Merry (belated) Christmas!

Mom is still doing really well- progressing in many ways. Her physical therapist is just blown away with her progress! Since she got home from the hospital she has been unable to leave the house. This past Sunday for the first time she went out for lunch at my brother’s house. Her biggest challenge is the steps- but she did it (with help of course)! She does her exercises as often as she remembers and she is up and around all the time. She prepared most of Christmas dinner by herself and she got up before anyone else the other day and made a hot breakfast for everyone. She is also doing really well with the clean-out process. I have helped her clean the entire front of the house (living rm, entryway, dining rm, formal dining rm, sitting rm and kitchen) out and now we are starting on the back. We will be ready for the garage sale of the century soon!

As for Christmas- let’s start with one of the best Christmas surprises EVER. Most of you don’t know I have a half-sister from my dad’s previous marriage. Her name is Christina and I haven’t seen her or her 3 children in about 13 years. My dad figures it has been about 12 years since he has seen them. As far as I knew they lived in Missouri, but that’s it. Her kids were 4, almost 2 and newborn the last time I saw them.
A couple of days before Christmas my dad and I went to Wal-mart to pick up some groceries and stocking stuffers. My dad works at Wal-mart and this employee walks up to dad and says, “Hey bobby, your granddaughter is here looking for you” . We were a bit perplexed since my brother has only one boy and I have 2 boys- the only possibility for a granddaughter looking for him had to be one of my sister’s 2 girls. Eventually she found us and it was a moment you want burned into your brain forever. She saw us and we recognized her immediately. She was a toddler the last time we saw her but that teenage girl’s face was unmistakeable. Obviously she recognized him too because she walked straight to her grandpa and wrapped her arms around him and they didn’t let go for a long time. It was the most perfect reunion ever to happen in the fabric aisle at Wal-Mart ;o)

The next day we got a call that my sister and brother-in-law and 3 kids wanted to see dad before they headed back to Missouri. So I packed up my boys and off we went to meet them at my dad’s other job at the high school. It was awesome! Dad’s boss was very excited for him- she said go spend some time together in the cafeteria- take all the time you need. My sister-in-law and nephew came and for the first time ever my dad had all six of his grandkids in one place. I have never seen him so happy! The kids all played together, running around the cafeteria and being silly while we all chatted and exchanged email and snail mail addresses and phone numbers. The kids are now almost 18, 15 and almost 14. It is hard to believe it has been so long- two of them are taller than me! I am just so happy to have seen them all and to know they are doing well. Dad said as we were leaving “that was the best Christmas present I ever got”.

Clockwise from top center: the proud grandpa, Sierra (13), Jessica (15), Max (18 mos), Collin, (4), Isaac (5), and Justin (17).

On the 23rd we picked up Matt at the airport in OKC! He arrived safe and sound and exhausted. The boys were SO EXCITED to see their daddy! When Max saw Matt for the first time he let out this screech like nothing I have ever heard from him before! We had a wonderful time spending the day in Oklahoma City together. We visited the Oklahoma City Memorial http://www.oklahomacitynationalmemorial.org/

Max takes a break from wandering amongst the Field of Empty Chairs, where the building once stood.

then off to bricktown http://www.bricktownokc.com/ for a pit stop at Starbucks and a little taste of home. We wandered around for a bit and while the boys slept in the car I went to visit my old Lenscrafters store and spent a bit chatting with my old boss and friend, Tina (sorry I didn’t bring the boys back in to see you Tina, they were still sleeping when I got to the car!) then off to dinner with an old friend that I haven’t seen in 6 years, Brittan. She and her husband are plus 1 now as they recently welcomed their little angel Brayson. We had a wonderful time with them and took some great pics. (I really hope I get to come see you one more time before we leave- I missed you girl!)

Then one more stop on the way home at Chickasha’s Festival of Light. http://www.chickashafestivaloflight.com/ the boys were just awestruck! I loved visiting the festival every year at Christmas as a kid and I looked forward to the day I could take my family to experience the wonder of a park alight with over 3 and a half million lights! We even took a horse-drawn carriage ride through the park to add to the fun! Save how miserably cold it was, we had a wonderful time!
I’ll stop for now, I need sleep! Love to all and happy new year! Hopefully I’ll find a few minutes to add some more tomorrow!

Extreme Makeover Home Edition Airs Tonight!!!!

This is the one I volunteered on!!!! 8pm on ABC

Update!

Hi all! To answer the most popular question of the moment: we are fine and we have power. We don't even have ice today. We got a little- but nothing like what they saw in Oklahoma City. Today was pretty frigid and we might get some snow soon, but so far no major problems! We even have hot water back at my parents' house!

I finally got the guest room liveable for the boys and me and we have moved off of my brother's couches and into our own room! (He lives next door to our parents and we have been staying with him and his wife and son). We had to do some cleaning out to pull it off but we are loving having our own space and I know my sister-in-law is loving having her home back! I must say it is wierd sleeping in my childhood bedroom with my own children...really wierd.

We are making some serious progress with the house as well. We finally got my mom's home care nursing visits rolling (it took a while to wrestle with her insurance) and she is on track with her meds so her energy level is up big time. She has lost a lot of weight on her own rather quickly so now the problem is less about her weight and more about rebuilding her strength. I think at this rate she will not need bariatric(sp?) surgery after all. I still don't know when I might be heading home for sure- but I will keep you all posted!

I'm still here!!

Man there are just not enough hours in the day...

I spent the first several days here just figuring out where we fit. We struggled with cousin-rivalry for a few days- I think we are finally starting to figure that one out. I started working with my mom on the seemingly endless list of things that need to be done only to find myself repeatedly hitting a brick wall- for various reasons...

Yesterday we sort of hit an impass and I went over to a friend's house and just let loose. All the exhaustion and frustration from the trip and then my first few days here just came out. Thankfully Stacy is an absolute doll who loves us like her own family and wants nothing more than to help us get through this. She made some things more clear for me and gave me a realistic starting place for everything we need to get done while we are here.

Next stop: touch base with my brother. He and his wife have been struggling here for years. They want so many things for our parents but every time they make progress somehow things end up back where they were. I would be frustrated and fatalistic at this point too- but we have to believe that this really is our one big chance to help them make some permanent changes.

We have already hit a couple of major obstacles that no one has any control over. My parent's refrigerator is 20 years old so of course it decided that now is the time to quit. A refrigerator is not something they can do without, so of course we scrambled to find the best solution for the time being. So now they have a working refrigerator again at least. My parents' home is over 30 years old now so the plumbing all needs to be replaced...so we get an estimate for the half my brother can't do (YIKES!!!!) and my brother gets to work on what he can do. Here and there he hits some minor (inexpensive) setbacks- but of course just as he is about to finish and turn the water back on (they were without water for 2 days) he discovers a major leak in the hot water heater. Some corrosion on the inside had rusted a hole straight through to the outside. So now my parents have no water in their bathroom (brother wasn't able to finish the job before he had to go back out on the road driving truck) and no hot water anywhere. Needless to say, now they have to find a way to buy a new hot water heater. This too shall pass...right?

In the meantime we had a family meeting this morning. All of us in one room at one time ( to those of you who get the significance- it was 11:11a.m. ;o) and it was great. We are now all on the same page. We now know what mom and dad want us to do. We are all on the bandwagon- the same bandwagon and it took a lot of pressure off of my shoulders.

You all know how I am- HERE I COME TO SAVE THE DAY!!!!- boy what a crock. So I am back down where I belong now- among the ranks fighting this fight with the rest of them. No pics b/c I am on my brother's computer. I'll post more when I get a chance- I've been so busy I've hardly taken pics (sorry honey) but when things settle down a bit I definitely will.

The good news! The cousins are getting used to each other, my boys are getting quite comfortable with all of these new relatives (Isaac would only shake hands with his grandma at first-now we get full-on hugs!), Mom really is getting better, she is ready to actively seek mental health support (to help her deal with the pain of her past and move forward out of this mess), my brother and sister-in-law and I have sort of an unspoken pact to stick together in all of this and not let the stress get between us. But perhaps the best news of all! Matt is coming for sure for Christmas!!! Prayers for a safe and uneventful journey please! The boys and I are so excited to see him again-we miss him SO MUCH!!! Oh yeah, and the Seahawks won! GO HAWKS!!!!

Love to all! I will post again before a week goes by!

We are here!!!!!

We arrived safely in Duncan, Oklahoma at 6pm tonight. We are settled in for the night- the real work begins tomorrow. I will post with pictures and such from day 6 of our trip tomorrow. For now I am going to sleep! To all of my MOPS friends- I will miss you guys tomorrow! Think of me while you enjoy your fun craft!

Day five of our Journey!

While I packed everything back up Max entertained himself for a bit by shutting himself in the closet then sliding the door open and yelling "dee-doo!" (peek-a-boo!) every few seconds.

This hotel didn't have continental breakfast (my goof- forgot to check the amenities list) but they did have a nice attached restaurant that was serving Sunday brunch. Isaac and Max enjoyed watching the chef make their fresh waffle for them- Isaac ate most of his but Max was more interested in feeding his to me.

View from Flagstaff- yes we actually got snowed on in Arizona- the odd thing was there were these little flakes falling everywhere but when we looked up we could see the stars.

4 down, 2 to go!!!

Just like in Cars! (Near Gallup, New Mexico)

This picture is hysterical! Isaac was pretending they were in a high speed chase.

We stopped at a super WalMart to wander around the toy section a bit (A change of scenery from the usual rest stop) and pick up a few necessities. At the front of the store is this little arcade. I love how they don't care that the "rides" aren't moving- there's no way I am dipping into the Starbucks fund so a silly car can rock back and forth for 20 seconds.

Watch out! Crazy driver!

So I have been thinking this whole time that I must just be slow to get going in the morning- which is why we keep getting to our destinations so late. So I was thinking about it as I bustled about trying to get us back out the door this morning...and I realized...It's Not My Fault!

Contrary to what I'd like to think, I am NOT SuperMom and there are only certain things that can be accomplished in less than 3 hours -and unpacking, bathing and dressing 2 kids who would rather be doing anything else other than bathing and dressing; then bathing, dressing and making myself at least presentable; then re-packing, checking and re-checking to make sure we have everything while keeping the kids from unpacking what I've packed then getting everyone out to the car and loading it back up in the right places while making sure no one runs into the street; then choosing and setting up a movie for them and ensuring that blankies and binkies and water are all close by and at some point in all this craziness I have to feed them. Then before we actually get on the road we need to gas up. So no wonder my average wake-up time is 7:30 and my average start time is 11:00. It's moments like this when I really miss my husband. Speaking of my husband, now that you've read this Matt would you please stop making me feel guilty about leaving late!?!

Day four of our journey!

After a little more play time and an attempt at some decent pictures (tough to do with 5 wiggling subjects in one shot!) we reluctantly headed back out on the road this morning (well closer to this afternoon but that's another story). We finally managed to pack up and leave Temecula at 11:15 am, after fuel, a snack restock and a much-needed bath for the CR-V we finally got on Hwy 15 around 1:30.

So Allison, maybe we should have been sitting for this shot? Then perhaps our pint-sized photographer wouldn't have gotten such a great shot up my nose. Either way I'm glad I got a pic of us together!

Southern California is so beautiful!

I had to get a photo of some real live palm trees before I left California. We'd never seen a real one before! They are so intricate that they look fake anyway. It doesn't seem possible that nature could be responsible for a tree whose trunk is made of perfectly woven hunks of bark and a stringy straw-like material. It looks like an artist labored hours over each layer to get just the right pattern. Ever seen one up-close? I'll try to get a detail pic to post- they are fascinating. Woohoo! We crossed another state line!A stop for dinner at IHOP. It was just in time as both boys were getting seriously stir-crazy! In the pic below we had just finished eating and Isaac was going to wipe the ketchup off of Max's face (such a good little helper!) but Max wasn't interested.So we arrive at our hotel in Flagstaff, AZ and I grab one of those hotel dollies (don't know their actual name) to load our stuff on. I get the three of us into the room and I thought I'd get organized before I wheeled it back out of the room. So as I was putting Max's portacrib together I suppose he got tired of waiting and decided to get his blanky and curl up on the dolly. And yes, he really does sleep with his little bum in the air like that.

So that's about it for tonight! We are over the halfway mark! I have now done more than a month's worth of driving in less than a week. We are all road-weary, but I am beginning to see the off ramp at the end of the tunnel. (As opposed to light...hahaha.....nevermind.)

Day three of our Journey....

Day 3 was our longest and most difficult yet. We started off with a really cool pit stop though- The Golden Gate Bridge! We left Philip's place at 8:30, stopped at the GGB for 30 minutes (parking meter said it was that long) then back on the road. We stopped in Stockton for a cat nap, a fill-up and a starbucks, then back on the road all the way to L.A.

Los Angeles was pretty exciting- mainly because all of the exit signs were for places we hear about on tv. It's like "Burbank? Wow, I could exit here and I might see famous people!" - I know, a little nerdy but who cares- it's my first time in California baby! We continued south and stopped off in Temecula, CA where the 3 of us crashed. Hard. We had been in the car for over 12 hours.

We got up this morning and had a lazy, not going anywhere kinda day. We visited (or in Isaac's case played chase) with old friends and just enjoyed a day to regroup. I did laundry, repacked my mess- I thought I was so organized when we left- it's incredible how messy things get when you are the only grown-up amongst 3 travelers. So for those of you who know Allison (and miss her as much as I have) they are doing well here. Their house is really nice- lots of large open spaces and a beautiful private backyard. The kids are great and love their school. Jenny is such a big girl now- she is like a little tiny Allison- so cute! Max and Carl (their bulldog) became fast friends. That big guy was so sweet and gentle with Max.

The bad news? It rained ALL DAY LONG here. And I do mean torential downpours. It's like "Welcome to California! ...No sunshine for you!"

Thank you to all of you for all of your prayers and words of encouragment- they truly do keep me going. This has become a bit of a faith journey for me. I have faith in the fact that the Lord is guiding my path back home on this mission. I have faith in the fact that He is watching over us every mile along the way and I have faith in the fact that your love and support will continue to sustain us until we return safely home to Washington.

A special THANK YOU to Allison and your gang. You have truly made us feel welcome in your home. We are truly blessed to call you our friends. May we all be so fortunate to have true friends like you. I am so happy we got to spend a little time together, I have so missed our conversations. The telephone is no substitute for enjoying a hot cup of tea and a late night gab session with you in person.

Until tomorrow when I will be posting from Flagstaff, AZ!

Day two of our Journey! Part two:

This was before the big yucky mess

Our hotel in Ashland, OR the Best Western Windsor Inn- highly recommended by the way! Great staff, nice clean rooms, the best continental breakfast!

Driving near Grant's Pass, had to stop and take a picture !

Yay! We made it to California!

We stopped off for our one hot meal at a place called Lumberjack's. It was this really nice little privately owned place in Redding, CA. Sort of odd that I chose a cold meal- but it was such a good salad! The kids enjoyed their mac-n-cheese as well. While waiting for our food Max was pretending to eat the crayons just to get me to grab his hand away from his mouth. It took me a few tries to figure out it was a game.

On the way out of the restaurant Isaac discovered their mascot and wanted me to take a picture of him with it. Max wanted nothing to do with this guy though.

We stopped off at a rest stop to once again "get the wiggles out". It was just a bonus that it was warm and sunny outside!

We drove into San Francisco at the most perfect time of day- sunset. It was so gorgeous! This picture doesn't even begin to do it justice!

Philip's apartment is directly above the white car parked on the street there- you definitely get the whole "downtown" experience there- not to mention the extreme bachelor pad found inside. You'd never guess that Philip doesn't spend much time around small children! I spent most of our visit repeating the phrases "No-no Maxwell", "Put that back where you found it Isaac!", "Uh-oh", and "not for babies, Maxie"...

In spite of that it was wonderful to see Philip again and to watch him spend some time with his little nephews. He even rented some kid movies that they watched on Uncle Philip's Really Cool entertainment system- large screen projector and all! Thanks for dinner and your hospitality Phil- Isaac is still talking about watching a movie on the wall!

Day two of our Journey! Part one:

So we got to start out today with a really big, really gross mess. Somebody please remind me why I thought having kids would be fun. This morning we got up after a nice comfy sleep and went together to enjoy what was by far the best continental breakfast I've ever seen at a hotel. It was really clean and organized and usually I find myself settling for the one thing that seems least yucky. This morning I had trouble choosing just one thing! Apparently so did Max because he had bits and pieces of lots of things, but the only thing he finished was a small cup of yogurt. Now most of you know how I feel about yogurt to start with, so what comes next was magnified times ten.

We headed back to the room and the boys got up on the bed and watched cartoons while I packed up and got ready to go. All of a sudden I hear from behind me: "Eew,Eew,Eew,Eew... EEEEEEWWWWWWWW!!! MOMMY! MOMMY! MOMMY! MAX IS THROWING UP!!!!" Sure enough everything he ate and some things I didn't recognize came back up all over the bed and the only clean outfit not packed deep in the back of the CRV. So one bathed Max, one ripped apart suitcase in the back of the truck, one sink full of vomit-scented clothes and one bathtub full of hotel bedspread later I finally managed to pack up the truck and get the heck out of that regurgitated strawberry yogurt-scented room. Sorry to be so graphic but I have to share my misery with someone.

Day one of our Journey!

Can't read it for the rain but the sign says "entering oregon"

We left at 11am (meant to leave at 9 am but that's another story...) from Renton and arrived in Portland, Oregon at 2 pm. We stopped for food, fuel and starbucks there. Note to self: must alot at least one and a half hours for a meal stop with 2 children in tow.

So we get one hot meal a day while all others are had in snack form in the car on the road. So where did we stop today? Where else? McDonald's! Why can't regular restaurants have playlands? Like a nice Bistro or a French Bakery... heck I'd even settle for a Subway with a place for the kids to run around and stretch their legs! So we get to McD's and the guy behind the counter is new- so while I wrestle with my wiggly 18 month old and try to keep an eye on my 5 yr old who wants nothing more than to find the entrance to the playland (it was sort of tricky) he managed to get our whole order wrong- even as I repeated everything 2 or 3 times. That crisis dealt with we head to the playland where the kids are instantly drawn to (are you ready for this?) the video games. It was like a free mini arcade in there and I was dumbstruck. They weren't running or climbing or sliding down slides...they were standing in one place staring at colorful pictures on a screen. Pretty much the same thing they had been doing in the car all day...save the standing part. So just for the record- I pick the place tomorrow!




We stopped at about 6 pm at a rest stop south of Eugene, Oregon so we could "get the wiggles out". It was dark and raining and people were staring, but we ran around in circles, played chase and danced to the music in our heads anyway! Then one more major snack (crackers, cheese, apple slices and milk) as we headed towards our nightime destination: Ashland, Oregon.

Why we didn't leave yesterday

" Mom's bag of tricks" - includes a new movie, a new toy each and several books and small toys that they already own to keep the kiddos busy on the road. One new bag for each day!
One last hug from daddy...

What one month of our lives looks like crammed into the back of an SUV.

See those two little puppy dog eyes staring out of the window? She jumped in the car when I was loading it and wouldn't get out. Her expression (yes our dog has "expressions" )was one of sadness and protest - she knew something was up. She didn't want me to take her boys away. I finally got her out with some cuddles and promises that daddy would be staying with her.

So I know I said we were leaving on Monday, but I lied, or rather I didn't....down that is. Wow. I am tired. I'm not sure any of that made sense...

So we got home from church on Sunday afternoon and instantly started packing and cleaning and tying up loose ends and quickly realized there was no way we would make it out the door at a reasonable hour with all we had to do. So Matt hit the road to Renton with the boys so he could get them to bed at a decent time. I stayed behind to finish up. I finally pulled out of the driveway at 2 am. I loaded up on Caffeine and headed south. It was 5 am when I arrived (had to stop for a power nap at a rest stop) in Renton. Fortunately I went to sleep instantly and by the grace of God both boys slept until 9:30. I napped when Max napped (Isaac watched the Polar Express for the 1,001st time) and then went to bed at a decent hour last night.

What does "or bust" mean anyway?

or collapse from the effort; - used in phrases expressing determination to do something; as, Oregon or bust, meaning "We will get to Oregon or die trying." -from the online dictionary

I couldn't think of a better blog name for this insane journey we are about to embark upon- though I don't think I would go so far as to say "die trying", maybe "dump 2 screaming kids on the side of the road trying" or "have a nervous breakdown trying"...

Any of you who check my blog regularly will know that I don't post regularly- however in this case I solemly vow to post each day of my journey to Oklahoma. Stay tuned!