Brandi and I were married on May 26th. It was a really nice and simple wedding ceremony at Christ's Church in Newkirk, Oklahoma, where I met Brandi last September and where I asked her to marry me last March.
We thought that hiking boots would
keep the wedding from feeling too formal.
So many of our friends and family stepped up to take care of the details of the ceremony. We felt very blessed. After the wedding, Brandi's family tied some empty cans to our "Just Married" walking shoes. It was a nice touch.
We thought it would be best to just get used to being married first, before setting out to travel together, so we lived and worked in Ponca City for the entire month of June. On the first of July, we moved out of our apartment and set out on a two-month, driving, road-trip, honeymoon that took us up to Iowa, Minnesota, across Canada to British Columbia, down the west coast to Washington, Oregon, and California, and then back to Oklahoma through Arizona and Colorado. It was a great trip, and it gave both of us experience being on the road together. There are a mountain of pictures I could put on this page, but here are a few highlights from the journey.
Hiking in Alberta, Canada
Sunset on Glacier Lake, Banff National Park in Canada
A misty lake in British Columbia
I was forced to hunt down a pesky, habituated campsite rodent that kept eating our food.
Sunset at Olympic National Park in Washington
Brandi keeping the campfire burning
Tide pools at Olympic National Park
A disgruntled crab
Elephant seals napping in the sun
The Golden Gate Bridge
Ruins at Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado
Camping near Bend, Oregon
Brandi considering some counseling
Grinding corn meal at Mesa Verde
September 22, 2001: Ponca City, OK
The summer was just fantastic. We arrived back in Oklahoma on the first of September. I needed to get some dental work done before we start walking, and unfortunately this included the re-treatment of a root canal. A few days later, pain and swelling rocked my life as I found it had become infected. (There's no cotton in my mouth on the picture-- It's all my swollen face). I'm much better now, and we are now focusing on gearing up to return to the walk across America. I like that much better than focusing on the pain in my face. We bought two bus tickets to St. Francisville for this Thursday, and we will be there on Friday afternoon (Sept. 28).
The Summer of 2001 Page
Please pray for us as we return to the road next week. When fear creeps in, I can feel a bit anxious about subjecting my wife to the uncertainties that life on the road can present, but I can also return to the truth that God will be watching over us, as He always has. The uncertainties, it seems, give us opportunity to look to Him, and they force us to trust Him. I look forward to all the miracles, Divine appointments, protection, and provision that are sure to come. Next update should be from Louisiana.
A rare smile last week
This is the Summer of 2001 page.
From here, you can continue with the travelogues from St. Francisville on Louisiana Part X
Brandi and I were married on May 26th. It was a really nice and simple wedding ceremony at Christ's Church in Newkirk, Oklahoma, where I met Brandi last September and where I asked her to marry me last March.
