A Total Eclipse

April 8, 2024, marked a significant event in our lives. As a family, we traveled to Arkansas to experience a total solar eclipse! This event was special for many reasons, of which I will share a few.

According to eclipse2024.org, “(There are) none in North America until August 23, 2044. This one is a nice “Prairie” eclipse, coming down from Arctic Canada into North Dakota. But then, the one so many people will have been waiting for: A beautiful summertime eclipse that goes over quite a few big cities, as well as a certain theme park in Central Florida which maybe you’ve heard of before…! This is the next “GREAT NORTH AMERICAN ECLIPSE”, and it will happen on August 12, 2045.”

I guess if you were to go to North Dakota for anything (aside from visiting my friend, Judea), this would probably be the only reason (and time of year) to go. I am halfway kidding, but seriously, I am not sure what else is in North Dakota aside from cold wind and snow. In my opinion, waiting a year sounds like a much better option, as one of my favorite locations in the US will be in the path of totality. Maybe by then, we will have a home in Florida… Wink, wink…

This event brought our family to a state we had not visited before, Arkansas. I had no idea what to expect, not knowing anything about Arkansas and its landscape, climate, or cost of living. After a little exploration of the northwest portion of the state, we discovered an incredibly beautiful place! I was surprised how much I liked it there. Southern hospitality mixed with beautiful cities and impressive lush, green hills and valleys led me into a quick Zillow search for homes in the area. I mean, who doesn’t love a good Zillow search? Not you? Well, I can’t relate to that. Haha! I am unsure if I know a single person who lives in AR, which is unfortunate because I would love to have a reason to go back again.

We experienced multiple interesting moments during the eclipse.

First, the girls punched holes in cardstock and held them over another blank sheet of cardstock to watch shadows as the moon started blocking the sun. It was interesting to look at the stage of the eclipse and see an opposite shadow on our paper as if our minds were playing tricks on us. As the total eclipse happened, there were no shadows present, and after totality, the shadows were opposite what we saw previously. It seems obvious, but watching it happen was pretty cool.

Second, as the sun was at least 80% covered it was still full daylight outside. We kept taking our sunglasses off and looking around to see if anything was changing, and it didn’t seem to have any effect. If we weren’t aware that an eclipse was happening, we would not have known to watch for it even at this stage. That seemed crazy. We expected it to appear darker as the sun was covered little by little. Darkness was not apparent until approximately 90 seconds before totality and through 90 seconds after. It looked like sunset all of the way around the horizon. I captured a short video of this, as it was an unexpected effect.

Third, as the sun was nearly covered, the cows and other farm animals surrounding the country church we were at went into their barns and homes for the “night.” There was silence aside from the crickets that started chirping. Then, an owl hooted! It was interesting to witness these unique occurrences as we were in the country. As the sun started reappearing, a rooster crowed! Being in a location with complete darkness and full visibility was absolutely amazing!

Aside from the event of the eclipse, we had a few other fun encounters that made this a memorable trip. We were able to see friends in Albert Lea and Kansas City along our drive, as well as spend a night in Mason City, IA with my parents. We don’t get to see them often enough, so this was a special (quick) visit.

One of the benefits of staying in Bentonville, AR is that they have Whataburger (Darek’s favorite fast food restaurant) and Krispy Kreme (the kids’ favorite hot donut location) We introduced the kids to Krispy Kreme a year or two ago and they were thrilled to experience it again. I’m glad it’s a once/year stop, as they are the epitome of unhealthy! Here is where I enter the philosophy of “moderation” in what we eat. It is okay to treat ourselves occasionally (a lesson I have had a difficult time implementing). We also found a Smoothie King and were able to snag a Dude Perfect smoothie for the kids and a whopping 40oz (Yes, you read that correctly) protein smoothie for me! I would say that all of the tummies were happy.

Our drive home was better than expected! We did not book a hotel stay for Monday night after the eclipse, and that allowed us the freedom to decide whether or not to drive straight through or stop if traffic got bad. After being on the interstate for a few miles we noticed a slowdown coming. Darek decided to exit and that led us on a more interesting re-route home. We ended up driving through the Ozarks! What a beautiful surprise! We even randomly happened upon one of the largest homes in the USA at over 70,000 sq. feet! Yes, you read the correctly! We were on a country road, being re-routed again, and suddenly happened upon this MASSIVE home! These are the things you will never encounter if you stay on the interstate.

Exploring our beautiful country opens my mind to so many greater thoughts. I wonder what the original settlers thought when they suddenly encountered this type of terrain. I wonder who decided it would be a good idea to settle in the hills and valleys, away from the ease of fishing and hunting near lakes and flat forest lands. I wonder who decided it would be a great idea to build homes on stilts along cliffs and steep drop-offs. I wonder if anyone else sees the beauty in the landscape like I do. I wonder if anyone fully comprehends the magnificence of God’s creation, providing all we will ever need on this earth. My thoughts wander and I am once again in awe.

Experiences like this also bring an emotional element as I am grateful for each new day. Understanding that only God knows the number of our days offers a perspective different than what I held previously. I soak up every moment, creating lasting memories with my family. I will not apologize for taking time and clearing my calendar to give my family moments they can cherish. Life is too short to stay constantly wrapped up in busy day-to-day events. I hope that my children will look back on their childhoods and remember the things we did as a family and how we served each other and our communities instead of our busy schedules. I aim to major in the majors and minor in the minors, keeping God and family as my priority.

Our family loves road trips, and the kids say, “The longer, the better!” They would stay in the car for a full day+ if we drove that long. They keep themselves entertained by watching movies, playing games, reading books, sleeping, and watching out the windows for interesting sights along the way. It’s a nice way to relax while Darek drives (for the most part). :-)

We ended up driving straight home and arrived at 4:30 AM. We hopped into our beds and enjoyed sleeping in and settling back in before returning to school and work the following day. Was it worth taking this trip? YES! Without a doubt!

Take time to find ways to connect with your families or chosen families. Maybe traveling is not your thing, but there are plenty of simple ways to create lasting memories. If we don’t have our faith and our families in this life, then what? Major in the majors, spending time on the MOST important things.

God

Family

Everything else