Well, after six days of traveling across this awesome country of ours, we made it to our final destination – Hanford, California! It was SO good to get here, to finally be able to see the kids and Nolan! How we have missed them!
When we arrived, we went immediately to the KOA we had reserved months back…Leonard did so much research and made all of our reservations for the trip TO California AND our return trip home to Pittsburgh– We have a place to stay in every city and state we go through! He’s amazing!
We pulled into the KOA in Visalia, California, which would be our “home” for two and a half weeks, and as soon as we got there, we had a feeling that we were not going to like it. We went into the office and paid for our reservation, and as we drove to our site, we both started feeling uneasy about the campground. There were no trees, no shade, and everything was “run down” – we stopped and instantly called the kids and told them we didn’t think we could stay there but didn’t know where to go next!
After searching on our phones, we picked a place (Kings River RV Resort) and called them…with a few tears (yes, I have to admit I was sad!) and what must have sounded like despair in my voice, Kari said “we can take care of you”.
We left the KOA, and on our way out, Leonard went inside to tell them we wouldn’t be staying. I wondered what he was going to tell them!?!? He came back out to the truck with a smile on his face – he got in the car and said, do you want to hear a God thing?”
We found out that day that, at any KOA campground, if you get there and then leave within an hour, you get a full refund! We got all of our money back – what a blessing!
Back to Kari at King’s River RV Resort – She didn’t have a site for us that first night, but said we could come the next day at noon and check in. Andrew told us to just come to their house and we could park outside in the street for that first night – they have WIDE streets and no rules about parking an Airstream in the road – yay! So, off we went to Andrew’s house – the best part about that was that Nolan was napping, and when he woke up, we were RIGHT THERE in the house – he was so excited and so were we!
The next day we headed off to the campground – and went into the office to meet Kari and reserve the spot – what a blessing she was, right from the beginning – I told her that it was such a GOD thing to have chosen her campground and to have called HER, and she told ME that she felt the same way – they had a sudden cancellation the day before for our spot and she said that was so unusual – and it was available for the whole time we needed it!
Two of her daughters were in the office with her, and they were just as delightful and kind as she was! Kari told us how they came to manage the RV resort – they had prayed and asked God what they should do, and He led them to this, and they live here and manage the entire resort – one of the things the daughters said that I loved the most was “We have made some of our closest friends here” – what a great outlook for these young people to have!
It is beautiful here, and our campsite is #11 – the BEST site in the whole park! – and we are right on the river! The pictures on the post show you our view here! Every morning we wake up and Leonard makes coffee – HE MAKES THE BEST BY THE WAY! – and we sit outside and look at the river – even though it gets up to 100 degrees during the day, every morning it’s about 66 degrees – perfect weather to be outside! We have been so thankful that God provided this for us, and how He worked in every detail!
**OH, and you can see in the picture that Nolan came to visit, and “cleaned” up our area by mowing it! LOVE THIS KID! **
Hopefully we will be back next summer, and if so, want to get this exact same campsite at this exact same campground! WE LOVE IT!!!!!
Hoping you all are having a wonderful day!!!
GOD IS GOOD!
Wow….I have goosebumps reading this post! I’ve been enjoying your trip along the way! Praise God for providing just what you needed! That site looks awesome! I have had my share of crazy campground stories…one in which the campground was filled with horses. Might sound like heaven at first but horses are BIG and they go to the bathroom BIG and we were in a tent! We couldn’t stay….no way, no how. We left and ended up at one of our favorite campgrounds in Maryland – Rocky Gap!
So thankful that you made it safely to your family out west! And, I love that beautiful boy! Please keep posting pictures, enjoy your visit and that river view! I think it’s funny that the “Pittsburghers” managed to find a river in the desert!
Take good care!
Mary Kay
Can’t imagine horses everywhere! CRAZY! God led us to the river for sure!
This is an awesome story and shows God provides!
Way to go, making it there and having a great time along the way. Let’s see if Nolan still likes to mow when he is 15! haha
haha – I’ll remind him of how much he loved it now!
So awesome! God is so good! Love seeing pictures of Nolan. He is getting big! 💙
He is growing up too fast!
These posts are great—feel like I’m along for the ride! More pics please! It all looks beautiful! Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy!
Thanks Donna! Will post some more pics!
I can just hear Nolan – “GAGA’S here!!!!!!” He’s so adorable with his lawn mower!
God is so good. I loved reading about your campground experience and the way He blessed both you and Kari when you told her about how God led you to her campground, then how He took care of the details for your entire stay and at the most beautiful lot on the river! Wow!
Also, “Way to go, Leonard!” That’s not an easy task finding campgrounds for a cross country trip. Glad it’s working out so well!
Have a wonderful time with Andrew, Leigh and Nolan!
Thanks Linda! I can’t believe God did that for us!
What a beautiful spot to enjoy your morning coffee and enjoy God’s beautiful creation!
It’s so pretty – and so cool in the morning!
God is good all the time!!!! Wonderful adventure. Keep cool!
YES HE IS!
Beautiful!! And what a wonderful blessing! God is good!!! Enjoy every moment with your family!!
And yes – Leonard does make the BEST coffee!!
And it’s even better in the trailer looking over the river! (except for chocolate HAZELNUT!)
It has been so fun to follow along on your trip! Love how God provided everything that you needed on your inaugural cross country trip! Can’t wait to hear more about it and share RV and campground tips!! Enjoy your time with Andrew, Leigh and Nolan and I look forward to hearing more in the coming weeks!
Thanks so much! We could not believe how God provided this campground here in California! We love the trailer, and really look forward to camping with you and Todd too!!!
I feel like we may need a Nolan blog too! I can’t get enough of him!
❤️❤️
I sure could do one – he is hilarious!
I would have loved to be a fly on the wall to watch Nolan be so happy when he saw you guys!! I am so happy for you to get to enjoy Andrew, Leigh and Nolan! Your camp site looks so beautiful and the only thing I wish is that I was sitting there with enjoying one of Leonard’s awesome cup of coffee!!
Oh the fun we would have it if you were here too!
God IS good! Thanks for sharing all your blessings. So where did the Gaga name come from? Is it a family thing, or something you came up with?? Our son is promising lots of grand children and I cannot think of what I would like to be called!
When Nolan was just starting to talk, he called his other grandparents “nana” and “bapa” – he could say both of those words – he called Leonard “Pap” and could say that too – we kept trying to get him to say grandma (for me) and it came out “gaga” and it just stuck!!! I love it!