We Made It!!!

Yes!!!

We made it
to
Mississippi!

But
I can't
say
it was
easy...




It
was
all
TJ's fault
really....

When we
started out
that AM
from Birmingham
he decided
he needed
a Subway breakfast...

You drive, Mom,
he said....

Then
he fell
asleep.



So
no one
looked
at a map
for the first
87 miles...

When we
finally
stopped
for
gas...



GASP!!!

We've gone
87 miles
in the wrong
direction!




We'll have to
turn straight west
and try to find
Mississippi!

It's
a long
drive
across
Alabama
now...

fueled
by
Skittles...

entertained
by
Buffy.

We
make
it
to
Selma...

when
the
rain
hits....

and
it
hits
HARD!!!

Thank you,
Tom,
for
those
new
wiper
blades!

We
slog
our way
west
through
Alabama...

And
finally
arrive
at
TJ's
new state...

We
stop
at the
Welcome
Center
to
check
the weather....
















pick
up
healthy
snacks....

and
learn
a few facts
about
the
Magnolia
State...

Now
every state
has
a state flower,
a state
tree....

But
how
many states
have
a state toy?

And
a
state
duck???

Hmmm....

I think
the
Mississippi
lawmakers
might have more
important
matters to
address.

Speaking
of which,

the weather
report
isn't good...


We
have
tornado
warnings
between
us
and
Gulfport!

The
drive
south
is pretty
hairy!

TJ
drives
white-
knuckled...

while
I
scan
the
skyline
for
funnel clouds...

We
see
wrecks
all along
the
highway....

Billboards
ripped
by
the
winds...

and
water
creeping
up
to
the
road...

We're
so
glad
to see
the
sign for
Gulfport.

We
get
the last
available
hotel room
in
town.

I
go out
alone
for a
nice dinner
and a
glass
of
Cabernet...

eating
next
to the
Red
Cross
volunteers...


And
I stop
on my way
to
the hotel...

To get
TJ
more
Subway...

for
his
first
night....




in
Miss-iss-ippi!