Chasing Dreams Cont'd-August 2010

I know it has been a while and I apologize. I have been trying to figure out the best way to tell the next part of our story, so whether it's right or not, here it is.

 With nary a nibble on our barn red, country house in the city, we decided to change course a little and rent our house out. Carrying on with the camper trailer idea, saving our pennies, living within our budget and shopping around.

After much shopping, deliberating, and trying to find the right camper that would fit our family of three for an extended period of time, but still be a good investment for resale or travel later down the road (pardon the pun, I couldn't resist!) We prayed and looked, and prayed some more. Finally, we found what we were looking for. We busted open our piggy banks and bought it. It was beautiful, newer than we had hoped and lots of room for Declan who was almost three (thu-ree as he says it) at the time. 

We made arrangements and bought a shipping container to store our furniture, had it insulated for a climate controlled storage unit. Our camper and container site was on a relative's property so we busied ourselves getting everything together. Thomas installed a septic tank and things seemed to be moving smoothly along, kind of. 


The first issues were when the septic tank. It rained the whole week after the tank was installed and the empty tank "floated" up to the surface. Back to work went Thomas, re-digging and fixing. Then the camper was ready. We went to pick it up and the A/C didn't seem to be working. Thomas being the stud he is, volunteered to stay in the camper a couple days to see what was wrong. Keep in mind this was the middle of the summer in hot, muggy, buggy southeast Georgia! I, being the sweet wife I am, decided to stay at his mother's with Declan. That was the first month.


On and off, back and forth, trying to get the A/C working. Finally, they seemed to have it together. At this point I/we had been at his parents house for about a month. Knowing we were soon wearing out our welcome, we moved into his sister's empty house that was for sale, just temporarily. That was the second month, or two.


We prayed some more and Thomas and God came to an understanding, that if we were to get out of debt, it wasn't living in a camper. In addition to that I had found out I was pregnant again. Plan B.


Back to the drawing board to look at our options and count our pennies. We put the camper up for sale, which sold quickly. I think it's because we have such good taste, but most likely, it was probably God. 

An opportunity to care-take a condo that was part of an estate became available. It was up for sale, so we knew we may have to move at any time, but the rent was affordable and enabled us to save toward the land we had been yearning for. God couldn't have put us in a better place. 


more to come...

June 2010 - Turning Points

June 2010 - Turning Points

In the true style of our family, Thomas and I decided to chase our dreams. 

We have always wanted land to raise animals and food and room to run or ride. We looked at our mortgage and realized we loved our little Pine Valley house, but it was not where we wanted to be in thirty years when it was finally paid off. If we were going to be able to live in the country and have the house of our dreams, we would have to do something drastic. Our little family was still young enough, that if we moved now, it wouldn't over-traumatize anyone (anymore than living with our family anyways!).


We tossed around ideas for months and Thomas said, "Why don't we get a camper? We can live in it for a while, then when we can afford land we can move the camper there while we build our dream house." I looked at him a little cross-eyed and told him I would think about it. You know me, I don't just jump into things that affect the rest of my life without a little thought at least! Such as moving across country to a strange city to live with people I hadn't known in 12 years.

We put our house on the market, knowing it was a bad time, but a great location, praying for a buyer. We cleaned and prayed, cleaned and prayed, then prayed some more. Knowing that if we could sell our house, we could afford a camper, pay off some small remaining bills and start saving right away for our dream property. 

We got nothin'. So we prayed some more, cleaned some more and dreamed while we crunched more numbers.

May 2010 - Watering Camels

My mother has a term she calls "watering camels". It refers to faithfulness.

It goes back to the story of Rebekah in the Bible when she was waiting for her groom Isaac. She knew God had something great for her, but her job was to water the camels. 

For those of you who have ever been around a camel, they are not the most pleasant creatures. They stink, they spit and they are definitely not in the phonebook under cleanliness is next to godliness. Doing what God has called us to do, until he tells us to do differently is pure faithfulness. Pleasant, not always. Character building? Always.

I think of my friend Ann Klein. She has been working with Presbyterian Mission in Haiti. Faithfully for over 20 years. Year in year out, she serves. Only with the recent earthquake, have they received support they have worked for years to get. Years of watering camels.


So often I want to do something great. I want to change the world. I believe this will happen. While I wait for God's perfect timing I will continue my calling of watering camels.

January 2010 - A New Beginning

A New Beginning. It's January, yup, time for another update. Time has flown. I thought I was only a month or two behind and before I knew it 6 months had breezed right by. Keep posted. I will be posting some writings as soon as they are published!

Charity

August 2009 - I Am Not One of Them

2009 August - I Am Not One of Them.
They sit around in perfectly ironed capris, flip flops and manicured toes. They are the preppy, the bubblegum types, the soccer moms. "Casserole Queens of the south unite!" They chant as it is their battle cry.

I sit there too, but my cry is different. Unlike the rest, my toenail polish is chipped, my SUV is dented and dirty....the list could go on. As humans we share a common bond, we are woman, we have a conceince. We may look the same but we are vastly different.

Don't take me at face value. I am much different. Look deep, deep into the photograph and see my heart, my story, listen to my song. I am not the only one.

July 2009 - Touring Savannah

I have decided to tour my hometown. There are so many things to see and do, I have not even begun to reach the tip of the proverbial iceberg (since I am in Savannah, Icebergs are not even close to reality). I will try and share my journey through this international historic city.

Today my tour began at the Gryphon Tea Room. Dottie (my neighbor) and I enjoyed chilled chicken salad with frozen fruit on the side. The portions were feminine but nothing to be sniffed at. The air was filled with history as the warm dark wood and ornate trim told its story.

The apothecary drawers lined the wall as the sunlight filtered threw the stained glass prescription pestle windows. It had the feel of a pub, with the air of an Audrey Hephurn movie. Air and class combined with the strength and character made this a truly enoyable place to visit. Orchid and magnolia prints lined behind the counter where a soda jerk once stoof. Orange chairs gave a whimsical Alice in Wonderland feel. Almost too small, they made you perch on the edge until you begin to chat and relize you have just spent hours there.

When we had first walked in the door we were greated by high ceilings, granite round cafe tables, square granite tables that remind you of your grandmother's treadle sewing machine. The splash of color of the orange chairs, the subtle green of the striped fabric ceiling draw your eye heavenward. A huge chandelier encased behind a massive shade only serves to pique your curiosity further.

The visit was lovely and I look forward to going again soon.

June 2009 - People are in our lives for a purpose

I firmly believe people are brought into our lives for a purpose. Whether it be to bring us joy and to know God better, or to give us adversity and make us stronger, we all have a purpose.

I was talking with a friend recently and we both underestimated how much other people listen to what we say. It's the moments when we are rambling on, not paying attention to what is coming out our pie hole that some of the most inspirational moments take seed. When I had so many ideas and dreams I couldn't find direction in my life, she said, "take the first one and run with it until it pans out, then move on to the next." How true those words are and how much they have affected my life.

Our biggest mistake in life is underestimating that purpose. Selfishly focusing on ourselves robs us of the chance to bless others and be blessed ourselves. When you get out of bed in the morning, do you commit your day to the Lord? Why, or why not? Isn't He the one that made the sun shine and gave us the dawn? Fear can take that blessing away. When we go out, it is not for ourselves, it is to bless others and share the good news. Have you been blessed today? then share it. Do you have a testimony? Share it. Others need you. You need them.

Eulogy to a Burning Farmhouse

Savannah lost an important landmark today. A historic farmhouse, known to many as where the big cow was on seventeen. The house held many memories for people of Savannah, especially for us who called it Grandma’s house. After eighteen years the house was sold to a development company based in Augusta Georgia. Martha Holland and Nancy Boyd, known to us as Grandma and Aunt Nancy, moved, and our memories dissolved into a puff of smoke as a training exercise for over fifty firefighters.



Tears filled Martha Holland’s eyes as she recalled moving to the old farmhouse in 1991. She sits next to her son, Tommy Holland and watches the black smoke drift out of bedroom window. The “ Big Cow” or “Keller’s Cow” was moved to the old farmhouse by her brother Robert Simons shortly after. It was a landmark, something Savannah was known for. Everyone has a memory of the big cow. Ours included camping trips in the rain, and girls running up to the house at two in the morning for our bathroom run. Riding dirt bikes and go-carts. My father-in-law Edward paddled a johnboat around the creek with a broken shovel because we didn’t have a paddle. Her grandson Thomas remembers walking the property with Uncle Robert and two copperheads falling out of a tree right behind them. Thomas ran back to the house to get the truck and his .38 and promptly took care of the snakes, which were still writhing on the ground where they had just walked.

As flames licked the front window, I had pictures of African Violets sitting in a gold plant stand with the sunlight filtering in. The back porch caved and I remember rows of canning jars lining the shelves. The wall in the hallway caved and I recall standing in line for a Thanksgiving feast. The smell just about to drive you mad it was so good. And sitting around while Uncle Clarence he recited the family history and Uncle Tommy snoozed in the recliner.

So our memories must make way for progress and learning. They will live on in our photographs and stories that we pass on to our children. And when we drive by and a new building is there, we will tell them stories of our childhood, how we played in grandma’s living room and now it is now the corner seating of an Applebee’s. We will laugh and think of how funny it really is that because of our willingness to sacrifice a few memories, someone you know could be saved from a fire.

Over six departments ranging from Effingham county to 7th Islands fire department will be trained in one day on this one house. After a rigorous course of NPQ (National Board on Fire Service Professional Qualifications), this training could be the difference for these brave men and women. The training is not easy. Dripping from sweat, sitting in the hot sun, these volunteers give up the time they could be out on their boats catching some rays to be there for you. Next time you hear a siren, think about the hours they put in, the weekends they sacrificed. It might just be you someday. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer firefighter, contact your local fire department.

Springtime in South East Georgia

It is springtime in southeast Georgia, which can only mean one thing - family reunions. As we mourn the passing of Thomas' Grandma Libby we are again reminded why the south can hold it's own in the hospitality industry. In the time of your deepest grief, they are there, casseroles in hand to comfort you. What we would have known as the "Lutheran Basement Ladies" growing up, are known as Baptists in the south. These ladies were a group from the upper mid-west who could feed an army and make them forget their woes in a dish of jello. It started when they would build the foundation for the churches, they would put the kitchen in the basement so the women could feed the workers as the building progressed. They grew such a reputation for their fine cooking that they became known as the "Lutheran Basement Ladies".

Before you have had a chance to digest the last meal, the next gathering is upon you. This family reunion is in Sardis, Georgia across from the old saw mill. It is always the Sunday before Easter. Everyone brings a dish and the kids enjoy an Easter egg hunt. Again, we gorge ourselves until we can barely make the hour and a half ride home without falling asleep. Usually when you think of a family reunion, you think of a gathering of strangers that you don't remember their names, but they are all some sort of cousin. Not true in this family. Not only do we get together twice a year (similar to C+E christians, Christmas and Easter) to spend an entire afternoon together, the same family members try to come, which makes it easy to keep up with who's who.

Life is "A Beautiful Thing"

In our family, we believe that not teaching is dangerous. So, in order to implement this, we like to include our 1 1/2 year old in a lot of the activities that we do.

I was making vegetable soup last night. I had peeled the carrots, chopped the cucumbers and turned my back. Fatal parental mistake. This is when you catch your kids being their truest selves. By the time I turned back to look at Declan had grabbed the of the peeled carrots and was alternating between drumming on the cutting board, taking bites off the ends and singing into the carrots like microphones. I don't remember teaching him this, so I am pretty sure music is his nature.

Today, Declan and I made homemade hot chocolate. He helped measure and stir, I poured the hot water. He would look at me and say "hot?" and I would say "chocolate". Tried to copy saying "Shokulat" and taking a gulp. Then repeat. These are the days I enjoy. The memories I will treasure.

Charity

Consolidating blogs

After much debate, I have decided to consolidate our personal blog with our trip blog. So, for all those trying to keep up, I hope this will make it simpler. You can find us now on this blog at...


www.milesamerica.blogspot.com

Sincerly,

Thomas, Charity & Declan Miles

Day Twelve - Birmingham, AL to HOME!

You may have figured out that we are home already, I am just a little slow at posting our last days. I apologize. So here is the last leg of our journey.

We woke up in sunny 70 degree Birmingham, Alabama. Filled with pre-Christmas traffic from all the shoppers. Finally it was starting to feel like Christmas. We puttered around town, picked up a pizza and nibbled our way to Tannehill Ironworks. Tannehill is a foundry and grist mill that was started about the time of the civil war. It is also the end of the Appalachian Mountains where they work their way down from New Foundland (known as the oldest mountains in North America). How do they figure which mountain is oldest? Do you ask the trees? dunno. The place seemed deserted, and if you listened hard you could hear the fires going, the shouts of soldiers working the forge and the turn of the mill. It was here I was inspired to shoot a new project called "The South". Photos of things that make the south what it is, the history, the people, the future. I am taking requests, so let me know what makes "The South" southern to you.

After walking the trail up to the grist mill, Declan right to sleep riding on my back. We enjoyed the serenity and contemplated the end of our journey. Tonight we would be home. The thought seemed strange. We had been gone almost a month. We missed our dog Murphy, but our house seemed like just stuff. We missed our friends and family terribly and were ready to sleep in our own bed. We were ready to be home. We drove the six hours and pulled into our driveway to our dog that had missed us an awful lot. Declan skipped and skipped through the house, pulling out all his toys and grinning from ear to ear. He knew he was home.

Day Eleven - Photos - Memphis TN to Birmingham AL

Graceland lit up for Christmas



Beale Street, Memphis, Tenn.
FedEx Forum, downtown Memphis, Tenn.


Here are the photos from today...

Day Eleven - Memphis TN to Birmingham AL

Memphis, Tennessee. A place with many flavors. We sampled everything from Graceland to Beale Street with a lunch of BBQ at Rendezvous downtown to finish it up. Graceland was amazing to me. I knew that Elvis was famous, and had seen lots of his old movies, but I never fully understood how much of an impact he had on the world. He changed history in so many ways. He revolutionized music in the era before computers and broad media. His music changed the direction of rock and roll and dancing forever. It was an impact I had not fully realized. You left there wishing you could change things too. Not just on a small scale, but change the world. It was inspiring.

Rendezvous was a little hole in the wall basement restaraunt just off Beale street in downtown Memphis. The place was started back in 1948 when the owner - Charlie Vergo - cleaned out his coal chute and started making history. We we lucky enough to see Charlie while we were there. He came in for lunch and to check the BBQ pits. Overall, the food was good, but I think the BBQ in Savannah is hard to beat.

Day Ten - photos - Springfield MO to Memphis TN

The home of Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of Little House on the Prairie.


It seemed almost eerie as the mist surrounded the house, giving it an air of mystery.


The frozen Missouri river still flowed strong.






This is one of the columns found in the cave. The formations were amazing!



Fantastic Caverns is one of four drive - thru caves in the world. It is the only drive through cave in North America. Missouri has over 600 known caves, that's why it is known as the "cave state".




Here are the pictures from today!

Day Ten - Springfeld MO to Memphis TN

We left Springfield, Missouri in the midst of freezing rain and slight showers and headed to the heart of the Southland. The home of soul, the home of Elvis (no we didn't see him, and yes he is really dead, sorry.)

Before we left Springfield we stopped at the biggest Bass Pro Shop I have ever seen in my life. The inside was made to look as if you were a fish underwater, then you crossed a wooden bridge and looked at a hiker running from a bear with a panther on their tail. It was truly amazing. The store was the size of the whole Savannah mall. Impressive and highly recommended. Since we had decided to go low budget on this trip, we have made do with light meals. Breakfast at the hotels. Lunch was made up of Peanut Butter and honey sandwiches or camping meals similar to MRE's that you add water to. We decided to restock our supplies while we were there. Several days along the trip we heated water in a mug plugged into the cigarette lighter in the car and ate while we drove to save time. I recommend any of the Mountain House brand except the sweet and sour pork!

On our visiting Springfield we heard about a drive-thru size cave and decided to check it out. Fantastic Caverns proved to be worth the drive. Twenty minutes into the countryside and I wasn't sure it was worth it, but it was. Turns out it is one of four drive-thru caves in the world, and the only one in North America (for all you trivia buffs). As the guide drove our jeep deep into the hole, he told legends about the cave being used as a speakeasy during prohibition to holding vigilante groups into the 1960's. No names were mentioned, but they wore white hoods. I'll let you figure that one out. The history brought prickles up the back of your neck. My favorite part was when one visitor asked if there were bats in the cave. The smart witted guide said, "why sure, but she got off on the last tour".

We crossed the mighty Mississippi river just as the sun had set, grateful that the days were longer closer to the equator. We cruised Beale street, rolling down our windows to listen to the jazz as it played through the air. The neighborhood reminded us of downtown Savannah, with ghetto all around. The only difference was the music, the spirit of soul. The sound of guitars and drums wafted out of bars as we drove. Slow and smooth it played, unlike the big Cutlass Supreme's with 16" rims blasting out a tuneless thump as they cruised by. They say this is where Elvis got his start, listening to blues. The music in Memphis was an art, not fitting any mold but it's own, pulsing to the beat of neon lights.

Day Nine - Springfield, MO to ...Springfield, MO

Yup, that's right, Springfield to Springfield. We decided to hole up for a day when Thomas woke up with something similar to food poisoning. After locating a great little health food store called "Mama Jean's" I found some great rememdies and hauled Declan back the hotel. We nursed Thomas back to health, caught up on laundry and coffee and rested.

After dark, when Thomas was feeling perkier we went down to Branson, Missouri. We drove through two and a half miles of Christmas lights. We rode the famous tower at Sheperd of the Hills and saw our first "little white church" since we had arrived in the south.

Day Eight - Sioux Falls, SD to Springfield, MO

Here are some of the pics from todays wintery weather!
We woke up to a light drifting snow which got heavier as we drove. Right now we are discovering how to keep your windshield clear in freezing rain. Cranking the heat up to ninety on defrost, laying your scarf across the dash and rolling the windows down so you don't wake up the sleeping baby in the back because he's hot. Life is a discovery!

Day Seven - Photos - Douglas, WY to Sioux Falls, SD

wild doe in South Dakota

Scenic views from the road


The roads were covered with a layer of frozen snow.

Day Four - Photos