471 miles for a hug

471 miles.  That is all that stood between me and my friend, S.  Initially, I did not realize that only 471 miles would be separating us on a particular weekend in May.  Usually we have are separated by 4,400 miles.  4,400 miles that cannot be driven as an ocean stands in the way, airplanes or ships are required to connect us.  But 471 miles on the same continent in the same country, this was something I could conquer with my SUV.    

Who is S?   Why would I travel 4,400 miles or 471 miles to see her?  S is a friend, a confidant, a sister.  She and I, in a very short period, formed bonds of friendship that last a lifetime.  A friend who has seen the good, the bad, the ugly, the pretty.    Together we have experienced infants, pregnancy, toddlers, low incomes, tears, laughter, sleepless nights, tragedies, joys, dreams, fears, disappointments, and celebrations.  Sounds like a lifetime, doesn't it?  Yet most of our friendship has been spent separated by 4,400 miles.

We met when my oldest daughter was a mere three weeks old.  I walked through the doors of our community church for a ladies Bible study.  A new mom, lonely, and desperate for friends.  Until my daughter had been born I worked full-time, commuting 35 miles one way.  I had not developed friends in my community.  Suddenly I was home full time and very lonely.  I bravely entered the doors of the church. 

I was not new to church or Bible studies.  I grew up in a Christian home.  But as a young adult, church going was not a priority, we were too busy working and 'starting our lives'.  We had not found a local church home prior to our daughter's birth.   Accustomed to leaving the home everyday to go to work, I was lonely and tired of the four walls.  I screwed up my courage and went to the mid-week morning, ladies Bible study with my tiny baby.

Babies attract attention!  I was greeted, my baby ooohed and aaaahed.  And in the small gathering was a young lady with a very round belly.  This turned out to be S.  She was expecting her first child in two months.  She was drawn to my tiny infant and I to another person in my peer group.  Our friendship was off and running. 

We experienced all the wonders of being mothers of infants together.   We were each other's lifeline during those days.  Our girls were 'instant' friends.  We attended classes together, took walks, to garage sales, and enjoyed watching our children grow and develop.  It wasn't long before we were dreaming of more children and devised a plan to add on to each of our families at the same time.  Nothing to bond women together than pregnancy!  Our plan succeeded... I became pregnant with our second daughter and she became pregnant with twins!  Shortly we had five children under the age of two between us.  The fun was just beginning.

We had many adventures together with those babies and other babies as she did daycare for two other families.    She a youth pastor's wife as well in our church, we tackled a few ministry tasks together as well.  Big, round, pregnant with toddlers in tow we ran Vacation Bible School - without air conditioning in August!  Ahh the memories.

S and her husband were missionary candidates, their time in my local church was coming to an end.  Shortly they were called to an over seas assignment.  We had become friends and sisters in a brief three years.  But our friendship did not cease.  I made room in our budget for over seas phone calls, mailing packages and visits to  their new home - once with a with preschooler, another with two elementary aged children along.  I have prayed for them, supported them, and loved them from afar.  I have been blessed by her friendship, my world expanded beyond my small town, state, and country borders.

So when 471 miles separated us... I made my way to give her a hug in person.  Just another adventure in our friendship.  Before our friendship I had not run a VBS program, been out of the country, or driven by myself as the only driver 471 miles.  There is always a first time for everything.  Sharing a conversation and hug is definitely worth all the scariness of new adventures and 471 miles!

Unexpected Adventure = Mother-Daughter Time

Today I am preparing to leave on a road trip.  I think I put too much pressure on myself in my preparations.  I like to leave a clean, mostly organized house.  Why?  When returning there is usually a chaos of stuff  coming into the house, which if put on top of a mess would make me nutty!  If we depart with organization and cleanliness it allows me to relax and rest upon my return.  Make sense?

This process of preparation usually drives my family nutty, remember I live in  Forest of Crazy.  I tend to get wound up and go non-stop, jumping from one thing to the next.  I understand why the family gets frustrated, I don't really like it myself.  I have tried to tame this beast and have made some progress, I think.  Maybe should I should ask the family?

I have spent the last few days trying to get the lawn mowed.  It is obnoxiously long and must be cut or it will be out of control.  Problem is that it continues to rain so getting it done has been a challenge.  Last night, I was attempting to mow the last two sections when the squealing began, ending my mowing.  Hubby declared it a bearing issue... a new part has been purchased.  Alas, hubby may need to do finish the mowing.

This is the longest road trip I am undertaking without my hubby.  I will be traveling with my youngest daughter, DD#2, who is a lovely 13 years old.  I am excited to get away with her, spend one-on-one time, find our way on an adventure.  In essence mother-daughter bonding.  Leaving behind DD#1 and hubby for some of their own bonding time. 

On the first leg of our journey we are joined by hubby's sister, E, and her adorable 7.5 month old baby L.  They are the ones that began this whole adventure.   A casual comment from E telling me was going to visit her aunt with L, a five hour journey.  Thinking she was brave to travel that distance alone with a baby, I asked if she wanted company.  Now we are a day away from departing.

This is the only part of the journey with E and L.  They will be joined by brother-in-law, G, the following evening where they will continue on with their own weekend adventure.  As this trip developed, I realized that my very good friend would be in the states the same weekend.  This is significant as she is a missionary serving over seas. In visiting Auntie, I realized I would be within four hours of her location!!  Whoo Hoo! 

The plan is to spend one night with Auntie, depart the following morning to meet up with S.  Yet it gets better.  S is attending our church domination bi-annual conference.  I did not think this was something for me, as I figured it was for the missionaries, pastors, and church leaders.  But I discovered I was wrong - I can attend as well.  Hear the incredible speakers - Ravi Zacharias and John Stumbo, Gracia Burnham, & more.  My pastor's wife was able to obtain tickets for us to attend the popular ladies luncheon.  How cool is this deal?  Not only do I get to connect with S, I get to attend an incredible conference.  AND I get to share it with DD#2. 

I have been tickled at DD#2's excitement.  I wasn't certain that she would be excited about a church event geared mostly for adults.  She has proven me wrong, counting down the days to our departure.  She is a great companion.  I am anticipating some fun memories.  She already knows her mom is the queen of turn arounds, so we should travel together just fine. 

Feeling very blessed to be able to go on this adventure.  An unexpected adventure to be sure, but I think these are the best kind, don't you?  So now the house is mostly clean, the lawn mostly mowed, the clothes are packed, and the departure is near.  Excited to spend time with DD#2, E, L, Auntie, & S.  Most importantly looking forward to what the Lord has planned for us.

Mini-vacation

The past few days, we have had an opportunity to be together, exclusively, as a family.  We have taken a mini-vacation.  Our children are teenagers, our time as parents with them is fleeting.  I am all too aware they will be quickly leave our home, leaving us an empty nest.  As a result, my husband and I, have been making deliberate occasions to be together and 'make memories'.  This has become even more important for me these past few weeks, as my friend M lays in hospice losing her battle with Crueztfeld-Jakob disease. I have been, unfortunately, made completely aware, the uncertainty of life.

Initially we thought we would return to the Rocky Mountains.  We traveled through them last spring and all of us, to the last person, fell in love with the Rockies!  But this spring season has been filled with late spring snows. Coupled with the face that we only had just under a week for our vacation, we decided it was too far a drive and too risky of weather to make the trip in April.

Our youngest daughter suggested Wisconsin Dells.  I wasn't overly keen on the idea initially.  We had been to the Dells when the children were quite young.  We discovered that our children were not the 'fish' that my husband and I had been as children.  I had also done previous investigation into the water-park hotels in years past.  I had sticker shock to the prices.

But upon her suggestion, we once again checked it out.  I still had sticker shock, but we are in a different place in our life with a little more disposable income than years ago.  Our children are older and likely would enjoy the slides water activities.  In the next moment, we had booked ourselves a mini-vacation at one of the largest water park resorts in the Dells.

We arrived an bit prior to official check-in time but were allowed to check-in.  We booked a standard room - two queen beds.  We got our luggage and made our way to the door.  Upon entering, we were in for a treat.  Instead of the standard room, we stood in a two room suite, complete with a king bed, two queen beds, two bathrooms, two TVs, a sofa, a fireplace, and a deck.  Wow!  What a surprise.  I was sure a mistake had been made, but I was not about to complain, as long as my bill didn't change!!  Each child had a bed, and hubby and I had the comfort of a large king bed, as well as a bit of privacy.

We have spent three days, blasting through water tubes, floating down the lazy river, riding the waves in the wave pool, playing water basketball, and recovering our aging bodies in the hot tub.  But that is not all!  As well as the water-park, there is an indoor amusement park complete with a Ferris Wheel, go-carts, laser tag, mini-golf, climbing wall, ropes course, and arcade.  This was included in our package deal!  Bowling is an extra charge. 

I have discovered, I am NOT as young as I use to be, nor am I in shape anymore.  Hubby and I are beat physically.  But it is worth it.  We have played with our children, laughed together, and 'made some memories.'

Our final day here in the Dells, it is snowing...  confirmation we should not be in the mountains.  The fireplace is our spot together this final evening.  The snow is falling and accumulating.  Oh, this is the upper mid-west. 

The resort is complete with restaurants, spa, salon, & entertainment.  Maybe we should just stay until winter departs for good.

Grand Adventure: Ending, not so grand

What begins must end. Our vacation comes to an end. We have many memories of things we saw and were able to do. Other family memories such as the naked sock puppet, fake discounts, Radiator Springs, leaping deer, and DD#2 talking in her sleep.

For me, I have returned home ill. Hubby too. Last night my ear exploded in pain - child birth had nothing on this ear pain. Well, maybe not quite so, but at end of labor pains you have a reward of a bundle of joy. The excruciating ear pain has no such rewards. Unfortunately, it was late on a Sunday night and the only medical services available at that time is the Emergency Room. I had to 'gut it out' until morning.

Prayer, acetaminophen, warm compresses, and decongestant finally gave me some relief of the pain. This morning I was first in line at the clinic. The doctor confirmed my diagnosis of ear infection. Yeah - no kidding, doc! He prescribed antibiotics, decongestants, and fluids.

And thus ends our grand adventure. It was Grand indeed.

Grand Adventure: Day 13 HOME

From Topeka, Kansas to home - four stops: rest stop, gas, lunch, groceries - - HOME.

The house is in the same condition as we left. We .... However were vacation fatigued but happy to be home. Thrilled to have our own beds, pillows, bathroom, GOOD coffee, and not moving in a vehicle for hours on end :) :)

Hubby and I are both still fighting our colds but am trusting that now we are home we will recover swiftly.

13 days; 10 states; 1 tow truck ride; 1 doctor visit; 5 national parks; 10+ other stops; 9 hotels; many scenic drives; plains, mountains, canyons, deserts; sun, clouds, warmth, cold, rain, snow, ice, sand storms; 4,721 miles; lots of memories

Grand Adventure: Day 12 Mountains to Plains

Home - - a word that holds such meaning.... security, comfort, peace, own bed, familiar odors or aromas, space, familiarity, pets, ....

From about 9000 feet in Frisco, Colorado to about 800 feet in Topeka, Kansas

We came down the mountain between the Vail and Loveland Passes in snow/ice/rain mix. Semis were required to use tire chains. 29 degrees - a bit chilly. We needed to get down the mountain in the morning as 12-24 inches of snow were expected Friday night. We learned that the Denver area, our intended destination the day before, had been hit with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. That all occurred as we climbed the mountain and stopped at the top. We were snug on the mountain top in the snow.


The snow turned to heavy rains as we descended - - all through Denver. We contemplated returning to Colorado Springs as all enjoyed that area thoroughly. But in the end the desire to return home overcame the desire to see Pike's Peak again. We pressed on eastward.


Later, on the radio we heard the southbound freeway which we would have taken to Colorado Springs was closed. We were thankful for our decision - once again our footsteps were guided.


Unfortunately, the pressure change really caused issues with my cold. The congestion caused my ear to become terribly uncomfortable. Some decongestant and ear drops helped significantly.


We traveled long and hard getting into Topeka, Kansas 11:30. We encountered rain on and off for the entire drive across I70. Just one more day of travel and we'll be home.

Grand Adventure: Day 11 Arches & Frisco

We awoke to a beautiful morning in Moab, Utah. Hubby did not rest well... he is coughing something horribly. And yes, I am now fighting the symptoms of crud. I began drinking Emergen-C and juice.

We left our lovely hotel which had two queen beds and a sitting area. Very nice to have a little bit of extra space. It was quiet and peaceful.


Just a few miles from Arches National Park, we set out. We drove into Moab in the inky dark. Did I mention the road was dark - - no lights except for the the vehicles traversing the road with you. We had no idea the scenery. We were pleasantly surprised by the rising red rocks.


Arches National Park was amazing. We only did a driving loop and a small amount of hiking in the area. The natural arches and red rocks are stunning. Wished I would have felt better with more energy to enjoy the park. We spent all morning at the park, went back into Moab for lunch then started our journey to Colorado and our journey home.




A fairly easy drive until we hit the Vail area and Vail Mt pass. We could see the snow line in the mountains as we traveled and that is exactly what we drove in. Hubby had a rather heart pumping drive up to 10,600 elevation at Vail Pass in the snow/ice mix. Our defroster could not keep up. We finally decided at around 7ish with dusk descending to just stop for the night. We landed in Frisco, CO which is the Breckenridge Ski area. Unfortunately, the forecast called for 2-4 inches of snow that day and 3-5 the next with 12-24 the following night. We needed to get off the mountain the next morning! Daylight which makes a huge difference while driving.


I was disappointed that my mountain tops have been hidden in the clouds. But the snow makes it feel like Christmas.

Grand Adventure: Day 10 Zion & Utah

Hurricane, Utah

I awoke to thunder.

Hubby was not feeling well at all the previous night, had another rough night trying to get good rest. Everyone was sleeping, I slipped out, grabbed the computer, found coffee, and checked the weather forecast. Yep, rain. Smart, aren't I?


Hubby arose feeling lousy and just wanting to go home. Can't blame him. We had thought to drive north to Idaho then over to Yellowstone to see Old Faithful then home. We decided that this was just not the time of year for Yellowstone. The GPS unit said 1500 miles to home. But first Zion National Park.


We gathered our stuff and made our way to Zion National Park. Ohhhhhh how beautiful, even if clouds were covering the mountain tops. It rained, it was gloomy, it was cold. We stayed on the shuttle bus most of the time. But hubby being so sweet, even sick, did a few short hikes to water falls. I love water falls. He really should not have been out in the damp, cold. But he keeps repeating... I am here. We finished driving through the park which includes a trek through a mile long tunnel. Out on the other side.... was Road 89. Several hours to I70. Not much for food, lots of scenery, mountain driving, dropping temps, oh, and it started to snow. At one point we saw a beautiful rainbow - laying on the mountain. Very cool - - couldn't get a picture of it.




We searched maps, the GPS unit, the AAA books to figure out our next step. Not much in Utah going east. A whole lot of well.... nothing. We finally reached Richfield, ate a Wendy's where I think they had to butcher the chickens and cows prior to preparing our food. I took over the driver's seat. Ummmm... that turned into one interesting drive.


About 10 miles down the road was the next town - Salida? Salina? Something like that. The sign said - last services for 108 miles. I once thought I lived in the middle of nowhere. Not a chance. I decided to pull over for one final potty break - after all I had just eaten dinner and had a big glass of Diet Coke to sip on. Back on the road. When they say last services they mean it! Nothing for 108 miles! Not a town, radio signal, or cell phone signal. But the scenery - amazing! Hubby serenaded us with Toby Keith and Taylor Swift songs from the back seat (he had his own personal ipod at that moment). There's a reason he's not been invited into the choir :)


We reached a beautiful juncture driving through the mountains/canyons. It looked as we were going through two sinking Titanic ships. I got a little apprehensive when the sign said - 'Brake test 1 mile.' Exactly what was I in for on this drive? I had driven 'up hill' for quite a ways in buffeting cross winds. It could only mean that now I was going to go down. Yep - that was it - - 6.5 % downgrade for 5-6 miles. Love those signs that say 1 mile to run away truck ramp. I think of them as 1 mile of sheer terror for the run away truck driver ... :) :)


Hubby talked me through mountain driving which was actually pretty easy compared to what he drove through in CO last week. My heart really got pumping as I was passing a semi (after the down grade part) who began swearing as I was next to him. Took a few deep breathes and prayers of praise and thanksgiving to stop the adrenaline. I have now been fully initiated into mountain driving. Thankful for a wonderful teacher in the backseat. Didn't mind the backseat driver that day. You just don't get sleepy on these roads. It was overcast and spit rain every once in a while otherwise decent driving conditions.


At one point, hubby finally figured out what we should do - - it was getting late and the towns are sparse. We were tentatively aiming for Grand Junction CO. Which we would have reached around 10pm. But then, as I said, my sweet man, said let's go to Moab, and since we are in the area - there's another neat national park to check out - - Arches. Okay..... new destination plugged into the GPS- arrival eta 9:00pm. After leaving I70 to go to Moab it was decidedly dark. The road is 2 lane, pitch black, and it began to rain persistently. By dark, I mean, no lights other than the other vehicles traversing the road with you. No traffic signs, towns, just inky black, dark. I kept driving, remember, not too many places to pull off and hubby needed the rest. DD#1 turned on Praise and Worship .... wonderful for the soul and perfect with all we have been seeing. "Lord of all creation - - - You are Holy" 30 miles later.... we are there in Moab.

Grand Adventure: Day 9 What day is it?

We lost track of days of the week, city, hotel room numbers, & time zone We left Flagstaff after 3 nights. It was good to stay put for a few days.


Hubby awoke full of energy and was practically perky. If you know him at all you know what an anomaly that is! He was bright eyed, bushy tailed and ready to go. I, however, was dragging. Two nights of fitful sleeping was not helping. Hubby slept well last night but his congestion has raised the decibels on his snoring - - thus making it challenging for me to sleep well. The girls seem to be tolerating it okay.


We took off in the, once again, bright sunshine, for Nevada. Destination: Hoover Dam. We arrived late morning. I was surprised by the amount of people, and again the number of languages spoken around us (we have been impressed all week), and the wind. It was very windy!! Those of us with hair - it was blown straight out.

We pulled in to find out that all tours were canceled -- elevator is broken. (58 flights down) I felt bad for hubby, he was looking forward to this particular destination. The 'one' on his list. We walked around, took pictures, bought souvenirs, and departed.



Hubby does not like Vegas. He was in the city 15 years ago for a conference and has NO desire to return. However, we had to drive through the city after Hoover Dam to continue on to Utah.

Hubby humored us and drove right down the strip so we girls could see it. It was middle of the afternoon, I was a bit disappointed as I know the place is spectacular after dark. We talked about staying until after dark.... but decided it was not a place for the girls. Once we drove through I was rather content to leave. Not sure I would have enjoyed it other than to see the lights - but I've seen those from an airplane *grin* Seriously - - - NYC Times Square last year was great! I can live without Las Vegas. Besides it was too crowded with people for me LOL.


We made our way to Utah. Destination: somewhere near Zion National Park. The drive through Virgin River Canyon was amazing. Hurricane, Utah is where we stopped.

Not enough time to tour the parks so we are lying low. Hubby and DD#2 played mini-golf, DD#1 and I rested and caught up on email. Unfortunately - evening time, hubby went 'down hill'.

This trip has been one big adventure. The landscape is so varied. The distance so great from home. I think the GPS told me today it is over 2000 miles to home. This country is very large - - we are covering just a small section.

Grand Adventure: Day 8 Sedona & Jerome

Well, this day was just one of those unplanned, unexpected, just kinda happened days.

Hubby had a very rough night, which means, I also had a fitful night. In the morning with some gently, wifely urging... he went to the doctor. While he was out seeking medical attention, we girls had a leisurely morning in the hotel. The lobby is big with vaulted ceilings, fireplace, sofas & a tv. The diagnosis is a sinus infection. Now on a high dose of amoxicillin we are looking forward to hubby feeling better very soon.

11:00 ish or so when hubby returned, we decided he needed a day to rest, sleep, get better. Thankfully, the night before we decided to spend another night here in Flagstaff. The decision then was .... what we girls should do for the day. We determined to do what was planned... go see Sedona. Off we went - just the girls. A beautiful drive through Oak Creek Drive. Ummmm I mean a rather tricky drive of 7.5 % down grade. It was very lovely however. Sedona is quite a tourist town. The landscape is very red - 'Red Rock' region. We got some information from the visitor center and set out to see the scenery. We saw Holy Cross Chapel - a building built into the rock designed by Wright. Then on to see other rocks. We could have done some hiking but we 'girls' were not much interested in turning red again today and we were tired from the Grand Canyon. Red dust was everywhere. We then went on to Jerome and an old, deserted mining town. Many of the original buildings and saloons still stand today. Now gaining in popularity with some of the 'artists' it is becoming a nice little tourist town. From Flagstaff to Sedona we dropped about 4,000 feet; to Jerome, we climbed about 2,000 feet. The scenery was beautiful and seeing the old buildings and town was fascinating.




It was time to return.... hungry as lions, we made our way back into Sedona. We picked up some dinner... eating quickly as I realized sunset was about an hour away and I needed to go through the canyon again to return to Flagstaff. I was not interested in driving it in the dark.

We returned to find hubby feeling slightly better. Good thing as then next day was a traveling day.

Grand Adventure: Day 6 Astronomy Day

Hubby awoke this day feeling tough but wanting to go sight seeing with us. Off we went. First stop: Petrified National Park.

We pulled in, showed our newly obtained national park pass bought the previous day. We were told that it was National Park week and that admission is free to all parks for the week. Arghhhh! LOL

Petrified forest is full of giant logs petrified and full of gems. We didn't take a lot of time to explore the trails. Apparently, there are lots of dinosaur fossils and such in the park. The short amount of time we did walk the trails, we all turned a little red, not realizing the sun's intensity. It was a lovely day, quite warm and sunny.

The park also includes some of the Painted Desert. This is a stunning landscape. One can see for a long distance. One mountain peak was 120 miles away. The clouds cast shadows over the stripped, painted landscape. Similar to the Black Hills of the Dakotas but yet unique in it's own way.





Onward we went to Meteor Crater. DD#1 loved this place. A giant hole in the desert floor where a meteor hit at some point. This is where the Apollo astronauts trained for their moon missions. In the exhibit area there is a meteor piece made mostly of iron weighing over 1,000 pounds.









We then made our entrance into Flagstaff, AZ. We located a hotel, had dinner at Salsa Brava, a wonderful Mexican place. Then to Lowell Observatory. Here we were able to view Mars and Saturn through the Clark telescope which was built in 1898! Very cool. Saturn was incredible!! WOW!!! We could clearly see the rings around the planet and its moons. DD#1 entertained us and those around us waiting in line by pointing out many stars and constellations. They also had a 16" telescope viewing the moon and M3 globular star cluster.

A very full day. The cool night air at the observatory did not help hubby.

Grand Adventure: Day 4 Route 550

This day, we set out early, rising at 5:30am to go to Durango/Mesa Verde/Cortez... we really had no idea just how far our travels would take us. DD#1 was in an incredibly great mood, bubbling with chatter. DD#2 was quiet. I think she was unsure of the drive ahead of us. Hubby wisely chose the "scenic" route. Route 550 across Colorado.

Our first pass was Wilkerson - 9,502 feet ... We topped the summit and my breath was literally taken away; my jaw dropped. The view of the Mosquito & Sawatch (?) ranges.

The rest of the drive, my jaw continued to drop - - the views were stunning. The song.... "The Majesty of the King" kept reverberating in my mind. We were blessed with clear skies and comfortable temperatures.

My jaw has road rash as it continued to remain agape throughout the drive - tee hee

The Continental Divide - Monarch Pass 11,312 feet. The snow covered peaks, the rugged terrain, the pine trees... my ears popping, needing more oxygen :) :)

Hwy 550 - a very scenic route through the mountains. The road is windy, with many switchbacks and several passes. Hubby drove through them with skill while we girls gasped at the waterfalls, the peaks, the drop offs (right next to the road and my seat!), the views.... I took pictures and then put the camera down and decided to just enjoy the viewand the ride. Even the towns we passed through were at heights of 9,000 ft. Ouray declared itself the Swiss of the Americas - this the beginning of the amazing drive. Silverton - the mining town in the middle; finally coming down to Durango at around 6,000 feet.



We continued to Cortez for the night. Hubby relaxed in the pool with the kids - he earned a relaxing evening following all the mountain driving. I did some laundry. We slept well.

Grand Adventure: Day 3 Breath Taking

We spent the day in Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs. We randomly selected a hotel on the drive. God directed our footsteps to exactly where we wanted to be - - the foothills of Pikes Peak in Old Colorado Springs bordering Manitou Springs.

Everything we wanted to see and do was in Manitou Springs within about 3 miles.
We slept fairly well even at 6,000 some feet. While preparing for our day - DD#2 developed an acute mid/low back muscle spasm that put a little anxiety into my heart. The pain was quite severe. She was yelping in pain, pale, & sweating with pain. We rubbed her back, gave her ibuprofen, prayed over her.... the spasm passed. That was the end of her neck and back troubles :) Praise the Lord!!

We left the hotel to find a mountain summit, the sky was clear, the air crisp, perfect day for veiwing. We made our way to the Pikes Peak Cog Railway. The mountain had heavy snows so we could not make it to the summit. We did however get to make it to about 13,000 feet - about 1,000 feet shy of the summit. Other than getting a little altitude sickness - - it was simply breath taking. The awesome beauty of God's creation. I am in love with mountains!!! The streams, babbling brooks, trees, wildlife, fresh air - thin air - - all breath taking.

DD#1, who seemed to be unsure about this adventure west, beamed from ear to ear on the Railway. We could see the Continental Divide from up there - as well as several states including Kansas & Wyoming. The views were stunning and I am certain our pictures will not do them justice. Hopefully we have been able to sear the sights into our memories.

DD#2, however, had a little more challenge with the heights and altitude sickness combined with motion sickness. Her stomach was a mess. We got her drinking water and looking around which helped her immensely.



We decided a pizza lunch was in order. We stumbled upon a great little pizzeria. We plotted our next destination.... which we decided would be Seven Falls. We plugged our destination into the GPS. We arrived to find it temporarily closed for renovations until May 28. Disappointed we drove back about a mile to a visitor’s center. The helpful lady gave us a map and some trails to hike. Again, our footsteps were being guided. We were in a City Park - everything was free (bonus!) We went to Cascade Falls were we hiked up about .3 miles, a rather steep .3 miles. DD#2 practically ran the entire way up. This is her "thing". It was a bit chilly but very tolerable with a fall/spring jacket.

From Cascade Falls we went back down the 'hill' to Mt. Cutler. We climbed about 400 feet to 7200 feet. About a mile hike. The trail was easier than the Falls - more gradual. We were nearly the only ones on the trail - only met 2 to 3 others. Protected from the winds it was quite warm. Again DD#2 was enthralled racing up the path. We even had a glimpse of some of the "Seven Falls". (all without paying the fee :) The view from the top was amazing! I wish I could give words to it but they fail me. I returned down the hill with sorrow. I was actually glad Seven Falls was closed - the hike was incredible.

Dinner was delicious - - Stage Coach Inn in Manitou Springs! Yummy beef & buffalo steak dinners.

Grand Adventure: Day 2 COLORADO

Mountains!! Need I say more? We drove all day from Lincoln NE to Colorado Springs. The cross winds were sooooo high that even the semis were struggling to stay on the road. High wind advisories all day. It did get old driving in it.


Can you believe it? Hubby let me drive for two hours this morning :) I got the easy drive if you ask me. I dealt with wind gusts but he dealt with constant wind the rest of the day. This is our first trip with the girls that they are old enough to sit in the front seat. So I had the treat of crawling in back for a nap and to be beat soundly at a game of Farkle by DD#2.


Early afternoon we spotted our first glimpse of the mountains. Oh how magnificent! And such a treat after the long, flat, mono-tone colored terrain of Nebraska. Tumble weed blowing, cows, feed lots, corn stalks.... and then hills which turned into mountains. It was worth the drive to get here :) Although my rear end was a bit numb that night.

The girls were delighted to stop in at Focus on the Family. We got there just prior to closing, but they got to see "Whit's End" of Odessey.


We had dinner at the Mason Jar in Manitou Springs and then walked "The Garden of the Gods" - many rock formations with vistas of Pikes Peak which is snow covered. These stunning rock formations were mostly red - jutting out of the ground in all shapes.


The sky is so brilliantly blue here - incredible. The weather is tolerable - - high 50s, low 60s. The wind is brisk, however.

We spent the night at the base of Pikes Peak.


Quote of the day - - on the far west side of Nebraska; DD#1 exclaimed "I think I see a lenticular cloud formation!" Apparently you only see these near mountains. We had yet to spot the mountains. :)

Grand Adventure: In Search of Mountains

Destination: Grand Canyon and points in-between

We packed our bags, loaded the suburban, got ready for bed and a good night's sleep. We were planning to get up early and hit the road. We were hoping to get across the plain states the first day. A lofty goal and a long day's drive.

That was the plan... first our departure was delayed by DD#2. She was walking a bit crooked and stiff. Our crooked DD needed to be straightened out. So we delayed our departure until after the chiropractor opened. Bad news - we got a late start; good news - I was able to get a good cup of coffee from my favorite coffee shop.

DD#2 all straightened out and feeling better, we got our coffee, and made tracks out of town. We cruised right along through the cities, through a rain storm, looking forward to stopping for lunch. Making fairly good time.

Side note here: I am the most normal, crazy person, you'll ever meet. My goal: to entertain our driver and tour guide, hubby. I challenged him to a game of war - which I had to play his hand too. He won. Then I pulled out a sock puppet - that made him grin. (he knows I'm a bit nutsy) The girls joined in the fun. DD#2 had a stripped, dog sock puppet. Hubby added his own - - the naked sock puppet. LOL LOL

As I was saying, we drove through some rain, cruising on the interstate. We crossed a bridge, hit a bump, and heard: 'thunk, thunk, thunk, clang, thunk' Not good. Just past this bump was a rest stop. Hubby pulled in to check things out.

I, being, a girl didn't have a clue. I did take the vehicle in to the shop prior to leaving for a good check up. It got new tires, brakes, serpentine belt, ac belt, and oil change. I was assured we were good to go. But the noises eminating from the vehicle were not good.

First point of interest was the trail of liquid leading to our parking spot. "Uh oh," I thought. Well, hubby wasn't too concerned, he determined it was just rain build up in the 'pan'. Okay.... girl here, I'll believe him. Although something was definitely wrong with the rear brakes.

Time to call for a tow truck. Thankfully we were near a decent sized town. Ames, Iowa. DD#2 exclaims "I've never ridden in a tow truck before, this should be fun!" "Okay, if you say so honey."

Our hero came in an extended cab tow truck. A young man, tall, lean, & lanky. He had short cropped hair with a section a bit longer in hopes of a mow hawk. Very kind and courteous. He loaded up our truck and all of us and took us to town. He made a recommendation for lunch. He even got a chuckle when again, DD#2 exclaimed a funny. Seeing a semi truck hauling animals - - "Oh, look! Horses!" "No sweetie, those would be pigs, we are in Iowa now."

Our lunch was fabulous. If you find yourself in Ames I have a great recommendation for a restaurant. We still had to time to fill. It turned out to be something with the emergency brake (remember I'm a girl). It would take a couple of hours to repair. Across the street we spotted a Salvation Army Family Store. We headed in there to shop for a bit. We had fun finding the most outrageous outfits we could find. Just a few blocks away were Target and Wal-Mart, another good time filler and we were getting exercise! Then to Panera for coffee and treat.

Finally the call came... the truck was repaired and ready to go. We were off again!

I believe our delays were for a reason... I have a Blessed Controller, my heavenly father watching over me and every step of my life. I also caution you to be careful what you pray for... I asked God to reveal himself to us on our trip.

We made it to the east side of Nebraska and called it a night. Not as far as we had anticipated but we were on our way.