The Burns Family: We Be Trippin'

It seemed perfectly logical, when our friends the Espinosas moved, to plan a trip to visit them in their new town. It seemed almost normal to plan meals, talk with Joanna about sleeping arrangements, and even to fill out our volunteer applications for the Boys & Girls Club of Allendale. But the normal stopped when we arrived at 8:30am at the church, loaded 11 kids and 4 moms in 2 vans, and actually made the trip we had been talking about and planning for weeks. When I would tell people outside of Grace or our circle of friends we were going to Allendale, the reaction was always similar: "Oh, neat. Where?" You can read more about what Grace Church is doing with members of the Allendale Community here, and you can catch up on the Espinosa's story here.

Funny favorites:

1. Nancy standing in a room with only 4 other people, high school or college age, playing her favorite game "raise your hand if you like _______." And they actually played along.

2. That Marvin Love could hardly believe that all the 11 kids we brought were ours and ours alone, not kids from other families as well. You should have seen his eyes bug out when we told him we left 3 children behind in Greenville.

3. We saw a camel in someone's front yard right outside of Denmark, which was right down the road from Norway. Which is just northeast of North, South Carolina.

Awesome favorites:

1. Having the opportunity to see Joey, Joanna and the kids in their new environment. Friends, routine, house, all of it.

2. Having the opportunity to see Joey and Joanna serve together, as a team, united for a cause. They are amazing, and I am blessed to call them friends.
3. Sitting outside with friends late Tuesday night, waiting for the kids to go to sleep. Because it was cooler outside, and because we needed to decompress. We see each other at our worst sometimes, this trip no exception, and it was great to see the good, bad and funny and talk it all out.

3. Being uncomfortable, albeit very briefly, with my kids there to see it. Being out of my zone, my monotony, so to speak. I want more of that kind of experience with my family.

Our adventure with the Keevers, Taylors and Mozingos was one that I hope my kids will always remember. I hope the Espinosas and their kids enjoyed our visit and it wasn't too much for them. Something tells me that 11 extra kids wasn't that big of a dent to their routine. I'm already scheming ways to get back down there again, this time with Ryan.