Pushing on to Sioux Falls-8

We had one more stop before the final push to Oshkosh. South Dakota was a good midway point between Montana and Oshkosh, and Woodsen had been in touch with a couple in Sioux Falls that he knew from his youth group days at Hillside Baptist in Anchorage.

It was going to be another long five hour plane ride, but we were able to break it up with a fuel stop in Laurel, Montana.

One theme I’ve consistently seen throughout this trip is how welcomed we’ve felt by our friends and hosts in all our destinations.

I’m a recovering people pleaser and I’m hyper aware of the potential inconvenience of hosting our large family. I’m happy to say I’ve not only felt welcomed, but I’ve genuinely felt like the families we’ve stayed with are grateful to have us. It’s been such a blessing to me, and I think a sign of how we all crave community and the opportunity to just spend time with others.

We landed in Sioux Falls with one kid shoeless ( Melozi’s lost her shoes in Montana), and one kid without shorts (due to an overflowing diaper).

Despite our shoeless and shortless arrival, Woodsen’s friends Josh and Affton and their kids greeted us with warm hospitality. It wasn’t long before the guys were traveling down memory lane and Affton and I were sharing our life stories, and feeling like long time friends. Their two girls played with the kids for hours, I did laundry, took a shower, and I woke up the next morning feeling rested, refreshed and ready for Oshkosh.

In the beginning of our trip a heat wave was passing through the Midwest with temps hitting 105. It was hard to think about camping at Oshkosh with temps that high, but I had peace it would work out.

We woke up to find a favorable forecast for our time at Oshkosh, lows in the 60’s and highs were 79-80!

We enjoyed a relaxed breakfast before heading back to the airport to fuel up and make our way to Oshkosh

Oshkosh here we come!