Change of Pace and Place: Meet "Doc" Gnome

        Greetings! I will have to return to Part 2 of “Are You Where You’re Supposed To Be” at a later date because I’m NOT where I’m supposed to be this week—I am actually on the road. Today is my husband and my 30th anniversary!!! In honor of the event my family is taking a vacation together, the first one in nearly two years, and we’ve decided to blog about it. Lucky you!!!

        I say this because we are known far and wide for having bad vacations—notoriously bad! Our family members and our extended church family pray faithfully for us when they hear we are embarking on a new “adventure”, because that is what we tend to have instead of a restful vacation. We have often been told we should write a book about our disastrous attempts but I doubt anyone would believe the stories hadn’t been exaggerated.

        This year we’ve decided to take a road trip through west Texas, New Mexico and into Mesa, Arizona to visit my brother-in-law and his family.  We’re planning to throw in a side trip to the Grand Canyon and maybe a quick run through Las Vegas, none of which we have seen before. Just to mix things up a bit, we have taken on a miniature, plastic hitchhiker that will hopefully inspire us at every stop along the way.  Meet Doc Gnome!!!

      “Doc” is short for Dutch Oven Cooking gnome and is the traveling prize my daughter, Lauryn, won two weeks ago at our church campout. Her “Very Berry Blueberry” cobbler was voted to be this year’s winner in the Dutch oven cooking competition. The sad part is that just as Lauryn received Doc as a prize, she dropped the poor guy and both legs were instantly amputated. He’s a tough gnome because we never heard a peep from him as we carefully reattached his limbs with super glue. He made a full recovery—for a while, but is insisting on the peg-leg look. I see a Wal-Mart trip in our near future as we hunt for “super-duper glue” to reattach his leg again.

     Since Doc is a traveling gnome, we thought he should get out and see more of the world before he is passed on to the next winner. Doc has discussed this trip with his manager, Lauryn, and agreed to be the star of several photo shoots along our road trip. His contract is very reasonable and only has three requests:

1) I am to list/surmise or state how he or the setting can inspire writing or writers.

2) We are not to ever mention his more famous cousin—The Travelocity Gnome. (There appears to be some family jealousy there)

3) We are to only shoot Doc’s good side, so the glue lines won’t show.

Coming up—First Destination: Family Reunion on Lake Leon.