This was a really amazing visit. It was awe inducing and gut wrenching, inspiring and full of hope. It felt like bearing witness to the most horrific aspects of the human species, the evil man is capable of, while also being constantly reminded of the indomitable spirit and depths of love in the best of us⏤we shall overcome.

On Tuesday, Jan 7, we went to Selma for the day. We met Columbus, one of the nicest people you could meet, at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge. He engaged us in an intense conversation about Bloody Sunday. His Uncle Willie was there, marching with John Lewis and so many others. He shared a few of the stories his Uncle Willie told with him about the horrors of that day. Columbus is out at the bridge every day, meeting people and sharing his Uncle Willie’s history with them. The kids were glued to every word he spoke; there is something to hearing someone tell you about events that have touched their lives personally. Columbus spent a lot of time tending his grandmother’s farm with his uncle, talking as they worked. Luck smiled upon us giving the opportunity to listen to him share what he learned.

We walked over the bridge to visit the Civil Rights Memorial Park of Selma. It is a small and humble park, but it does it’s job well. They are hosting a Bridge Crossing Jubilee on March 6-9 to celebrate the 60 year anniversary of Bloody Sunday, the Selma to Montgomery March, and the signing of the Voting Rights Act. If you can make it to the jubilee, you should go, check here for details: selmajubilee.com.

We crossed back to see the Songs of Selma Memorial Garden, where we met Columbus just 45 minutes earlier. We stood in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We took a moment to let all of this sink in⏤the violence, the hope of the people pushing against it, the promise of brighter futures with the Voting Rights Act, knowing that we still have so much more to do.

The following day, Wednesday, we had a slow start. After such an emotional day, we needed it. After math, we made it into Montgomery to go to the third of The Legacy Sites, the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. It was like the other two sites created by the Equal Justice Initiative: moving, massive, impressive, words fail to express the emotions with which it pierces. If you can get to Montgomery and visit these sites, I strongly recommend it. Photography was not permitted in much of the space, oh how I wish it was. The sculptures are amazing, the artists are so talented and depict their subjects with such grace and dignity. The beauty is breathtaking. The columns on which are written first person narratives, what enslaved people said about their situations, brought me to tears several times. The plaques throughout the garden detailing the history were full of details, as at the other sites and just as heart wrenching. The pictures I could take do not do justice to what your eyes can see and what you feel while there in person.

Unfortunately, our slow start meant that we didn’t make it to the “adult side” of the Rosa Parks Museum. I am sad that we missed it, but I am glad that we prioritized the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park.

Tomorrow will be three weeks since we left Maryland. Things are going pretty well.

Today we are rolling to New Orleans…I type this as we roll. We got a late start and will have a late arrival. Chris had work things to attend to and we took some extra time filling and dumping our black tank to make sure that it is in good shape. And we made a few stops for vid meetings, gas, and food. I am not fond of arriving to campgrounds after dark, but that is exactly what we will be doing. Math in the truck is not as fun as it may sound…But it isn’t awful either. It just is.

We need to make some adjustments to the camper. We have added a stop in Memphis to do a bit of renovating after New Orleans. We are going to take out the couch and dinette and replace them with twin beds with bolster pillows and foldable tables (like tv trays but more stable) that will stow underneath. There will also be room for several under-bed storage bins. With limited space, we need each inch to work for us. And those inches are not currently working at all. I am so upset that we will be in Memphis to do chores and not explore!! It is the closest IKEA (where the beds/mattress will be acquired). Fingers crossed that our mini-reno will go well.

We have had a few wins with some less major fixes. Chris replaced two lights and figured out how to fix the kids’ closet door closing thingie (they broke it by slamming it one too many times) with the one from the bathroom cabinet. (We are removing the bathroom cabinet, replacing it with a mirror.) And I hung a few things (a lot of utilitarian hooks, Phe’s stuffie hammock, Twi’s moon & star, a wall calendar, etc., decorative things) and found more suitable storage solutions for our everyday ease of use.

All five us being in such close quarters is not easy. Having made that month long trip last January helped us work out many ways to help alleviate that “all crammed up in here” tension. Chris and I take the dog for long walks a few times a day, leaving the children to their own in the camper. The kids will go for walks or bike rides around the campgrounds, leaving Chris and I to ourselves in the camper. I will walk the dog alone or lay in my bed with loop ear plugs in to block some noise. Chris hasn’t gotten a lot of alone time, I think he’s gonna try a few things out soon. I think we are both going to start listening to audio books with our ear buds in, we’ve both mentioned it but have not yet acted. As an only child, I savor alone time; family camper life is hard. The most difficult time of day is after dinner, especially this past week in Montgomery. We were all so emotionally drained and physically tired. It was strain to keep it together at times.

Edmond Pettus Bridge