The Wanderer's Adventure Begins: Traveling South

So, Sunday I found out my friends, Emily & Michelle were headed to Virginia Beach to meet up with Tim Wright and hang out. Well I wanted to go too, not only to be with them but to see me long-time college friend "Sooki" too (I haven't seen her in a year and they have an adorable little girl now). But the plane tickets to meet them were out of my price range, and I felt at peace with God--if that makes any sense--so I just went to bed figuring God knew what I wanted and if He wanted it for me, He's work it out. After all, I have also been dying to go down to Lakeland, FL too, but that will have to come in His perfect timing too...

Anyway, I woke up early yesterday morning at what I jokingly call an "un-Godly hour in the morning" (I'm a night person). While laying in bed, feeling quite peaceful and having had one of the most restful nights of sleep in a while I thought briefly of VA. Then had an odd thought: "wasn't there someone I knew going down?" I tossed the thought aside, and then it persisted. And with a name: Christopher!

Now I don't know why I had not thought of it sooner, he had been with us for the weekend and was leaving to go home soon! So I jumped up, asked Aunt Deb if he was heading out today and going straight through. She said "Yes" and that he was leaving in an hour. Well, I juggled my cell phone trying to get a hold of my friends--make sure they were serious about me staying with them in the their hotel room, and see if maybe they could get me back home later--while packing exceptionally fast!

Then another thought hit me fast. A friend of mine, Erin, in Lisbon OH, had been begging me to come and stay with her and her family. Her mom (Erin's a younger friend) had said she would drive out and pick me up and take me back later. So I called them up quick to ask if I got a ride back up there later this week, if they would get me back to Olean next week sometime...I got another voice mail.

I finished packing, asked Chris for a ride and we left shortly afterward. Thankfully, Erin got back to me just before we left so I knew if Emily & Michelle would take me home with them when they returned to OH, they could get me to Erin's (who lives near Emily's parents) and sometime Erin's mom would get me back to Olean.

I've never done anything so spontaneous in my life! and I still had not got a hold of my friends who were in VA when we left! And we were near DC before they finally called and said it was fine with them! My response was "Well, I sure hope so, 'cuz I'm on my way already!"

So last night, Chris dropped me and my small bags off on the Regent Campus where I met up with my friends in the Library's Prayer room where I then met several more cool people and had an awesome time of prayer, praise, and fellowship well into the AM hours. Then we went to a restaurant and hung out longer. And now, I'm off to bed and a wonderful time with my friends in VA till late Thursday night when we leave for OH...

I'm finally traveling on the road, on my own, just like me dream! Like Aunt Deb said: "and you thought you needed a car to do that?"