Day 23/24/25

What a whirlwind weekend!  So whirly that blogging got put on the back burner!  Saturday we slept in (yay!) and got ready for our next stop.  Well, it was more like a stop within a stop.  We took a bunch of things out of our overpacked car and only took what we’d need for an overnight.  The car felt so empty (though it still looked so full) and made for a bit of a nicer drive across Oklahoma.  We drove from just south of Miami, OK to Enid, OK.  We had a “bad” experience (sticker shock) in Illinois on the toll roads, so we decided to take the back roads and avoid paying more pricey tolls.  This way, too, we actually get to SEE the land we’re driving across.  Oklahoma is so pretty and seems frozen in time in some of the tiny towns.  Except for brand new Sonics…everywhere.  Many gas stations are closed, their prices still say $1.29/gal.  Back in the good ol’ days, right?  Anyway, we arrived in Enid and met Pastor Mark of Sovereign Grace Baptist Church at the hotel where they were hosting us for the night (the pastor’s house is currently undergoing renovations).

Our connection to Pastor Mark and his church is so fantastic.  Pastor Mark’s daughter married a man who, as a child, went to Matthew’s church when he was a kid and they were friends.  We were reconnected with that couple with they found themselves stationed at Fort Wainwright, just outside of Fairbanks, AK, while we lived there.  They are still there (well, he is currently deployed) and when she saw that we would be in Oklahoma, she contacted her dad and here we were!  Love it!  We checked into the hotel and Matthew spent the evening updating our slide presentation and redrafting a homily that he would be giving at the evening service.  The kids and I fell asleep…

In the morning we went over to the church and met the small congregation.  It was so fun to meet them and they were so welcoming.  They had been praying for us and our road trip and were so excited to meet us.  It was so neat to be welcomed in that way!  Matthew was able to spend a few minutes during the morning service introducing us and encouraging everyone to return that evening (despite some football game on TV) to hear about what we’d be doing in the DRC.

That afternoon we headed over to the pastor’s [temporary] home that he and his wife were sharing with their other daughter and her husband, who were also renovating their house.  We enjoyed a delicious meal and some great fellowship.  Levi had another tough day and didn’t end up taking a nap, which was a tough dilemma, but we powered through.  Matthew and I took turns with him outside enjoying the lovely sunshine and decent weather.

That evening Matthew gave his short message (he did a great job, by the way) ad then we spent the rest of the service talking about MAF, our mission, and our prayer and financial needs.  We also had the opportunity to take questions, which is great because we usually leave something important out.  We got to talk to more people one-on-one after the service and even got invited over for a brief meal and the chance to watch that football game at another member’s house.  We really enjoyed the further fellowship and the relaxing end of the long day.  And the food was great – think taco salad (or haystacks to some of you), except topped with coconut and pecans.  It was quite delicious and I would highly recommend it!

Then we hit the road back to the other side of Oklahoma.  The drive back was tough.  Levi couldn’t get comfortable enough to sleep and Amelia took forever to fall asleep.  However, we made it intact and practically crashed once we got back.

Thankfully, everyone slept in.  Matthew and I were up at 9am and Levi slept until almost 10!  Amelia, silly girl, is going through a growth spurt and could even not be feeling well like her big brother.  Either way, she hasn’t been sleeping well at night.  But, she doesn’t cry, just fusses and moves around.  For example, at the hotel, she and I were sharing one bed and she continually scooted over to be close to me and I continually had to move her back over to have some space.  Oh, and TODAY she is five months old!!  So big!

Today’s project was repacking.  Our sanity was starting to go as we were starting to drown in our car full of stuff.  So, we took advantage of the beautiful morning and Matthew took everything out of the car and repacked it, while I repacked our clothes and got a box of things ready to send home (hint hint, Mom) of things we’ve been given and things we haven’t been using and no longer have room for.  The car is once again organized for us!  Our sanity has been restored!  Okay, maybe not entirely.  🙂

So, where are we going next, and when are we going to be done?  Well, today we start to head west towards Santa Fe, NM.  We won’t arrive until tomorrow, though.  We hope to be there through Sunday.  Then, we will head back towards the Pacific Northwest over the week.  Nothing guaranteed, though, of course.

And, lastly, Levi.  While he is definitely feeling the fatigue of this trip, his mind continues to grow and he surprises us with what he’s learned.  The other day he used a sentence and I counted at least three prepositional phrases in it!  Amazing!  And, as I mentioned on facebook recently, he knows most of his letters, both capital and lower case.  We attribute most of this to his little Leapfrog Leaptop and lots of time in the car, but we have acquired flashcards and made it into a game.  Oh, Matthew just reminded me that last night, during the evening service, he was even drawing a few letters!  Crazy!

Next up: Driving across Oklahoma, Texas panhandle, and NM…