Road Trip {Blessing}



Car packed and ready to go on our 33 hour adventure to California.



With new driver's license in hand, Dee was happy to help out behind the wheel.
She ended up doing more than half of the driving.  Yeah!



We usually just drive on through but at the encouragement of Grandpa, Nana and Brent,
we made a hotel stop in Flagstaff.  Arrived at the hotel 1:00 AM Oklahoma time and
were so grateful for six hours of comfortable sleep!  Even got a good breakfast in the deal.



How is it that when awake these two precious girls can bug each other mercilessly
and when sleeping they can snuggle and be so sweet to each other?!!

With all praise to God, we have arrived in California and are enjoying a special visit with Grandpa and Nana.  Tomorrow, we head west to visit with the Eschenbach's and then to the beach house at Cayucos to catch up with family there.  Should be so much fun! 

Brent, Hattie & Susanna will not be making the trip this year.  Very sad.  Lillie is in Chicago but will be flying in to join us on August 16th.  Yeah!!  We get to have her with us for two weeks before she returns to Head Quarters on September 1st.  It will be so good to see her!  Dee will be flying to Chicago to go to a Journey to the Heart on August 13th.  She will be able to see Lillie for two days while there.  Very fun for her!  She will then return to California on August 23rd.  Both Lillie and Dee will make the drive back to Oklahoma with us.  Becker, Parker, Clay, Emma, Camie and I will spend most of our time at the beach, aside from a weekend adventure back to Bakersfield on August 13th & 14th to spend time with Grandpa and Nana and to attend a 50th anniversary celebration for Uncle Carl & Aunt Sue.  Lots going on while we are here.  We plan to make the most out of every minute and thank God for this opportunity.

This trip is was is truly a gift from God...He put all the pieces together to make this possible for our family.  O'Grandpa & Granda Mattie are providing our gas to get here and have given us the beach house to use for month of August.  Grandpa & Nana covered our hotel.  I am feeling great and haven't had any trouble since my second surgery.  Brent is willing to stay home to hold down the fort...which includes feeding Jack his weekly mouse and watering the garden that grasshoppers, a drought and our dog seem bent on destroying.  What a good man!  This trip means more to me than just a family vacation.  It the time set aside once a year to visit with my mom who can no longer travel to OK and never knows from day to day what her health condition will be.  The added bonus is spending time with family and friends that we love dearly and miss while we are back home in Oklahoma. 

The drive to California is long but so worth the time and effort...blessings overflow and the memories are priceless!

 

*The above photos are courtesy of Becker and his new birthday camera.  Thanks for sharing Becker!