John and Jenny

As I took the train away from New Jersey to my flight in DC, I couldn't stop smiling.  While in New Jersey, Devin's girlfriend Sphokazi asked me "How can you manage doing all this travel you do?"  I told her that I responsibly save enough for me to do my entire trip.  But I also know that people take care of each other, and I go into my trips knowing that people will be good to me.

John and Jenny were so good to me, it blew me away!  I absolutely loved being in their home and spending time with them.  With Jenny, I loved sitting and talking, and learning about cicadas.  She shared music and inspiring videos with me.  She brought me into her flute world and shared her passion with me, and we were able to talk about some of the girly stuff that she doesn't get doses of with her house full of men!

With John, I loved his teasing sense of humor.  Sitting with John felt like I was sitting with my Dad, and since I couldn't be with my Dad on Father's Day - it felt right to be with his oldest brother.  I smiled to see so many similarities between them.  I sat with John and listened to stories from their growing up, I tried to solve his tricky mind puzzles (and failed!), and I learned some of his secret recipes for hamburgers and root beer floats.  Yum!!

John and Jenny surprised me with an early birthday cake - decorated to honor my travels.  It was such a special surprise!  So thoughtful, and very delicious.  Another little thing that made me feel right at home - my dad always gets creative with our birthday cakes too!  As a birthday gift, John and Jenny bought my train ticket to Washington, DC.

Thank you both so much for taking care of me, for sharing with me, for making me feel so at home, and for such a wonderful birthday present.  I love you both so much!!!  I feel lucky that we get to see each other again so soon.  Say good-bye to the cicadas for me!

Here is a snippet of Jenny playing piano during a flute lesson.  She had many flute students, and it was fun to hear all the different levels.  Jenny is such a talented musician!


My birthday treat!  It was such a beautiful rendition of Happy Birthday from this musical family


Learning John's secret hamburger recipe.  Shh!  Don't tell him I'm sharing a peak of it.

Looking at 17 years worth of Derby cars from John and his boys.  John's are in the front - and so cool!