Down South

Yesterday we left for a family wedding in Memphis.  The trip down I-57 reminded me of the many times the boys and I drove to Mississippi every summer to visit with family. Most of the time it was just the boys and me.  Believe me traveling with three young boys by yourself can be quite a challenge.


On this journey we cross the Mississippi River twice. Once at Cairo, Illinois where the Mississippi River meets the Ohio River. Then again at Memphis.  As we traveled south of Cairo, the cotton fields were rich with bolls and ready for harvest.  Fall is a great time of the year in the South. While it is still humid, the temperatures have dropped to the 70's.







As a young girl, I occasionally worked in the cotton fields. My grandfather would drive the cotton picker while my uncle and I walked behind to pick any missed bolls. At the end of the day my grandmother would have a home cooked meal ready for us to share.  After dinner we would sit in the swing on the front porch, listen to the crickets and frogs as we gazed on the starry sky.  It was a special time that I will always cherish. When the boys and I came on our summer visits, I would drive out to the country so I could show them where I spent some of my childhood. I regret that they were not able to experience the country life in their childhood.




As I've mentioned before, Keefe is in Helmand Province.  Poppies are the  major corp for Helmand.  Although the poppies grown are used to produce opium, the blooming fields are a magnificent site to behold.











Another wondrous site that Keefe will experience is the brilliant starry sky of Afghanistan.  I am sure these pictures don't even compare to this magnificent sky in person.  However when I look at the stars in the night, my imagination runs wild with thoughts of how marvelous and awe inspiring God's universe is.  I pray that God will bless our troops, bring them home safe and help them to accomplish their hearts and minds mission.

Semper Fi!