Packed!!!

How weird is that?! It's 10:30 the night before a big trip and we are all packed and loaded already. That never happens. I'm usually up until at least midnight scrambling around and trying to gather the loose ends and make sure we've not forgotten anything. But we've been pretty much done for an hour our two now. The van is already holding our three suitcases, enough hanging clothes squished together on the rack that I wonder how it possibly holds up, the kids' sleeping bags (just in case), James' Bible and briefcase, and a box with some juices and CD's up front. The kids each have a backpack stuffed and ready to go, I've got a bag full of magazines and Sean and the laptop (when I finish typing on it, that is!), my purse is by the door, both phones are fully charged and in the purse (yes, Ma--I'm bringing the charger with us, too!), jackets are set out... I think the only thing left in the morning will be pillows for everybody and my bag of bathroom stuff after I shower and fix my hair and Katie's. I feel so... together! I'm not entirely comfortable with it. It feels very foreign and like something is bound to go desperately wrong...

It's been a busy and productive day today. We had devotions, then I got to work on the laundry and ironing (not too much since I did all of it just two days ago), did some school with the kids (though it wasn't a full day like I had hoped), was able to mend Katie's ripped skirt that has been collecting dust for a couple of months, replace a button on James' slacks, replace the little hookie thingie at the top of the zipper on my black skirt, and I would have fixed the button that had fallen off of my wrap-around skirt some time ago if only I could have found the button! I looked three times on the shelf in the closet where I thought it was and finally just cleaned out two whole shelves and refolded and organized everything. I looked in all of the drawers and little safe places I would normally put a lost button. Looked in my sewing box, in my purse, and in the pockets of every jacket and blouse that I could find. Still never found it. Ooooooh, that's frustrating! I may have to go buy four buttons and replace them all so they'll match and I'll be able to wear the skirt again. But not for this trip!

We worked real hard to clean out the left-overs and anything that might spoil while we were away. James even ate cereal for dinner tonight to finish of the last of the milk! Ha! We did finish off all of the ham, cheese, pot pie, and a few other things and were left with only 2 or 3 pieces of bread when it was all said and done. Not bad! It's never convenient to come home to a house that is ill equipped to feed people, but it's better than coming home to a house that is full of hard or moldy bread and smelly green stuff growing in your refrigerator. :-) Besides, we recently had experience at being in a house that was out of EVERYTHING, so now we know we can cope. Really--it was so weird. I still don't know how it happened, but about two weeks ago we were suddenly out of milk, eggs, bread, peanut butter, toilet paper (and I do mean OUT), and four or five other NORMAL things--all in one day! We usually write things down when we start to get low, but we apparently failed hugely that week.

Oooooh, I'm rambling. I'll try to bring it to a close. We're going to try to hit the road pretty early tomorrow since we've got a lo-o-o-o-o-ong way to drive to make it to Craig. I'm so excited though! Not only do we love being with the folks in Craig, but we'll be driving through my most favorite parts of Colorado, from Silverton up through Ouray and beyond. It is so-o-o-o-o-o-o-o indescribably gorgeous there--you can just feel the "wow" way deep down as you're trying to take it all in. I love it there. :-)

After Craig we'll have two nights in a motel, so if we have Internet I'll blog on Sunday or Monday night. After that the only other motel we'll be staying in will be in Salida on Wednesday. That's the only chance I might be blogging again since the rest of the time we'll be staying with PEOPLE. And you know how I am with PEOPLE. The decision between blogging and hanging out or playing games with PEOPLE... well, it's just way too easy. :-)

Please pray for safe travels for our family and that the Lord will bless our services. We'll be visiting all of our Colorado churches over the next 10 days, as well as attending the District Convention in Pueblo and a night or two of Brother Ammons' revival in Colorado Springs. Assuming we don't get snowed out again. ;-) You just can't tell about that Colorado weather. I asked James the other day if Brother Ammons was nervous about his trip out to travel around and preach in Colorado. "Why?" he asked. I had to remind him, "Because the last time he came in May we got 53 inches of snow in Salida!!!" Ha! Ah, yes--good memories. :-) Anyway, I'll be in touch! Well... when I'm not with people. ;-)