Back on Rock Chalk

Here is Lukas in Shelley's arms. He was so much fun. Also, this was one of the photos taken at Checkers. It was really great having all our friends and family join us for this big wedding.

What a week. Congratulations to Caitlyn and Charlie, who at this moment are enjoying Maui on their Honeymoon. We have had a few text messages, and they are having a great time. Thanks to all of our family and friends, who took the time and expense to come to Los Angeles for this fabulous wedding. It was an event of such high class, that most of us will never see the likes of it again in our lifetime. I have run out of adjectives to describe it, but for those of you there, you know what I mean.

Shelley and I also stayed another 4 days after the wedding to watch Lukas, and for me, that rivaled the entire wedding in fun and importance. This is one very well behaved boy of 10 months, and he was a delight to babysit for these last many days. In fact when we left Wednesday afternoon, I had a hard time leaving Luke. As I was handing him to his Grandma Amon, he turned in her arms and reached out for me. I took him back for one last big hug, and he buried his head into my neck. If you know anything about me, you know that I lost it. It took all I had to leave.

But then life goes on....

Now we are back to the boat, and frankly it feels comfortable. As hard as it is to leave family and friends, our kids and grandkids, that little guy in LA, and a normal life in Austin, it feels good for Shelley and I to be back in our "home". As my Daddy would say, I have crossed the Rubicon, and now its onward.....

We will re-provision the boat tomorrow, then Shana, Max, Leo, and Rylee fly in on Sunday for a week of high adventure. This will be really fun showing the kids the northern part of the Chesapeake, the C and D Canal, that connects the Chesapeake with Delaware Bay, then out into the Atlantic Ocean to New York City. We will be anchored at the Statue of Liberty for the Fourth of July fireworks. I am thinking this will be a week that Max and Leo will never forget (and Shana and Rylee will have a great time as well). It occurs to me that there have been many events in 2011, that I will never forget.

Rock Chalk has waited patiently for us while we made our trek back to Austin and LA. She seemed a bit lonely when we arrived, but with some cleaning, and re-adjustments of her systems, she is ready to go. It is really hard to believe that we are now on a four and a half month journey that will take us 3500 miles from Annapolis to Canada, and back down the rivers to Alabama. I trust this boat, and feel it is a great platform to live this dream. I will keep the blogs coming as we make our journey.

What a journey, this life. Marc