Roadweary

Last night was our 12th night party at church. For those of you unfamiliar with a 12th night party it is a celebration of Epiphany, the night that the kings finally arrived to bear gifts upon our glorious baby. We have a cake and the person who gets the piece with the baby in it gets to bake the cake next year--lucky us our daughter got the baby. We also have a gift exchange which is always a lot of fun.

This year I can relate a little more to those three kings than I ever have in the past.

On Christmas morning, after service, we too began traveling. We however were following 1-90 west. Getting stuck in our own driveway might have been God sending us a sign of what was to come but we chose to ignore it and off we went.

We got to Spokane Christmas night avoided a semi that was stuck in the driveway of the motel (ate lunch on the road at a gas station and dinner at Jack in the box thankful that they were open) avoided another semi that was stuck in the driveway of our motel on our way back from dinner(another sign from God?) and then left again in the morning to make it to The Emerald City.

Yes, we got to Seattle just fine and enjoyed a wonderful "Christmas-Eve" celebration with the Rev's family.

While in Seattle we also got to take in a "big Mall" complete with all the good stores, the Seattle Center, the needle, the Science Center, and of course Pike St. Market with a trip by the gum wall (pictures to be posted later). We then celebrated New Year's Eve at my Sis-in-law's house and enjoyed clams from the Pike St. (thanks Josh).

We were supposed to leave on New Year's Day and go and spend the day with my family but once again God had other plans--All the passes were closed. All roads heading east were closed for avalanche control. My parents agreed that they would rather have us safe than in an avalanche so it was agreed we would spend another day in Seattle. Thankfully our cousins had left their Wii with us to use New Year's Eve so we continued to bowl, race, play tennis and baseball all from the comforts of the living room which was good cause it was drizzily outside.

It was agreed that the next day we would leave and go down through Oregon and around--we then called friends in Spokane and asked if we could crash at their place (thanks AnnScott and Bill). I must admit I never thought that I would say that I was glad our daughter was driving but it was sure nice to have a 3rd driver. She actually drove through some pretty awful icy roads and into Spokane with their waist-high snow--way to go kid!!

We finally got home, road weary and butt sore and in need of a good massage and hot tub. Thankfully though we were home safe and sound. We did pass something like 13 roadside accidents due to the weather.

We pulled up to the house and I know how Dorothy must have felt--There Is No Place Like Home. I walked inside and saw my Nativity set with the baby and my Christmas tree and I remembered once again what the season was all about. I may not be able to give gold, frankincense, and myrrh to Jesus but this Christmas season I think through God I received a great deal in the form of my family and others, and I am sure that I wont forget this Christmas anytime soon.

Thanks to all those who helped us along the way with prayer, food, places to stay, advice on road conditions, strangers who took our pictures, moms with extra gum for the gum wall in Pike St, understanding parents, entertainment, etc... Without all of you this trip never would have been what it was....SUCCESSFUL and WONDERFUL.