Classic Monday

Today Mike and Allison leave for their adventure moving from Idaho to Indiana. It seems just like yesterday that we were embarking on the same adventure. Between 1972 to 1977 we lived in Ventura, Ca, Fort Sill, OK, Provo, UT, Manhattan, KS and landing finally in Ames, IA. Most of that time was spent with me receiving a masters and doctorate degree at Brigham Young University and Kansas State University and starting my first academic job at Iowa State University. For us it was quite and adventure, and at times challenging. We didn't have much money and most of the time I worked 2 or 3 jobs.

We started this adventure with 2 children and completed it with 4. In August, 1974 we moved from Provo, UT to Manhattan, KS with JoAnn 8 months pregnant. I can't believe we did that. We drove our Volkswagon bug into the moving truck and packed around it (not a smart thing to do, but what did I know). Within 4 weeks of our arrival in Manhattan Suzanne was born and 13 months later Tim was born, but I'm ahead of myself and that may be for another day.

We borrowed my parent's International Harvester Travelall to tow a small trailer to Ft. Sill, OK where we spent 13 weeks at the Armor Basic Course. It was our first long trip and JoAnn's first living experience outside of California. The photo to the right shows Donna and the quality of car seats in those days. Behind her we had a cot set up and that was where baby Jeni slept while we traveled.

When we got done at Fort Sill we drove back to central California where I dropped off JoAnn and the girls to spend time with our parents while I spent a week at Fort Irwin with my National Guard unit. I then went and picked them up, drove up over to BYU, dropped the kids and JoAnn off and then took the car and trailer to Las Vegas where I dropped it off, then back to central California to pick up my car and back to Wymount Terrace married student housing. You can see the quad and apartment buildings right behind the photo of JoAnn and Jeni. I was done driving for the summer and didn't care if I drove again or not.

That was the start of our great adventure. Good luck Mike and Allison - you too have begun your great adventure and we wish you the best and send all of our love.

PS - If I got any of the facts wrong let me know.