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!