SD Travels

When my plane landed, we were a little early. I got off and walked the 20 feet from the plane to baggage claim and there was no Aaron! I started to check to make sure that I had indeed landed in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Then I looked out the door and there he was. Yeah, I had made it! There is nothing better than an airport reunion – okay, there is, but it was pretty darn nice.

Wednesday and Thursday were a bit of a blur. Friday we set off for the Black Hills, a 6-hour trip (5 had I driven the whole way – but a girl needs her beauty rest). We stayed in Hill City, which is less than 20 minutes from Mt. Rushmore and Outlaw Ranch (the camp Aaron worked at during college). Friday night we went karaoke-ing with a group from Outlaw including Audra, Aaron’s lil sistah. It was tons o’ fun! Saturday we did the Mt. Rushmore thing. It was bigger than I had expected. We’re such dorks, we forgot the camera in Sioux Falls and never stopped to get one. I used my phone as much as possible for photos, but there are so many things I missed (like the Bad Lands, the most beautiful part of the country I've seen, other than West Virginia of course). That night we went to the Inn for dinner. The doors open at 4 and seating begins at 5. Our group of 20 were seated right away. The waitress came and ask our drink orders, whether we wanted a 6 or 9 ounce steak and how we wanted it cooked. We started with a literal ¼ head of lettuce with ranch on it. Then came the meal of filet minion, baked potato and bread. For dessert you have choices – we landed with tiramisu. Afterwards we invited the staff to swim at the pool at our hotel. We had over 10 counselors and support staff swimming and hot tubing! Sunday we did the church thing in a town called Custer. The church was on a hill and used natural lighting and had the windows open during worship. I believe it was the most welcoming church I have ever been to! The sermon was one that I couldn’t figure out. I didn’t really hear law or gospel. Umm, problem! On the way back I was trying to call my step-dad. I left a few messages telling him to call on Aaron’s phone, the number that I called him from. Well, he didn’t have it, and had to call Aaron’s parents. He talked with his mom. When I saw her last night she said that he had a really southern accent. I was shocked! I thought that my mom and grandma did, but never him! She said she can’t wait for them to come to SD for the wedding just so she can talk with them and hear the accent. Apparently, the southerners don’t make it to SD much.

That’s my trip so far. It’s so nice to be in the same place as Aaron again;) The wedding is so close, yet so far.