We were sad to leave my cousin Sondra Jonson in Cambridge NE. After teary goodbyes we headed to Omaha for a short stay and then on to South Bend, Indiana. While there we had an especially fun time at Notre Dame.
Beautiful Campground in Omaha NE
Cambridge NE
High School Football Field in North South Bend
Our time in Cambridge was filled with lots of home cooked meals at Sondra’s home. Add in gleeful time spent with her precious grandson Jude (who we have totally adopted as our own) and his parents. Then toss in a bit of art and culture via Sondra’s studio and the Cambridge Museum. And what you get is 5 amazing days fill with joy and love.
Raclin Murphy Museum of Art at Notre Dame
But our schedule did not afford us more time. Thankfully, and the good Lord willing, we will spend more time there next year. That’s just one of the things I love about our nomadic lifestyle.
Fun Time at Notre Dame
Church at University of Notre Dame
As is the case whenever we’re visiting a new location, I turn to Google for points of interest. Originally I had thought there was nothing special in South Bend IN. However, I was most definitely wrong! There’s the University of Notre Dame and the Fighting Irish.
History
Church Tower
According to their website: “The University of Notre Dame began late on the bitterly cold afternoon of November 26, 1842, when a 28-year-old French priest, Rev. Edward Sorin, C.S.C., and seven companions, all of them members of the recently established Congregation of Holy Cross, took possession of 524 snow-covered acres that the Bishop of Vincennes had given them in the Indiana mission fields.” He named the fledgling school L’Université de Notre Dame du Lac (The University of Our Lady of the Lake).
Legends of Notre Dame
A little over 2 years later the University was officially chartered by the Indiana legislature. It was Father Sorin’s vision to establish a great Catholic university in America.
Located in South Bend IN
Notre Dame Football Stadium
The University of Notre Dame is located adjacent to South Bend, Indiana, the center of a metropolitan area that has a population of more than 315,000. The University was governed by the Holy Cross priests until 1967. Following that year governance was transferred to a mixed board of lay and religious trustees and fellows.
Held in high regard
Flags Flying
To this day Notre Dame has remained faithful to both its religious and intellectual traditions.
Which way do we go?
Not only is Notre Dame one of America’s foremost undergraduate teaching institutions, but it’s also at the forefront in research and scholarship.
The Fighting Irish
Home of Notre Dame Baseball
However, I do think that the first thing that comes to mind when you hear Notre Dame is the Fighting Irish. The legendary Fighting Irish have been featured in many films such as Rudy and Knute Rockne All American.
Batter Up!
So as Steve and I were doing a driving tour of the campus we were quite awe struck by the football field and sports complex. You can imagine our surprise when we noticed a baseball game being played at Notre Dame’s Jake Kline Field at Frank Eck Stadium. We immediately parked the car and found seats in the bleachers.
Go Fighting Irish!!!
What we were watching was a high school baseball tournament. We were enjoying it so much that we stayed for 2 games. Now that’s what I call a fun time at Notre Dame!!!
