6/24/2015

Crystal and I have been blessed to experience some of the most picturesque places on the planet up close and personal. We set out to enrich the lives of kids all over this country, make a difference, and change the world. Of course, we needed to enrich ourselves in the process. I have always been fascinated by water. It is strong but gentle. It has healing powers, and it is the key to all life.

The water of Niagara Falls spilled over cliffs and created a huge rain like mist. Crystal and I tried to maneuver ourselves as close to the bottom as possible. The cool liquid hit our skin and cooled our faces on that sunny day. We didn’t want to walk around completely drenched so we returned to the top and stared at the spectacle from a distance.

That night, the Hampton Inn in Buffal...

6/22/2015

I never expected grinding loud gears and people mowing lawns with industrial mowers in a town with a tiny population. The trick was to keep the focus off the sounds. I coaxed myself back to sleep for a couple hours. When I was able to finally pry my eyes open and start my day, Crystal had the kind of news that had been known to put a frown on my face. She showed me a large crack on the window of our truck. The damage had to have happened when we chose to stay asleep. Perhaps I should have heeded the sounds of nature. My shoulders slumped as I walked to start my day. I had no joy in my steps as I asked myself, “Why did we have to have issues with our support vehicle every week?”

My legs struggled to find happiness throughout the day...

6/19/2015

I looked forward to waking up at the Jefferson Clinton Hotel because I knew breakfast would be a treat. Omelets made to order were the perfect way to power up for another day of running. While Crystal and I feasted, rain began to pelt the windows. After filling my stomach I ran to the car and gathered a pungent pile of clothes from the car. The scent of sweat mixed with rainwater permeated the air around me. I felt a slight heat rise to my face as I walked through the luxury hotel with my bag of dirty laundry. The prospect of having all my clothes clean overpowered the embarrassment. With a two o’clock check out time we were free to lounge for a while. Simple relaxing chores weren’t that simple on the road. Our tight schedule meant that each choice had a tradeoff.

The rain f...