larger bags I put 2 days worth in. In one bag, we filled it with the things you need each day, deoderant; toothbrushes; hairbrush; children's bath soap/shampoo; make-up; extra playpen sheet; diapers; etc... I hope this will be an easy solution to going in and out each evening; carry one bag with clothes, the general bag, and of course a bag with the baby's stuff; she only goes through 3-4 sets of clothes a day. :)
We packed most of our stuff on Saturday which made Sunday morning much much easier. A clean house, no clutter, and it was easy to see if we had left anything. I'm sure there will be a few glitches along the way but so far it is working well.

On the Road Again!

"On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again...."
Oh, if this were only true. I was weary after another trip to Charleston and Jeff proclaimed that the farm life and jet-setting don't quite go hand in hand. Besides a newborn baby and 6 other children, we were carrying 4 young ducklings as well. Since Katharine Ellis's birth, we have made, count them now, 5 Trips! Yes, 4 trips to Charleston in 11 weeks and one trip to Boone (our first trip when she was oh, just 2 weeks old). Only one was purely for fun even though they were all enjoyable; weddings; car buying; work; company retreats; 150th anniversary of the War (what you call it depends upon where you live; in Charleston it's "That most recent Unpleasantness") Then just when we thought life would settle down a little (I'd like a little bit of boring), Jeff came home with news he would be working in California and it would take several 9-10 day trips. Not relishing staying by myself for days on end, him returning for 3 or 4 days and leaving again I was very quiet during this conversation. However, my wonderful husband came up with a plan. Let's all temporarily move across the country for 7 weeks! Yikes. So, with just a little time to prepare (little is relative, really how much time would you want to prepare for this? Weeks, months, years?) we began the thought process which turned into several lists and started preparing mentally to get back in the car.....again. Instead of 3 hours to Charleston, it's a mere 36 hours to California. When can we go back to Charleston?

The Tank vs. The Baby RV

My sweet husband decided he no longer wanted to sit right next to me in our travels in the tank. Let me go back a bit. 7 years ago, on Feb. 27, 2004 we purchased a new vehicle as any minute (literally) we were expecting 3 babies to arrive bringing our total to 5 children, of which the oldest was barly 6 years old. With 3 infants and car seats, we could not use a mini-van; we measured! So, we bought a Yukon XL. Having had small cars, the current one a Honda Accord, when I first test-drove the Yukon I said "This feels like driving a tank". Of course I was 9 months pregnant with 3 babies too! Hence the nickname "The tank" stuck. 2 days later, our healthy babies were born and "the tank" turned into a yard ornament; it sat for 6 weeks in the driveway before I would drive it. Now, I drove the Honda during all that time but not "the tank". Now, 7 years and more children later, we have outgrown the tank unless we fit 3 in the front seat. I have quite enjoyed our few trips to Charleston after the new baby arrived sitting right next to my husband having a pleasant conversation on the road. But alas, cargo room is limited as well. So, this brings us to the next phase of our life's journey, we have gone to the next step, a 12 passenger van. God has brought us more blessings and unless we can find a horse and wagon we have to carry them around another way. And, yes, I test-drove it once; just once. While I once pined for the Honda, now I pine for the tank.

NEW ROWE BABY!

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.' The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;..."

Lamentations 3: 22-25

In this season of love, we are reminded of God's love for us in the blessing of our new daughter.

Katharine Ellis Rowe,

born Wednesday, February 9, 2011 5:29 pm

weighing 7 pounds and 19 and 3/4 inches long.

Her first name, Katharine, means "pure" and is given in memory of Jeff's maternal grandmother. Ellis is a surname on Kelly's maternal grandmother's side of the family dating back to the 1800s.

We are grateful beyond measure and humbled as well to be entrusted with this precious new life to nurture and train for God's glory. Thanks be unto the Lord!

Psalm 100"Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Love,The Rowe Tribe

Jeff, Kelly, Scott, Sarah Kelly, Harris, Elizabeth, Drew, Jackson, 2 blessings in heaven, Peter and Jon-Jon, and Katharine Ellis