After enjoying two full days of exploration at the San Antonio Missions we had to move on. Our original plan was to travel even further south to the Mexican border and to even cross over if time permitted. Unfortunately for us now, neither of these two options would fit into our timeline. We had already contacted and made plans with family and friends in Austin, Dallas, Burleson, and Kansas City. So, much like a child playing with a yo-yo, we traveled back north into Texas, on the same rode we traveled south on just days before. Luckily our next stop was close by and we stayed a day and a night in Austin, Texas. Though we planned to check out the city for a while, we ended up hanging out with a friend of Mel’s, Jo, at a local BBQ joint for most of the day.
As Mel and her friend chatted away, the kids and I got a taste of Texas TV culture as we watched BIG trucks hauling sleighs through mud pits and manic drivers smashing cars into each other.
The next day, like a yo-yo returning to the place where it began, our family returned to the Homestead Heritage property for two more days. (It was now Friday March 1st- marking it the start of the 7th month of our trip). There was something about this place that compelled us to be there. We were drawn to these people, the unique way they lived their lives, and the way they interacted with us and one another. Our first priority was to visit the craft village and pick up the cloth coaster Eva had made on the loom at the Belton Expo two weeks before.
Friday night we joined them for another community wide dinner gathering and participated in a group conversation about music as an analogy for living in harmony with each other. Of course our entire family was pleased with the country cooked chicken and creamy mashed potatoes. The following evening we were invited to another member of the community’s house and we talked long into the night about our faith walks and studied the biblical passages regarding the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
Sunday morning we drove to a city outside of Dallas called Grapevine, where we visited another one of Mel’s friends, Merrill, who treated our family to an afternoon at the local aquarium.
The kids had a blast seeing all the diverse sea life and the day was full of fun, laughter and ice cream.
Driving to the closest Walmart parking lot for the evening, we parked our motor home for the night, unaware of the surprise that awaited us early the next morning.
Miller's Motor Home Adventure 