Does anyone remember this? “Dr. Pepper, drink one at 10, 2, and 4!” After Ernie had his vintage Dr. Pepper, we all hiked at Red Cliffs Conservation area and saw dinosaur prints, what was left of an old Gary Cooper Rita Hayworth movie set built in the 50’s, Tatiana led us up several amazing trails, and, of course, Elijah put on a little show. Oh how I love these kids!

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#hikesforthewholefamily

#redcliffsnationalconservationarea

#happytiredpupsinutah

#1959theycametocordura

#thedinosaurswererhere!

We made it safely! Thank you for praying for us and for your outpouring of love as we drove to just outside St. George yesterday! Our campground with the big pull-through site (for those of us who can only drive forward right now (-;) is in the middle of the desert. The lady in the office said “watch out for rattlesnakes if you take your dogs for a walk…you’re in the desert now honey”. WHAT?!?! I am thanking God that we got dogs boots in Moab because the pavement is soooo hot and for paw friendly places to eat. The desert is powerful, beautiful, HOT, and humbling.

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#watchoutforrattlesnakes

#gratefultoarrivesafely

#iloveyouall

THANK YOU ANONYMOUS ANGEL!!!

A total miracle happened this morning! When I awoke, there was a text from someone who wants to remain anonymous that said they loved our journey, they want us to be able to keep going, and they want to pay for the transmission on our beloved camper home (which is a BIG expense that we had not budgeted for). I am speechless, humbled, and so very grateful! Dear Anonymous Angel…this is a true and mind blowing miracle and we are forever grateful!

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#ouranonymousangel

#amazedandgrateful

#ourjourneycontinues

#blessingsinlove

#mindblowinggenerosity

#thegoodnessofothers

Kickin’ In The Dirt

After breaking the news to us that our camper transmission was a goner with no reverse gear and the other gears maybe not far behind, Michael, the mechanic, said it was time we did some “kickin’ in the dirt”. That is what cowboys do when standing together, staring at the ground and trying to decide what to do next. We are in the middle of beautiful nowhere with few resources, spotty cell reception, no real stores, and our summer home in the camper (all our clothes, books, cookware, linens, supplies for 3 months, etc.) The one thing we all agree on is that we want to keep going no matter what. So after some kickin’, talkin’, prayin’ and hikin’, we have decided to drive forward (because we still can) to St. George, 4 hours away, where a highly recommended transmission service can rebuild the transmission (with a full warranty) starting next Tuesday. While it is being repaired we’ll be living out of our van and tents with our 2 brave pups. My prayer is that this allows us to finish this amazing trip, that the weather will be decent, and that we’ll fall even more in love with each other and the beauty that surrounds us as our faith and peace grow daily watching the next series of miracles unfold.

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#walkingbyfaith

#lovelaughterandlifeontheroad

#focusingonthepossibilities

#withgodallthingsarepossible

6 Peas In A Pod

Our first night in the tent….

Desert Storm Last Night with flash flood warnings. Thank You God that we had the shed over our tent and we stayed safe and dry. By 2 AM you could lay on the air mattress and see an explosion of stars and the milky way out the screen window of the tent. Magnificent. Awoke this morning to a cool breeze and sunny skies. Everything changes so quickly and dramatically out here. My phone has a band of light that is flickering across the screen which tells me it may be on its last legs, so if you don’t hear from me for a while, we are fine… just several hours away from anyplace that has Verizon, or Walmart, or shopping of any kind. Ernie and the kids still have their phones. Does it mean anything that both my camper and my phone seem to be putting in for retirement at the same time? Not me, I am just getting started. A whole new world lies ahead.

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#lifeontheroad

#thisisverycool

#gratefulforeverything

Petroglyphs and Living In Denial!

After arriving safely to our campground with our camper’s failing transmission (Thank You God), we decided to rest, go to see the petroglyphs drawn on the canyon walls thousands of years ago, pick apricots in the canyon, and eat out on a beautiful patio today. Tomorrow we have an appointment to see a mechanic and find out what is happening. Tatiana says our camper is screaming at us to let her go, but we aren’t listening. I know I am growing because a few years ago I would have been freaking out, and today I enjoyed myself and trusted that it would all work together for good somehow. That is progress.

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

Crisis in Goblin Valley today…Driving from Moab to Capitol Reef, we stopped to see the most amazing figures of stone in Goblin Valley. We soon discovered that we were in the middle of nowhere with no cell or GPS for miles, and our transmission began to fail in the camper! Ernie couldn’t go into reverse, it says neutral when it is actually in drive, and there are no mechanics that can do repairs on the camper for hours in any direction. He drove carefully to the campground we had booked and tomorrow we will figure out what to do next. Thank you to my prayer angels who prayed for our safety today. Please keep those prayers coming. This is an adventure indeed!

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#troubleontheroad

#strandedinthemiddleofnowhere

#gratefulanyway

Relationships…

Amidst all the travel, sightseeing, adventure, and dreams come true this summer, I want to take a moment to give thanks for a life partner and friend who is willing to weather the storms, have the tough conversations, breathe, pray, and try again. Our pictures and celebrations don’t capture the inner work that is also happening when 4 very different people, each with good hearts, unique personalities, and varied ways of doing things spend an intimate summer away together. I am growing. I am learning that my way isn’t always the best way, and that love is expressed in surprising little moments that are often missed if you aren’t looking for it. Almost 45 years together and we are still a work in progress!

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#newunderstanding

#walksandtalksinthedesert

#eachdaywebeginagain

#willingtolearnsomethingnew

#relationshipstakework

#lovealwayswins

Our day at The Arches

It was like going through one of God’s art museums with unusual shapes, stunning images, magnificent colors, and complete mysteries as to how these things actually exist. We got up at 4:40 AM to get there early (which, if you know us, is a miracle in itself (-;).

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#miraculousbeauty

#howisthispossible?

#continuinggratitude

Oh my goodness, WHAT A DAY! We all went hiking at Fisher Towers on HWY 128 outside of Moab, then swimming in the Colorado River! And yes, it was 109 degrees today and that dog at the river is half husky, half wolf. The other wolf sound you hear on the background is my daughter, Tatiana. We are all fully baked but happy and ready to SLEEP.

#OurEpicFamilyRoadTrip

#itishothere

#swimmingintheriver

#gratefulbeyondwords