Fall Road Tripping - To Ohio for the Hallow Summit

Hallow from the other side!  

We just did a whirlwind drive from MA to MD to PA to OH to MD to MA in order to attend the Hallow Summit and see our lovies out at Franciscan University this past weekend.  We left early Thursday morning with our youngest three kids in our giant 12 passenger van, so even Lucy Doodle got a seat.  She looks a little like she's been caught.

We arrived at Phil's parent's house after a pretty long trip filled with traffic, but who could complain with this warm weather in October?

The Twins (born 9 days apart)

We left Declan and Brendan and Lucy with Phil's parents, who not only kept them alive but did lots of fun activities with them, and then Xander, Phil and I headed to Phil's brother's house in PA where we spent the night.  My sister-in-law happens to be my bestie, so we love any chance to sit and catch-up, especially when it's outside by the fire pit.  We stayed up way too late (midnight!) but were on the road at 6:30 am Friday morning to get to Franciscan so Xander could join in with the official college visitors.  We made it to campus and ran up to this science and engineering presentation:

Maggie had been stalking our location and we had a romcom-style running up to each other big hug in the academic building.  Ah it was so great to see our girlie again.  Then we had lunch in the cafe with Xander, Mass with Maggie and Eamon (so beautiful that I couldn't stop crying) and a tour of campus that we skipped because we're pretty fluent in Franciscan campus.  We randomly saw our nephew:

Xander got a haircut the next day

And Maggie and her college bestie eating lunch outside:

We had booked an apartment airbnb that I was not excited about, but due to the Hallow Summit being on campus, all the hotels in the area were full.  Phil was my hero because he called the hotel across the street from campus every day, asking if they had any cancellations, and eventually we got a room for the two nights we were there!  It just made the logistics so much easier to meet up with kids who could walk from their dorms/houses.  Even JP was able to come to visit on Friday night and Sunday morning.  We went to our old college Tuesday Night Date restaurant - Applebee's:

On Friday night, the summit began and Jeff Cavins and Jonathan Roumie gave the first talk:

The theme for this year's Hallow Summit was "Empty Me, Fill Me, Use Me" and I bought Phil a water bottle with those words as a keepsake.

I have to admit that seeing Jonathan Roumie in a flashy blazer and lots of big rings threw me for a loop.  Jesus would never ;)  Jonathan said that he had just finished filming Season 7 of The Chosen, so he was officially done being filmed as Jesus in that role after 8 years. The founder of Hallow stayed at our hotel as well:

Meanwhile, Xander was staying with Eamon on campus and wishing high school was over already.  He absolutely loved Eamon and Maggie's friends, who embraced him like a little bro:

On Saturday, Andrew walked over from his house off-campus and joined us for breakfast at the hotel.  Later, Phil and I attended a talk by Katie McGrady about being Catholic in the Culture that was wonderful.  In the afternoon, we heard Matt and Cameron Fradd talk about Marriage, and I took notes on both talks but that may be a post for another time.  Phil and I went to eat at the Crazy Mexican in Weirton for dinner, where I went crazy for the fried ice cream:

Then we drove over to see the men's soccer game, where the world's best Team Manager works (Andrew).  We met so many of the kids' friends, some of their parents, and some of my online students face-to-face.  Andrew's bestie "Smiles" came to visit for the weekend, and sat beside me on the bleachers holding an umbrella over my head through the rain...how sweet.  Maggie and friends used a blanket I brought to try and stay dry as they cheered:

Matching tats stamps

Soccer tied against their big rival, Grove City, so everyone was stoked.  On Sunday, we went to 8am Mass on campus:

Andrew was Smiles' best man in his wedding in July

Andrew and the beautiful Karolina

Smiles was taking our family picture and he said "Say cheese"

Then he said "Say Smiles is going to be a dad in May!" and we all freaked out!!

Andrew already knew, so he wanted to see our faces!

We said goodbye to campus and Maggie's bestie, and drove to Stateline restaurant in Weirton for breakfast with 7/9 of our family plus Karolina and Smiles to make the full 9 we are used to.

Sunday also happened to be Phil's birthday and he ate like the king he is:

We said goodbye to everyone and drove back to MD to have a big birthday dinner with lots of Phil's kin.  While we were in Steubenville, Nana and Gramps took Declan and Brendan to a zoo with a safari ride, an apple festival with cousins (where they made pens from wood!) , and a fall festival that included a 5 mile long corn maze and bonfire with more cousins.  They had the best time! 

On Monday morning we woke up at 4:30 am and arrived home by 12:30.  It was a wonderful trip, a much needed retreat, and the best gift to see all of my babies.