Amanda Walker - The Modern Nomads

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Our Little “Anne”

On July 21, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

It has been such a blessing to see my children discover new things this summer. They each have either improved a skill or developed a new one. Since my girls are very close in age, they are often compared to each other. It’s been easier and tempting for me to lump them together instead of seeing them individually. This summer has given them time to discover a little of who they are as a person and not as “KK/Hannah’s sister.” So, today, I’ll focus on Makaylan.

I introduced Anne of Green Gables to my girls about a year ago. (Long before I even dreamed we would be here.) At the time, it was Hannah, not Makaylan, who took to the story. Hannah loved how unruly Anne could be and found her mischievousness to be hilarious. KK, on the other hand, was too practical for that. THEN came this summer.

We’ve been reading the books and watching the movies all summer. Though Hannah still loves Anne’s mischievous ways, it’s Makaylan who has found a “kindred spirit” in Anne’s character. This year KK discovered the absolute joy of reading. It’s hard for me to keep a book in her hand because she reads them so fast. She concluded that we were taking way too long to read Anne of Green Gables, so she decided to read ahead. Therefore, she discovered new things about Anne’s character that resonated within her. KK has always been a little more timid (but outspoken), somewhat “quirky, book-smart girl who sees the world just a tad differently. She studies people, places, and situations thoroughly, but she is not afraid to speak her mind if she must.

In Anne, she sees a little of herself…and she realizes it’s perfectly OK to be her. It’s okay to love to read. It’s okay if you are smart. It’s okay if you like things most seven year olds do not like. It’s beautifully and perfectly okay to be Makaylan! Oh, what joy this brings to this mama’s heart!

Makaylan has also discovered that she enjoys writing. (This writer mama is leaping with joy!) They’ve seen me write the blog most of the summer, and it never “dawned” on her that I, too, am a writer. She’s asked me so many questions about writing, blogging, and getting books published. To my great joy, she has even began writing a book titled ???? … You will have to wait until it’s ready to be published 🙂 I don’t know how long this writing adventure will last, but I will cultivate it as long as she wants it.

So, to end this post, I will let Makaylan tell you her feelings about coming back to Prince Edward Island. I will post it exactly like she wrote it, and I know you will enjoy PEI through the eyes of Our Little Anne!

Prince Edward Island

Do you want to learn about PEI? If you do you came to the right place. PEI is pretty. Prince Edward Island is where Anne is found. We have been there 1 time. I love PEI. You get to meet Anne, Diana, and Gilbert. We are on are way there. Tonight we are going to Anne and Gilberts love story. I love Anne. I love Diana. I love Gilbert. And I love you. We went to Anne’s house. We are about to go over the really tall bridge into PEI that dad doesn’t like and is scared of. We are with Nana and Popi and tomorrow we will go back to Anne’s house. Last time we went into the Haunted Forest. It was fun. I am excited about being back at Prince Edward Island.

Never a Dull Moment

By Amanda Walker

On July 19, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

The last few days have been quite the adventure. Monday afternoon we surprised Nana and Popi at the Bangor Airport and welcomed them to Maine. After a month of being away from them, we were so excited to see them. The kiddos literally ran to them, arms wide open, and jumped on them. To say my parents were surprised would be an understatement. It’s so good to have them here and share with them a place that has become part of our heart.

IMG_281

Good hugs

However, their arrival was slightly dampened by an excruciating toothache. I’ve heard of people having tooth pain, but I didn’t fully understand it until this week. On Sunday evening, while eating dinner, I bit down on something hard. There was an immediate sharp pain and then the lingering pain. Oh, the lingering pain!! I tried everything to make it stop, but nothing worked. I quickly realized it was going to take a trip to the dentist to figure out what was going on. For those of you who don’t know, I have an extreme phobia of dentist’s offices. I had a terrible dental experience overseas, and I’ve never quite recovered. So, for me to call the dentist was HUGE. They worked me in for Tuesday. The X-rays showed I needed an immediate root canal, and they made the appointment for that afternoon. After giving me good drugs AND gas, they calmed me down and got it done. PRAISE THE LORD I am now pain free. I’m still a little numb, but I’m not complaining, I can deal with a little numbness over a toothache.

On some good drugs

Yesterday (Wednesday) was much better than the previous days. We took my parents to Lubec to see West Quoddy Lighthouse, and I’ve officially decided that it’s my favorite lighthouse. Granted, I’ve only seen a dozen or so, but there’s nothing like the white/red stripes with the Atlantic Ocean as the backdrop. You can actually walk up to the lighthouse and watch the kiddos run around it. I don’t think I’ll ever forgot the sight of my kiddos enjoying this part of American history.

I love this place

West Quoddy

Nana and Popi

We, then, took them to Campobello Island where the Roosevelts had their summer home. This was the second time to visit, and it was cool to be back. The girls had swimming lessons, so Chris took them back early. Aaron ended up sleeping for a while, so we got to enjoy the island longer than we expected. We ended up going back into the U.S. for supper and had the absolute BEST meal I’ve had all summer. (And, that’s saying something because the food up here is incredible!)

Today, we’re on the road again headed back to Prince Edward Island. I can’t wait to experience PEI WITH my mom. She’s the one who introduced and cultivated my love for Anne, and I’m super excited to go to Green Gables with her.

Stay tuned for more adventures with the Modern Nomads…

The adventure continues…

Vacation with Grandparents

By Amanda Walker

On July 15, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

Today we said “see ya later” to Honey and Pop and sent them off to Louisiana (via a few more stops to visit friends). What an amazing time we had with them this week! One of the things we enjoy is being able to do things one-on-one with the grandparents. Both of us are blessed to have amazing parents, and we want our children to be around them as much as possible. I (Amanda) don’t remember traveling with my grandparents. And, to my knowledge, we didn’t go on vacation with either of mine. So, it’s precious for me to know that my children will have these amazing memories with their grandparents.

The girls traded off riding with Honey and Pop and enjoyed personal time with them. Honey always had fun stories of games they played, conversations they had, and sights they saw. I also loved watching Pop teach the girls to play ping pong, pool, and build train tracks with Aaron. They are both so patient with them.

Honey and Pop

Today, we ended our time together at one of the coolest restaurants we’ve been to this summer. Spontaneously, our day became free, so we decided to drive with them to Schoodic Point. Cindy is gluten intolerant and has been searching for a restaurant that serves lobstah on gluten free bread. After a little research, we found a restaurant in Corea and decided to go. Oh. My. Goodness!!! It was the best place! We literally drove to the tip of the peninsula, onto a dirt road, and found the Wharf Gallery restaurant right ON the water. The lobstah is caught and cooked within a day or two. We literally ate with lobstah traps surrounding us. There’s nothing like eating outside with the beautiful Atlantic Ocean as your backdrop.

Lunch view

Love this crew

Wharf Gallery in Corea

Then, it was on to Schoodic Point. The pictures do NOT do this place justice. I came to realize that many of the breathtaking pictures of Maine I’ve seen have been from this location. The girls got to walk out on the rocks and play with the ocean in the background. By the way, watching the girls jump on rocks has been one of my new favorite things. They’ve gotten more comfortable taking chances and doing things they haven’t done before this summer. Normally, KK doesn’t want to try something she’s not confident that she will succeed at, but she’s learning to overcome that lack of confidence. What a blessing to watch my children be stretched in new ways and actually be there to experience it with them!

1, 2, 3, JUMP

Me and my girls

Schoodic Point

The whole Walker clan

So, as we tell the Walker grandparents “see ya in Louisiana,” we are excited to welcome the Taylor grandparents on Monday! There are more adventures to be had…

Calling in the Cavalry

By Amanda Walker

On July 13, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

Yesterday we had quite the adventure while crossing back over the border. As we approached the US boarder crossing it was my job to gather all the passports. Easy task…I had put all of them in the glove compartment when we crossed into Canada a few days before. I reached in, grabbed the passports, counted them, and FROZE! My passport was MISSING! I checked the compartment again. Nothing! I checked in the bottom compartment. Nothing! I looked under my seat. Nothing! So, Chris pulled over for a more thorough search.

Needless to say, panic mode set in. Where in the world did it go? Did the Canadian birder agent accidentally keep it? Did one of the kids grab it to look at the picture?

Then, my questions changed… What if they don’t let me back across the border? How long will I be stuck here? Am I going to be interrogated? Thank goodness my parents in love are here to help Chris with the kiddos. I’ll call my parents and have them bring me my birth certificate. But, where will I stay until they get here?

All of a sudden, we see two Canadian agents begin walking towards us. Uh-oh! Then, we hear sirens and a border patrol jeep pulls up beside us. We also see an American agent peak around to stand guard…double UH-OH! We were about to be hauled into the interrogation room and possibly thrown into jail. (Yes, I realize I was being unreasonable, but I had never had the calvary of ANY country called in on me. 🙂 ) I was officially freaking out!

Thankfully, my calm, cool, and collected hubby was not freaking out. The agents came and asked us what was going on and did we know we were putting others at risk. (Let me say they were quite nice about this whole “lecture,” and I was thankful for that.) I admitted I couldn’t find my passport, so they told us to just proceed and to figure it out with the American border agent. She was a younger gal and was, under the circumstances, also kind. She gave us another small lecture and then simply asked for my driver’s license. After looking up my passport number, she let us back in the Great United States of America!! I’ve never been so glad to be HOME!!

Immediately, I BURST into tears. I cried for probably 20 minutes…partly out of relief, partly out of extreme exhaustion (Aaron hadn’t slept well the night before), and partly out of frustration. How did I lose my passport when I never took it out of the car?! After 20 minutes of crying and silence, Chris pulled over for us to have a potty break. And, then the lightbulb went “off.” At the Canadian border I had dropped something between the seat and the middle console. Could it have been my passport? I got out, pulled back the seat, and sitting there without s care in the world was my beloved MUCH needed passport!!

As KK would say: HALLELUJAH!! What once was lost has now been found! At that point I bursted into tears AGAIN…only this time is was tears of relief and joy! (By the way, tears of sadness men seem to understand, but tears of joy are still a mystery to them 🙂 )

I was reminded that if we choose to continue the “nomadic” lifestyle, mishaps will happen. I am a person who likes and thrives off of order. There has been NOTHING orderly about this trip. Because we’ve been blessed to do a lot of traveling and day trips, our kiddos sleeping, eating, educational, and all other habits are a bit off schedule. But, God knows I need this. Just like He used our New York City detour to remind me about the importance of spontaneity, He used the passport debacle to remind me of faith/trusting Him.

I trust way too much in my routine and schedule. I trust way too much in my concept of orderliness. And, yesterday was anything but orderly. I wouldn’t say that I handled the aftermath all that well (the 30 plus minutes of uncontrollable crying and unreasonable questions can attest to that). But, I want to be better at it. When we get back home, I want to allow more time for spontaneous adventures and trusting that those adventures, for the moment, will be better than a scheduled 7:30 bedtime. There is a place for order, and this mama will probably always strive for a little of it. However, I also want my children to experience the freedom that this “nomadic” lifestyle has allowed. We’ve all grown because of it!

Pictures of Prince Edward Island

By Amanda Walker

On July 13, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

I wasn’t able to post pictures earlier in the week because we had a bad internet connection. My prayer is you will enjoy a little glimpse into one of the prettiest places God created. I loved touring around and seeing a place that only existed in my dreams. And…there was something sweet in realizing that you are never too old to get excited about your own dreams coming true.

Anne’s room look out over her beloved cherry tree

It’s Anne coming up from the field

Anne with my girls 🙂

Green Gables…Isn’t it stunning?!

Aaron LOVED Matthew’s carriage

Kinded Spirits

A Morning at Green Gables

By Amanda Walker

On July 11, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

Today was absolutely divine! (Said in my best Anne Shirley accent 🙂 ) This morning I got to spend a day at Green Gables. The moment I walked onto the site, I was a little girl again. Chris let me go a little ahead of them, and thank goodness. The minute I got a glimpse of Green Gables my heart swelled with tears. I was finally here!

I have dreamed of walking where Anne and Diana played, laughed, and got into mischief, and today it became a reality. As I walked up the side of the house, I could almost picture Matthew coming in from a long day’s work. The cherry tree that drew Anne in with its brilliant blooms was perched exactly where it ought to be. Marilla’s kitchen was completely spotless with her apron hung appropriately outside the door. And, Anne’s room was just as I imagined…plain but with a simple elegance.

Then…the BEST part of today happened. As I was coming out the side door, Anne literally walked up, through the pasture, and into the yard. Oh, I know it was only a sweet gal playing the part, but today I didn’t care. I introduced myself, my girls, and carried on with her as if we were kindred spirits. Normally, I am pretty sensible and reserved in my emotions. But…not today. Today was a day for childhood dreams to become a reality, and I was determined to enjoy every moment. Soon after meeting Anne, we saw Diana and later Gilbert. As they watched the actors interact with each other, my girls got to “experience” a pure, sweet friendship that I hope they will always remember. Anne and Diana would chat, tell each other secrets, and stop to snicker as people passed.

As I watched them, I was reminded of the kindred spirits God has given me in my nearly 40 years. In every season of life, He has provided at least one person I could walk alongside. Today, I thought through those friendships and thanked my Good Father for giving them to me. I’ve toured the world with some of them. I’ve laughed myself silly with some, and I’ve grown closer to Christ because of all of them. Anne used to say: “Kindred spirits are not as scarce as I once thought them to be.” And, I couldn’t agree more! I’m thankful I was reminded of that and hope I don’t forget it.

My morning at Green Gables will go down as one of the highlights of my life. The only thing better…experiencing it with my mom next week when my parents come to visit.

Until next weekend…

PS: I’ll post more pictures tomorrow when out internet connection is better. 🙂

Welcome to Green Gables

Meeting Anne with an E

By Amanda Walker

On July 10, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

It’s super late here, but I can’t go to sleep without sharing the wonderfulness of this day! THIS day… Since I was my girls’ age, it has been a dream in the making. Today, I left the United States, crossed over the border into Canada, and then crossed over a loooong bridge into PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND!! EEEEK!!!

If you have known me for any length of time, you know it has been a dream of mine to see the place where Anne with an E “lived.” I’ve longed to see the rolling hills, Lake of Shining Waters, White Way of Delight, and, of course, Green Gables. Though I will have to wait until tomorrow to see most of this, tonight, I got to meet and “see” Anne with an E.

Chris bought me, Cindy, and the girls tickets to the Anne of Green Gables Musical, and it was everything (and more) that I hoped it would be. The girl who played Anne embodied the red-headed orphan girl tremendously. There were times when I got so caught up in the story that I forgot it wasn’t “real.” But, then again, it WAS real. In a very real sense, I was actually sitting IN a theatre, in Prince Edward Island, and seeing the play that sparked my imagination so many years ago. You see, it was through Anne that my love of English, and words, and speaking began to take root. It was Anne who reminded me that asking questions was perfectly acceptable. It was Anne who taught me that no matter how bad today was, “tomorrow is fresh with no mistakes in it.” And, it was Anne who taught me that “being smart was better than being beautiful.”

The story of Anne has been part of my childhood, and now it is part of my girls’. We’ve been reading the books for weeks, and I introduced them to the movies as soon as I thought it was appropriate. They have fallen in love with Anne’s story just as much as I have, and tonight it was an absolute dream to be with them watching the story that changed my life.

Furthermore, we got the surprise of our lives. As we were leaving the theatre, Anne popped out of the dressing room. Oh! What a joy and a delight to meet Anne with an E! No…she wasn’t in costume, but it didn’t really matter to me (or the girls). For one moment, I was back as a seven-year old little girl and meeting my hero. (Even now the computer keys have become blurry from the tears of joy!) Tonight was definitely a night I will always remember.

In moments like these, I’m reminded of the love our Heavenly Father has for us. He allows little moments of pure, raw, unadulterated happiness to sweep over us. Sometimes He allows us to “meet” our childhood heroes. And, all the time, He reminds me that all of life is nothing more than pure grace.

Tomorrow I get to explore this beautiful island, and I can’t wait to share it with you. But, for now, I sleep (or, at least try to sleep).

Meet Anne with an E

We Have Visitors

By Amanda Walker

On July 8, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

We have some exciting news to share with everyone…Honey and Pop are HERE! When Chris and I made arrangements to come to Maine, we immediately asked our parents if they wanted to come. We are so blessed that both of them were excited to come join us for a week at a time. The first ones to arrive are the Walkers.

Today is Honey’s birthday, and the girls planned a surprise Luau themed party for her. I loved watching their excitement as they picked out the decor, decorated the table BY THEMSELVES, and then planned the menu and dessert. They ran ahead to unlock the front door so they could be the first ones to surprise her. What a blessing and joy to this mama’s heart!

SURPRISE!!

We were also super excited to show them around our little town and have them meet our new friends. This evening we introduced them to our backyard, which was super fun for the kiddos. They climbed rocks and experienced the freezing Atlantic Ocean.

Showing Honey how to climb the big rock

Aaron has missed his Pop

Then…it was party time!

One of my favorite things this summer is watching the friendship between my girls deepen. At home they have their own sets of friends, and they aren’t together most of the day. However, this summer it has only been the two of them. Don’t get me wrong, they still have some epic fights. But, they are starting to have some little inside jokes, lots of laughs, and crazy hand claps. (Cinderella, dressed in yellow, went upstairs to kiss her fellow… 🙂 ) It’s been fun to watch them play in the water, build sandcastles, help each other climb rocks, and have some amazing air hockey games. My prayer is their friendship will continue to deepen, and they will return to Louisiana closer than when we left. I long for them to be best friends, and I’m beginning to see hints of it.

A Down East Independence Day

By Amanda Walker

On July 5, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

Happy 4th of July from the East Coast! We’ve had such a fun time exploring more of our “neighborhood” and seeing this beautiful part of the country.

On Monday, we went to Lubec, Maine, which is the eastern most point of the United States. This is the first place the sun hits in this great land. How cool it was to imagine the reality that “our day” begins here! We were greeted with the sweetest white/red striped lighthouse named West Quoddy Lighthouse. It’s one of the most photographed lighthouses in America, and I now know why. It was impossible to get a bad picture. It was also fun for me to see our kiddos run circles around the lighthouse all the while laughing and having a blast being kids. In some “weird” way, I felt like part of a dream was coming true. It was one of the most “American” images/moments for me. I think that memory will forever be engraved into my memory.

West Quoddy Lighthouse in Lubec, Maine

On Tuesday, we went back to Roque Bluffs and actually got in the water…well the kiddos did. 🙂 This beach is both rocky and sandy, but totally different from the beaches of Florida. It was the first time on a beach where the kiddos could actually play, build sandcastles, while we sat back and enjoyed watching them play.

Roque Bluffs “sandy” beach

Then today was one of the coolest 4th of Julys we’ve celebrated. We decided to go to Eastport, which is one of the smallest towns in Maine but has the biggest 4th of July celebration in the state. For years a navy ship has docked in its port and allowed the public to come aboard for a tour. There were sailors all over town! Living in Louisiana, I consider us pretty patriotic. But, this town outdid even us. 🙂 It was also neat to celebrate our country’s birthday in the area where our forefathers landed. Every movie I’ve ever seen about patriotism in small town America became a reality today. The only thing missing was the watermelon.

Eastport, Maine…home of the largest 4th of July Celebration in the state.

And, finally…the girls have been fascinated watching me write our blog. So, they wrote a blog post (aka: a letter) and asked that I publish it on the blog. They were written to the pastor’s daughters, Victoria and Brooklyn, as a “Thank you” for allowing us to come to their home.

Dear Victoria

Thank you for playing with me. I had a fun time playing in the pool with you. You are a really good BFF. I loved makeing the domnios eavein when they fell. I knew that me and you were going to be friends. I loved that me and you were in the class. I don’t know your birthday. Can you tell me? Pleas? You are a good pal.

I love you!

Love,

KK writing her blog

Dear Brooklyn:

I liked plang with you in the pool. It wos fon. Thank you for plang with me.

Love,

Hannah.

And..then there is Hannah

(I wrote it exactly like they had it. 🙂 )

Life in a Small Town

By Amanda Walker

On July 1, 2018

In Walker Epic Roadtrip 2018

The last few days have been quite busy around here. Wednesday we decided to go exploring to find new hiking trails. We ended up at Roques Bluff, which was absolutely beautiful! Due to the terrain, Chris took the girls hiking while Boogie and I found a small playground. One of the sweet things about this place is the friendliness of its people. Everywhere we go people are super helpful and truly interested in getting to know us. The playground was no exception. I met this sweet college gal who was home for the summer and there playing with her little sisters. Danielle gave me more information on the history of the town and tips on how to enjoy the 4th of July. Apparently, they do Independence Day big around here 🙂 I am so enjoying getting to know this home away from home.

On Thursday, we celebrated Hannah’s 6th birthday. I can’t believe our girl has gotten so big! She’s turning into quite the young lady. She’s incredibly inquisitive, compassionate, hilarious, and fun to be around. She’s loved by her sister and brother and enjoys making friends wherever she goes. This day started off with a Daddy/daughter breakfast date, snuggling on the cough watching her favorite movie (is was cold and rainy), and ended up with swimming, burgers, and a small birthday party. Since we’re away from home, it was so special to have her cousins call and join in singing Happy Birthday. Hannah said: “This was my best birthday EVER!”

Chris has also given me some much needed “girl time.” We’ve gotten involved with a sweet church here, and I was able go with their ladies to Campobello Island for lunch. (Campobello Island is in New Brunswick Canada.) I’ll admit, it was super fun for me to grab my passport on the way out. I learned that Campobello Island is where the Roosevelts had their summer home. One of the ladies, who organized the luncheon, grew up on the island and her father was a ship builder who repaired/built boats for the Roosevelts. What fun to hear stories of lobster fishing, boat building, and summer homes! Life up here is so different from life in Louisiana.

The luncheon also gave me the opportunity to spend time with the pastor’s wife, Marcy, and discover that we truly are kindred spirits. Friday, they invited us over for lunch, and what a blessing it was to be with their family! Their girls played well with ours, and we enjoyed hearing more of their story. How thankful we are that God has given us this family! We look forward to many more lunches, suppers, and playdates.

This week we have been overcome by the blessing of our loving Father. We’ve only been here a week, but, at times, it feels much longer…and we are thankful for that! I’m enjoying every minute of downtime with my sweet family. I love how God has deepened our love for each other during this season of rest. It’s so easy to get caught up in the busyness of everyday life, and our time here has forced us to slow down, really look at each other, and learn how to actually spend time together instead of just passing time.