D-Day
Ok everyone, here is the post you have all been waiting for. (Well, truthfully, maybe you haven't been waiting for it, but I have, and I like projecting my internal issues on other people.)

In about 6 hours Jessica and I will be boarding our flight to Spain. By tomorrow morning we will be in the land of paella, sangria (mmmmm...) and acceptable lisps. We will be headed up to a small town North West of Madrid called Salamanca for a few days to visit some friends. After that is over, we will be headed South to the coast, across the Mediterranean at the Straits of Gibraltar and into Morocco.


"So, what is it you will be doing?"
Jessica and I have been getting this question a lot lately, and we deserve it. I don't think that we have done a very good job of telling everyone what it is exactly that we will be doing. Some day soon we would like to compile a compact but complete manifesto of our beliefs and activities, but for now this will have to do.

The basic idea is this: to go, live in and learn about communities around the world. Our goal for the "us" that we are defining right now is that we would like to end up doing community development work somewhere in the world. Right now we need to learn how that process works. We need to see community based health care, agriculture, water supplies, business development, micro-enterprise, and social services as they actually work. We need to learn how to address short comings and problems in the systems and then see how solutions are created. This next year is completely about engaging as much as we can while learning as much as we can about our future field of work.

More specifics will follow as we discover them.

- Jake and Jess

Answers to your questions:

1. how many miles will you have covered by the time the grande tour americana is over?
After tracing the United States up the U.P., down to Colorado, up to Montana, over to Washington, down to L.A., across Utah to North Carolina, up to Washington D.C., and back home, we will have covered close to 13,000 miles!

2. do you guys have "a song"?
I don't think we are much for having "a song" but more less a catalog of favorite music, you could say... Our favorites include: a) The muppet song, "Mahnamahna", b) "Wild Thing," and of course, c) Gnarles Barkley "Crazy".

3. how can i be more like you?
We would be happy to take you under our wings (Cory) when we see you in less than two weeks!

4. have we run over anything yet?
Yes, and it was sad. First week of our marriage Jake ran over an innocent turtle. I've tried to encourage him to take out more human life, but he doesn't seem to be converting to our ideals yet. It's only a matter of time (We're kidding!).

5. If you were going to write an accrostic for "marriage", what would that look like?
I don't think we even have a clue what marriage is yet, let alone write an accrostic... that may have to be for later...

6. After showering is the car pleasant again, or was there too much seepage to rid the car of odor mearly by removing your bodies and cleansing them?
It's absolutly amazing what continuous days of showering can do for not only one's sex life but for the life of the car as well. Our grey beauty (Jake will hate that I'm call her, our car, that) is smelling so fresh and so clean once again. But man, was that ever a harsh couple thousand miles of ingrained body odor.

7. what has worship been like in life on the road?
Different. I think I can speak for the both of us when I say that there is a part of us that misses the weekly worship in a familiar community. Yet, I believe there is also a part of us that is ready to experience and familiarize ourselves with other forms of worship. Worship in the physical touch; Worship in reading out loud to one another; Worship in learning how to work out problems and glorify God at the same time; Worship in learning how to represent and best love one another; and Worship in learning how to love others together.

8. Honey?
...is a great road snack.

9. What has your favorite conversation topic while driving been?
Trying to figure out where to sleep the up-coming night. What we won't do and where we won't go to get a free night of sleep! Other than the usual "travel talk," it's hard to think of conversations we didn't have. From feta cheese to fertilizer, Chacos to smelly arm-pits, conversations were continuous.

10. When are you traveling to Sewa Ashram?
We're anticipating heading down to Sewa-Ashram by March"ish"...

Thanks for the questions... feel free to ask more and we'll keep answering and posting...

A chance to help

Over the next year Jessica and I will be living and working in different communities. One of these communities is Sewa Ashram, a home for the destitute, ill and differently-abled.

Chad, the individual who photographed our wedding, has let us know of an amazing, generous offer. All of the photos that he shot are online, and if you purchase prints from this place, part of the proceedes will directly benefit Sewa Ashram and all of the work they do there.

What to do:
1. Go to: www.imagequix.com
2. On the left, enter this code into "Photographer ID" - S9ZS29W
3. Enter your email address, click submit.
4. For the password, enter "love" and click submit.
5. Order photos and enjoy the double gift.

Jake and Jess

Thanks to Cory, we have an idea on how to stimulate some comments and conversation on here. We are going to have our first ever Q&A.

Leave us a question in the comments section. Ask any question you like, just remember this is a public information forum, so with the knowledge that we just got married, keep it appropriate please.

Next week, after we have gathered all of the questions, we will answer them in another post.

Our children.
Three years ago I became the Godmother of Carter Clarkin. Two years following his birth I became the Godmother to his younger sister, Maya. Now, through marriage, Jake has taken on the name and responsibility of their Godfather. As you can see, they are having no problem adjusting to this addition to our family.

My amazing husband and Maya relaxing together.










Jake, Carter & I havin' some silly fun together.










Nothin' wrong with some early morning wrestling, Carter's favorite all day, anytime activity.






Thank you Asheley and Doug for allowing us the priviledge of sharing in the love of your children. We are grateful!

While we have time and internet... more picture...

Arches Nat'l Park. Scenic but not all that fun, we thought.









A fellow set of honeymooners following a very similar road trip plan. We bumped into them and had a great latenight conversation, and hundreds of miles away, completely unplanned, we ran into them again.
Jane and Vinny, all luck and blessings.

Robin and her crazy(awesome) children attacking me with a complete ecosystem. A monarch butterfly, sheep and rabbits made up the brunt of the offensive force.

A quick photo update...

If Jake had his way...












A relitavely unknown slot canyon of Escalante which we were told about by a couple on a hike through Bryce. We were told this slot canyon is a local secret, evidenced by no one else hiking the trail besides us and no signs leading to the trailhead... It was a great day...

At the tip of another fellow hiker we were told of this beautiful campgroup in Escalante, Calf Creek. After four+ weeks on the road we decided that with a view like this in our backyard and a six mile hike to a 150+ foot waterfall nearby and free firewood, how could we not stay for two nights and rest...

It is a shameful thing that it takes so long for the word to come out about the condition of our neighbors.

http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/09/03/chicago.fire.ap/index.html

The commissioner confirmed reports from neighbors that the family had been without electricity for at least a month and had been relying on candles for light.
...
The three-bedroom apartment in the Rogers Park neighborhood had no smoke detectors, he said.

It is an absolute poverty that we allow things like this to happen. While some roll in wealth, others live in destitution. Lives separated and reduced to abstractions. We stop caring about people as soon as we can no longer see their humanity. And when we surround ourselves with people like ourselves we are insulated from the humanizing effects of community.

We are blind to people like this because of our life choices. We need to drop our barriers of comfort and reform into communities of old.

Sorry everyone. We kept wondering why no one was ever commenting on our amazing photos and incredible thoughts. Well, it was our fault. We accidentally had turned on the comment moderation and we were not moderating anything.

Sorry about that, we are now feeling rather foolish. The comments should work perfectly now, unlike before.

All apologies mixed with laughter.

As for us, we are headed out to Huntsville, AL tomorrow morning. After that will be our friends in North Carolina and then the D.C. area.

Love.
J&J

Is anyone even reading this?

Wow… it’s been quite a long time since we’ve updated (sorry to all of you faithful viewers I like to pretend exist) – so in response to those who are wondering were we have been, might be, and are going = here you are:

Condensed Travel Log:
Following our time in the MI, IL, IN, Iowa, and KS we made our way to Colorado (Garden of the Gods and driving through the Rocky’s), up through Wyoming (where we spent time in Tetons National Park (N.P.) and Yellowstone N.P.), and into Montana (Glacier N.P.).

As Jake's understudy, I've turned into one kickin' rock climber... here is one of my first "minor" challenges at Garden of the God's... I anticipate soon I'll be better than him...













Our trip to the Tetons + an unexpected suprise on one of our off-trail expeditions.










Or friend at YellowStone!
This Bison is so much closer than it presents to be... look at the dominice she has over the fleeing car...








During our visit with the Bakers we made a hike up into the Bitterroot Mountains and up to beautiful Baker Lake and her two neighboring sister lakes...








Glacier National Park... And, yes - that is Grinnell Glacier behind us... beautiful.










We have found in each state a major storm to out-run... Here was the finale storm in Glacier... a blazin' fire storm!













Shortly after our time at Glacier N.P. we headed across Idaho, through Washington, and into Portland OR, which was the starting point of our drive down along the OR coast. Making our way down the coast we drove into CA where we spent time with more friends and family in Sacramento, San Francisco Bay area, and L.A.


My dream... the beautiful Oregon coast. Notice the hundreds of sea lions below and the heavy waves on the Ansel Adams worthy coast...













You see our faces... You know what's goin' on...










Driving through Joshua Tree N.P. and the Mojave Desert we found ourselves cruising by the Hoover Dam and through Las Vegas on a Friday night and quickly realized why we love N.P. so deeply… That night we made our way to Zion N.P. where we spent the entire next day hiking, exploring, and being in a state of awe.


Joshua Tree and Jake humoring me by posing just like a Joshua Tree...










Our Zion experience...















After a good nights rest we drove over to Bryce Canyon N.P. were we found ourselves in the same practices exercised in Zion: hiking, exploring, and remaining in awe… At the tip of a fellow hiking couple we stuck around that night and explored the hidden slot canyons and petraglyphs of Grand-Staircase Escalante National Monument.


Bryce N.P.




























That evening we headed up to Calf Creek Rec. Area (in response to another tip) and set up camp to two entire nights (at the realization we needed to rest and enjoy one another outside of our Civic)… Yesterday at Calf Creek we did what we do best and made an estimated 2-3 hour hike and all day hike of play, and you guessed it, hiking, exploring, and remaining in a state of amazement. Picture of all of the above coming soon!

Here we are this morning, making our way to Arches N.P.. We anticipate heading down to the four corners, Mesa Verde, and Hot Springs in Arkansas as we continue to make our way back East to visit more friends and family.

Traveling thoughts...

When does the human spirit decide that it can let go of the body? Does it recognize this point consciously or subconsciously, cognitively or spiritually?

When someone is dying slowly, as in they know they have a disease or condition that will take their life in some short, definite amount of time, it is possible to watch the digression of health all the way to the point of the cessation of life. As happens every day, things get worse, more painful, closer to death, and finally the person crosses over into something else. But in that continuum, there is a point of change that is indiscernible. Anyone who has ever risen early enough to watch specifically for the sunrise knows this quandary. When are you looking at a rather light night sky, and when are you suddenly looking at a dark morning sky. At some moment there is a transition that we can not truly label, but it must exist. Perhaps a state where both exist at once, night and morning, life and death, veiled and unveiled.

In the case of slow deterioration there comes a point where the will and ability to draw one breath is not followed by the same will and ability. The next breath is never drawn. What occurred in those 4 or 6 seconds between the final breath and the first non-breath. The cancer did not grow suddenly worse, the lungs did not suddenly have more fluid, emphysema or leukemia or ALS did not progress at an incredible rate for that short moment in time.

So what happened? Friends and family often say that they finally got tired of hanging on. If that were the case, it would make the decision to die a cognitive one, something within our direct control and decision. If death were that much in our control, those with terminal diseases coupled with chronic pain would simply "choose" to die and do so without external aides. Contrarily, on extreme ends some individuals survive the impossible by an apparent "sheer force of will", while others will die of grief. Both are internally driven, yet neither can completely control what is happening. There is some aspect of internal choice and will at play, but it can not encompass the entirety of this

What is the final straw that allows someone to go past that threshold of what holds us onto life?

- Jake

Hot! Hot! Hot!

Yesterday we wrapped up our detour to Elkart, unpacked and repacked our car and headed west... With temps. as high as they were we were having salt licking contests on our arms... We then of coarse had to stop at TCBY to counteract that salty taste with a hot fudge sundae... We then stopped to spend some time good time with Chad and Joselyn last night in Fairfield, Iowa...

Now in Kansas City, MO with my sister and friends we anticipate to head to Denver by tomorrow or the next day...

Our motto: Jake - "What do we have to do tomorrow?" Jess - "Nothing!"

We're taking and enjoying our time and learning how to "be" with one another... So much to learn... Yet, so much to love...

I can hardly believe over a week has passed by... As you can tell by the flattering pictures Jake posted a few days ago, we had an amazing time making our way through the U.P., down through Wis., a couple days in Chicago over the weekend (too short!), and back into IN for a day and a half to say good-bye to a good friend...

http://earth-nomad.livejournal.com/146333.html

Jess - we appreciate you!
Yes, my face is the color of my shirt... it was "that" hot and we were "that" active... I miss Ethan, Jermaine, Kaylanie, Jeremy, and Destiny so very much...





Lake of the Clouds...













Eric & I - Tha Navarro Family continues to do GRAND... I love them dearly...















An adventure...













My husband...














Jake & I at the Pictured Rocks... beautiful...

















Beautiful tree structure (note: the massive tree on the island of rock reaching with her lifeline root over to the mainland for nourishment)













View from an observantion deck at the Pictured Rocks...








Our day at Tequamannen (sp?) falls... $8.00 for a bunch of rain... I guess when we asked to see falls, God granted our request in abundance...



We look forward to seeing many of you soon and love hearing from you! Thanks for your continued love - we'll keep you posted!

Everyone Loves the UP.

Friends & Family -

We cannot express our thanks for your support and attendance to our wedding... as soon as we have more time we will begin posting pictures... if anyone has any on-line feel free to leave a link in the comments section...

What an amazing day it was! (Jake says that's stating the obvious - I say Yes, PLEASE!)

Honeymoons are F-U-N...

Enjoying the gift of our parents cabin...

Making our way up to the U.P.

Next stop = CHICAGO!

We love being married (another "stating the obvious" comment)

love - Jake and Jess DeBoni

Eleven days and counting down... Yes, Please!

For those of you camping, canoeing, and/or attending our reception in Virginia - please take note of the following:

* CANOE TRIP *
If you're taking a canoe trip - Remember, you may need water shoes. The river may be low enough in places that you will have to get out and walk a ways and those rocky points throughout the river will seem a whole lot longer in bare-feet. Bug spray and sun screen may be something you want to bring along too. Maybe a cooler for drinks along the way?

The canoe trip will leave our house around 3:30, hopefully be on the river by about 4:00 for about a one and a half hour trip. It will begin on M-20 at Buckley's and end at omy parent's house. A special favor since it's a wedding - THANK YOY BUCKLEY'S!!!

If you want to go on a canoe trip but have not yet sent in your RSVP - let us know before this Thurs.

* CAMPING *
Campers will need to register at the park entrance on M-20 (just a couple miles from my parents home). All the reservations are under Kathy Rozga. When you register you will need to bring $3-5 for a park enterance fee (I forgot which one so you may want to be ready with $5). To get to your camping sites you will have to walk in up to a mile and camping facilities consist of a river, a pit toilet and a water pump - Yes, Please!

If y'all who are camping need a place to shower etc. you ware more than welcome to our home... Also, for those apending the night on the 21st, I will be having a panckae breakfast the morning of the 22nd so please feel free to come on over! It's abount a 1 1/4 mile walk from the campsites to our house. There are maps at the park and you will probably get one when you check in.

* VIRGINIA *
Reception date has been moved! We will be sending out postcards to confirm the date changed but for now... the reception in VA has moved from Aug. 27th to SEPTEMBER 3rd!

We decided we would like to spend more time out west and so we're moving the date back a bit... hope this doesn't interfere with anyone's plans...

Thank you all for your prayers, love, and continued encouragement... we're SO EXCITED for the celebration of our upcoming union and even more excited about the unknown to come...

Please feel free to e-mail either Jake or I if you have any further questions...

Just thought some of you would enjoy a little photo update. Wedding info is still posted below.

For all of you digitally-savvy people out there, here is our wedding information in a more digital format. Click on any of the images to see a much larger version.

For alternative maps, please see Mount Pleasant, MI or automatically generated directions from Elkhart, IN to Mount Pleasant, MI.

I think I can speak for the both of us when I say how unbelievably grateful both Jake and I are for each of you... I have continually been amazed at the letters, notes, and calls which have come our way as of the last month or so... Encouraging, supporting, loving, laughter inducing... We are so thankful for your willingness and desire to be a part of our life together... Thank you.

For those of you first time visitors, welcome. For the first few weeks this blog will simply act as an information forum for the wedding celebration of Jake and Jessica. After that it will serve as our travel and photo blog for the next 2 or so years of world exploration.

When:
Saturday, July 22nd, 2006.

Where:
Mount Pleasant, MI Map; Elkhart, IN to Mount Pleasant, MI Map