Family Wanderings

Ok so I admit it! Our family L*O*V*E*S road trips! Recently, we had an opportunity to head over the mountains to the other side of Washington State. The weather pattern changes were intense! We left Chehalis while it was rainy and gray, headed up over White Pass, past the skiers,  where it was snowy and blue and over the mountain and down into scrubby pine trees, awesome rocky cliffs and sagebrush with very warm and sunny weather! It is amazing how in 3 hours you can be in a totally different climate. Washington State is such a lovely place! We had a great day, listening to a few great sermons, stopping at places along the way and visiting with friendly strangers.. enjoying our favorite 'Belize Esh Music' and spending time together..

Heading out Highway 12 toward the mountain

There's the snow line!

We never grow tired of these snow scenes

 

A frosty mountain lake

We drove past the skiers...

 Up even further.. and down the other side of the mountain pass..

Into the glorious sunshine and the distinctly different terrain..

Beautiful!

 

 

We love the 'Big Sky' on the eastern side of the mountains

I remember that color of blue.. we saw it in Belize!

lovely farmland outside of Yakima

Over the hills we see the windmill farms.. these things are HUGE! Don't know

much about them but we suppose they capture the huge amounts of wind found

near the Columbia River and used for a power source. These things have got to be

at least 100 ft' high!

Kinda distracting to drive by..

Laura gets a peek at the great Columbia River

The flowers were so beautiful.. there were some (wild phlox?) that grow in bouquets..

We had to stop and get a closer look

'Ok girls, back in the truck!' :)  Uh oh, Grant is out also..

he found some lava rock, sagebrush and some limestone

The 'bouquets'

Breathtaking!

We found a great out-of-the-way State Park near Vantage, WA where we ate lunch and let the children explore.. Grant even got to throw in his fishing line!

 

Gracie finds a friend! No, we did NOT take him home with us!

Back up the mountain!

Here comes the snow again..

The kids wanted to jump out and wade through the snow one more time..

 

..and snap a few pics

Grant follows in his brother's footprints so as to not get snow in his non-snow shoes! :)

back down the hill..

 

Picturesque Randle, WA

A herd of elk

 

We came across this old condemned set of cabins from yesteryear...

With a timeless gospel message leaning up against the dilapidated building..

 

 

 

Casting our Cares Upon Him ♥

A few months ago I went to the Dr. due to some disturbing and very painful symptoms and was diagnosed with a huge uterine tumor (begign, praise the Lord). We decided not to have it removed surgically until I am older and just to live with the ongoing side affects and pain associated with it.. which was a difficult decision..I then found out that I was expecting a baby! That was a sweet discovery! I was able to carry the baby for 11 weeks before I lost it. This is our 12th baby.. now 6 here and 6 in heaven.
We are not sure why I have had such a hard time carrying babies since having Grant.. (8 babies after him, only being able to keep Grace and Laura) Grady reminded me the other day that I didn't have a problem carrying babies until my car accident in 2003.. and at the time the doctor had mentioned that with a frontal impact with the steering wheel that my uterus was now tilted in an unnatural way.. although I have never heard that again from ultrasound techs. Who knows! When we have 'problems' isn't it easy to lean on our own understanding and try to figure it out on our own? It is in our nature to do so.. but actually, in fact, we are told in Scripture NOT to worry or take thought for our life.. and in fact, when we do, we are actually in danger of being vulnerable to the enemy.

King James Version (KJV)

⁷ Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
⁹ Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
¹⁰ But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:7-10

and that actually, it is GOOD for us to suffer!

 
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2-4 ESV

And that someday.. we who are followers of The Way.. will suffer no longer
        
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4

 Isn't it amazing how he carries us through and is ever-so much present in our times of need? There is something sweet about these difficult times.. I pray that I can grow more and more in the LORD and allow him to continue to change me, to accept difficulties with a smile.. picking up my cross daily and despite the circumstances to joyfully serve Him, sharing in the sufferings of Christ. Really, we do not need to figure things out, do we Christian? We need to trust Him, and to always be examining ourselves to make sure that we are right with the Lord. To diligently seek Him and to do His goodwill. Thank you for your prayers and love toward our family. We are so blessed by you all!

Resurrection Sunday

We were able to travel down to my (Kelly's) dad and mom's house for Easter Sunday. Barb has always been such a sweetie to stuff hide eggs for the children.  Katie and her family came and joined us for a while too! What a blessing to spend time together..
On the way down to Portland our family listened to a testimony by the late Denny Kenaston entitled 'I am Crucified with Christ'. It was a very encouraging tesimony and very appropriate for the day. We remember not only Jesus' crucifiction and his resurrection.. but also his enabling work in the lives of the believer! Thank you Jesus for dying on the cross for our sins, for teaching us how to follow you... and how to pick up our cross daily. WE LOVE YOU PRECIOUS SAVIOR!

Helping baby Laura

Cousin Dana

Dana and Puppy

Wheeee!

Cousins Madison, Dana and John with our kiddos

Yummy Brunch

Heading Home

10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, 11 if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. Philippians 3:10-12 NKJV

An Old- Fashioned Plowing Competition!

We were surprised that there wasn't a bigger turn out for a local horse plowing competition. There were Donkeys, Shires, Clydesdales, Percherons, Haflingers, Belgiums, and many more types! We were not quite sure the rules of the competition or any specifics as to what they do with the field once plowed but we sure enjoyed stopping by and watching the event for a while. It was silent on the fields.. except for that wonderful quiet clanking of metal buckles and the creaking of leather harnesses. Mixed with the bright sunny day it made for a wonderful way to pass a few hours. Grace was thrilled to see how 'Pa' had plowed the fields in Laura and Mary's day.

 

 

 

Folks were taking as many pictures of the children as they did of the horses.

I think they though the kids looked like they belonged in the same era as the horse and plow!

One lady asked if we were Amish and if we use horses and plows on our farm.

Daddy stayed in the van with Laura who was napping