Surely by now you know that this week we are featuring the adventures of Serentripity, our annual trip to we-don't-know-where. We think the idea shines for a lot of reasons and in order to prove it we decided to use the letters S-H-I-N-E as oracles that would guide our journey. Read our posts from Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to learn about our encounters with the letters "S" and "H".

Once our stomachs were filled and our bladders were emptied, Heather, Cheryl, Misty, and I were ready to resume our quest for shine.

But not before we took in a little more shopping and made a few more friends. Here I am with new found friend, Robin.

And Wayne who just happened to be painting the back of the store yellow.

We explained to Wayne that, while he was painting the store yellow, we were trying to paint the town yellow. He laughed and told us to get back on the road and head West.

When an oracle as clear as this one presents itself in the middle of No-wheres-ville, USA, it's a little hard to resist. So, with great anticipation we all agreed to head down Friendship Street.

And then within minutes of driving it became clear that the House of Shine was welcomed in this town and that the people of this community also believed in the power of the Yellow Envelope Project.

And we rejoiced.

And used side walk chalk, again, to leave a message of our own.

And then, with the quiet of a whisper and the subtlety of a gentle tap, we turned and noticed the letter "i" staring back at us.

And we rejoiced some more,

because then we new it was safe to begin searching for the letter "N".

So we got back in the car and consulted with our die. Roll an even number and we must stop to ask someone the direction we turn. Roll an odd number and keep driving straight.

We rolled even.

Conveniently we pulled over on a sleepy country road. To our right was gas station. In front of it was an antique shop. And in front of it was an actual fork in the road. Like in the movies.

But not a horror movie like the one that probably featured the three-headed prop pictured above.

I was busy perusing the store, so I missed most of Wayne, the store owner's, explanation of the three headed alien made of tin foil. Something about it being used in a movie and featured on CNN (neither of which are as cool as being pictured with the women from the House of Shine).

In the end, our trip to the antique store, like so much of the day, proved fated. For three reasons:

First, we spotted our letter "N".

Second, I walked past a metal plate bearing the still unveiled theme for this year's Annual House of Shine Triathlon (in August) - a topic that just thirty minutes earlier I was talking about in the car.

And third, Wayne signed our shirts and told us to turn right.

Soon after turning we spotted this yellow car and I insisted that we follow it.

Of course, it didn't hurt that we spotted the car in the Dairy Queen parking lot! Misty generously treated each of us to a Blizzard.

We left our signature and then got back into the car for the next leg of our trip.

Here is when things started to get really exciting.

Our agreement all along was to stop at exactly 2:18 p.m. and, from there, turn back around to start heading home. The place, where we stopped, therefore, had to feel important, pre-ordained, and like fate delivered us there. The number 218 is symbolic to our community and the entire philosophy behind Serentripity is one of fate.

The pressure felt enormous.

At 2:00 I started nagging Heather, Cheryl, and Misty that it was time to start pulling over. We needed to start looking for our oracle.

Should we stop at Tarelton State University?

No, Heather insisted. It's too soon.

2:12 p.m.

Then how about now?

Hurry. Decide. Time is ticking.

The Cheese Store just a couple miles off the road? Cheese is yellow.

What happens if we are in the middle of no where? What would be fated about that? And, would we even recognize the oracle if there was one?

Come on.  Hurry. Decide. Time is ticking.

Then it was 2:13, 2:14, 2:15 and still Heather is telling me to drive.

Are you CRAZY? We need to stop. NOW.

NOW

2:15, 2:16

2:17 and l-i-t-e-r-a-l-l-y we are still in the FREAKING car...

SITTING

AT

A

STOPLIGHT!

And then the time changed to 2:18 and with 47 seconds left, the light turned green.

Tune in tomorrow to find out where Serentripity delivered us.