Serendipity

Scotty serenades me with love songs from the 70's, with sweet, tender, sometimes quirky words that he confirms by the sincere look in his eye and the tender stroke of his hand. We feel like teenagers on our first date, falling back into first love.  He has learned to be romantic over time, I have learned to bask in these moments.

One of my favorites songs, on his continual loop of oldies is:

"You stepped out of my dreams and into my heart, now your my angel delight. Your sixteen, your beautiful, and your mine....."

I pretend it is true! All true!

We are leaving the majestic state of Colorado. We have explored to our heart's content. We have thoroughly enjoyed our stay here. I am torn with the leaving. Emotions grip my heart similar to the ones I feel while embracing a loved one, who lives far from us, when we have to part for an extended time. I feel the pull of wanting to stay but needing to go. We say farewell to Colorado and look forward in expectation. 

 Welcome to Utah! My preconceived ideas about this state are put to shame within miles of driving over its border. I had visited part of Utah years ago, leaving without a very good impression. Barren roads, stretching for miles did concern me at times. We were alone, really alone for miles. "What ifs" rolled around in my mind until I commanded them to lie down and be still. Every now and again we would happen upon a beautiful city but there always seemed to be long stretches of barren highway between them. 

We finally reached Park City, our first Utah destination. Mountains groomed for skiing and gorgeous lakes, ideal for boating and fishing, surround this little community like grand villas of a nature. Movie stars are attracted to this oasis in the dessert like bees are to flowers. Scotty anticipated bringing me here, knowing I would love it.  

Quaint, upscale buildings line the twisty, curvy town that is nestled on the side of a steep hill. Up the narrow streets or down the narrow streets were our only options. Literally. Finally we found a place to park and began to wander.

We entered very few shops, though there were many, all beckoning us to stop in for a short visit. As quaint and as cute as this city was, though, something about it was unsettling. The beauty of the lakes and the mountains could have lured me into staying, but this town had not been tamed. Lingering here would be like riding an unbroken stallion. We were a bit uncomfortable and soon ready to leave. 

Psalm 119:110-111 "The wicked have laid a snare for me, yet I have not strayed from Your precepts. Your testimonies I have taken as a heritage forever. For they are the rejoicing of my heart ... "

Our brisk pace down the sidewalk was halted with a moment of serendipity. Scanlan~Windows to the World was the name of the gallery that was responsible for our abrupt halt. The storefront was plain, the shingle simple, but something about this place said "welcome". Scotty followed me in the open doorway and soon we were caught up with awe over some of the most beautiful photography we had ever seen in our lives. Framed masterpieces lined the walls, massive photos that took us on a world tour. I would have loved to have brought one home, but I would never be able to make a decision, choosing a favorite, a must have. Would I pick a photo taken in England, France, Greece, Italy, Spain ... ? I loved them all! So I left them all behind ...

I had to make a purchase in this amazing place. I wanted to remember this stop. My purchase was small and would easily fit into my car, two boxes of gift cards with some of the photos on them. The cards are breathtakingly beautiful, therefore my heart continues to wrestle with wanting to share and wanting to keep. 

If you enjoy beautiful photography, you should definitely visit their website. It is not the same as being there, but you will not be disappointed either.  Address: www.scanlan.com. Please tell them I sent you! I perused the gallery so long that I am sure they will remember me! Please don't tell me if they respond with, "who?". Please let me know your thoughts!

The sun was beginning to set and we had not finished our journey for the day. Back in the car, we headed on to new highways. I was whispering thank you prayers as we were winding our way through the passes, heading for for Salt Lake City. 

"Lord,

Thank you for a sweet husband that sings love songs to me ...

Thank you for beautiful scenery that seems to bring healing to my soul ...

Thank you for photography that has captured the beauties and wonders of the world ...

Most of all, thank you for making me Your daughter, filling me with Your abundant life!

My heart beats with gratefulness!"

We found the Comfort Inn and  then made a quick run to the biggest Wal-Mart I have ever been to in my life. It was so big that there was a double decker parking lot. We parked on the top level, found the entrance and had to take an escalator down to get to the store. When leaving, you take the escalator and your cart rides beside you on it's own escalator. Okay, I am a country girl and this was all new to me! We did not hang out very long, within minutes we were up the escalator, back in the car, and on our way "home"  for the night at the Comfort Inn. 

We turned in early. It had been a long, wonderful day. Scotty drifted off to sleep first, but his little tune refused to be quieted. It perpetually serenaded my thoughts, gently humming, finally lulling me to sleep. 

. 

Thank you for riding along!

Blessings,

Cheri

Pictures taken in Salt Lake City, Utah. My contribution to Windows to the World!

Family History

 In the wee hours of morning, somewhere between midnight and three a.m. an idea for a poem woke me. Our son Caleb is marrying a beautiful girl in October. Verses about her beauty as a bride kept floating around my head, sonnets dancing a ballet. Graceful arias stirred me with thought, I rose from my nest to capture them. 

Verses so graceful that flitted and floated in my head were quite clumsy as I tried to fasten them to the page. Perhaps they were not meant to be tied down.

Now wide awake I remembered the meteor shower that was supposed to begin in the very early morning hours. I shook Scotty from sleep and he agreed that we should find a place to park in the hills and watch for the heavens to give us a demonstration of its awe-inspiring wonders! 

Winter coats on, top down on the car, faces fixed on the night sky we sat in the stillness and waited. Light would trail from the sky as we exclaimed, "Ohhhh! There was one! Oh, over there! Did you see that one?" When we thought we had seen the finale, lights bursts in the heavens. Quietness followed a spectacular show and we knew it was time to head to the Comfort Inn for a little nap before breakfast. 

Next stop, Meeker, CO. 

We entered Meeker just as it was trying to shake itself from slumber. Have a feeling that most of Meeker missed the meteor shower, or perhaps they saw it and were sleeping in. The hotel was open so we stopped in for a look see. Right away I saw what I wanted to see. My great-great grandmother and her two children's pictures were in the lobby of that hotel. Underneath the picture was the story about her in a framed article from the Greely Tribune that she had written herself. 

My g-g-grandmother was in the White River Massacre in the year 1879. Married at the age of 12 to a man, Mr. Frank Price who was 22, while on a wagon train. She and Mr. Price were living and working  at the indian mission when the massacre occurred. She was 16, and he 26. They had two children.

I have heard varying reasons for the massacre, but my grandmother's account said that the indians were stirred because the government was sending in so many soldiers to the fort. I also heard that my grandmother's husband, Mr. Price was plowing up their horse track so that they could farm the land. His plow is in the museum.

The indians kidnapped the women and children because they feared the women's God. It was noted in one of the newspapers of the museum that the indians knew that the women's God was looking after them. They were afraid that they would anger Him if they brought physical harm to them. Abuse was not mentioned in her article, but the family is aware that there were abuses that she refused to speak of. It would have brought too much shame on her family to mention the atrocities that she and her children endured. She was young, too young to be single or to remain single for her entire life, so she did not tell all.

My grandmother's children May (4) and Johnny (2) were also taken. Here is a quote from her story taken from the book, Meeker-The Story Of The Meeker Massacre And Thornbugh Battle September 29, 1879, by Fred H. Werner (pg. 99) Chapter: Mrs. Prices Story:

 

"When we arrived at the camp that night a squaw came and took my little boy from the horse and cried over him like a child. I dismounted and sat down in Pursune's camp. I wasn't at all hungry, and when they offered me coffee, cold meat and bread, I could not eat. After awhile Pursune's squaw got over her weeping, when they talked and laughed. All I could understand was when they repeated the soldiers' names  and counted the number of men they had killed at the agency. They said they had killed nine. At first they said they had killed ten but I told them different, as I thought that Frank (her husband) had escaped. They asked me how many, and seemed to accept my statement as correct. 

They spread out some blankets for me to lie on, but I could not sleep. The moon shone very bright and everything looked ghostly. In the morning I went to Pursune's tent and sat by the fire. I was cold for I had nothing to wear except a calico dress and shoes. I sat there weeping ... I could not help it ... with my little boy in my arms. The squaws came around and talked and looked at me and laughed and made fun of me. I didn't understand what they said, only occasionally a word. After a time some of the men came and talked to the squaws and looked at me and laughed ..."

Above is an a brief moment of her experience. At the time of her capture she believed her husband, Frank to still be alive. He was actually the first one to be killed.

I was so excited to see the photographs and her framed testimony on the wall of the old hotel, I quickly made it my mission to find the hotel curator. She was in the adjoining coffee shop. She was unaware and unimpressed with the historical account of my grandmother, which was kind of a disappointment. I was hoping that she would say they had met! I know! Not possible, but you know, something significant like that!

Big Elk, Deer, Bison, and Moose shared the lobby with my grandmother's memorabilia. Teddy Roosevelt had hunted the area sojourning here a few years after the massacre and had staying in that very hotel. The sleeping zoo was proof that there were some big animals in the area when my g-g-grandmother was living here

We left the hotel heading straight for the White River Museum looking for anything that might have anything to do with my g-g-grandmother. Scotty was very good at spying articles from different newspapers, photos, etc. that were about her and the other captives. 

It was almost noon by the time we scoured every point of interest we could find in Meeker, so we headed on for several hours of driving making our exit from the beautiful state of Colorado. 

This was very emotional for me. It was very strange. We had visited Meeker 16 years before. Suppose I was distracted by the kids, all five at the time, and don't remember feeling any despair. 

My grandma remembered her. She had heard the story many times through the years. 

My great-great-grandmother was named Saphronia Ellen. Most of the accounts recorded in several books that include her account refer to her as her Mrs. Price. 

Saphronia married again after the massacre. I don't know how she got to Oregon but I do know that she married a lumber jack that lived there. She was pregnant with their first child when a tree fell on him and he was killed. My great-great aunt Rose,  came into the world never knowing her real father. 

Eventually Saphronia married my great-great grandfather who had just came over from Germany. They had two children, the youngest being my great grandmother. 

There is a picture in the museum of Grandma Saphronia with all of her grown children and their children. My grandmother, Donnalee is a baby in the picture. When Scotty and I walked in the museum the curator asked if I was in that picture. Tell me folks, do I look THAT old? 

The White River, pictured above, winds its way through that territory continuously. My grandmother had a book with the story of my g-g-grandmother in it called The White River Massacre that she used to pull out and tell me about when I was little. Saphronia's picture in the book is beautiful. I would love to have known her! I would ask her a bazillion questions. 

Our day began so early, so I am going to pause here as we are leaving Meeker, with us leaving Meeker around lunchtime.

Tomorrow we will be leaving Colorado as we head into the beautiful state of Utah. Salt Lake City, ready or not, here we come! First we will stop at Park City, Utah where I discovered one of my very favorite places. I can hardly wait to tell you about it!

Sorry that I cannot get you to the Comfort Inn today. Soon! Very soon!

Praising the Lord for peace!!!

Blessings,

Cheri

Pictures: 1st Row: Outdoor plaque at the Historic Meeker Hotel, established 1896. 

2nd Row: Inside lobby of hotel, pictures of my great-great-grandmother and her two children at the time of the White River Massacre. The framed article that she wrote and was published in the Greely Tribune hangs below the pictures. ~The Meeker Hotel from a distance~The White River.

3rd Row:Grouping of pictures of my great-great-grandmother, Saphronia Ellen Price, with her children and other captives at the White River Museum in Meeker, CO. ~Marker at the Massacre Site.

Silverton/Ouray

Morning broke with the dawn. Soon we were strapped in, latte in hand, ready to  begin our ascent to Silverton, CO. Beauty oozes from every crack, crevice, peak,  and stream of this narrow trail to the heights. I was so distracted by the aura of this place that I nearly forgot to be afraid.  

You cannot tell from the picture but we are very high up. There is a deep valley below with a babbling spring running through the valley below. 

Fire swept through these mountains sometime in the early 1900's and destroyed all of the trees. The people of the area began to plant the trees back. Can you imagine the courage it took to trek to around and over these peaks to plant trees? We were beholding the fruit of their labor!

All the way there I kept saying, "I want to live here! I love this!" Scotty's practical self kept me grounded.

Silverton is a quiet little town that seems to have lost its bustle! Little country shops, B&B's, coffee shops, etc. line the main street. It is easy to imagine women in long dresses with their parasols, men in their cowboy gettup, and children at the counter of the general store begging for penny candy, with horses and wagons lining the streets in this little village. 

A train from Durango will gladly transport you to Silverton. It takes a whole day to do the round trip. Some friends of ours had experienced the train ride and discouraged us from doing it. The ride in our car was thrilling enough for me without rocking and swaying on the rails of a"rickety" train!

Scotty learned from his in depth research that there is cemetery in Silverton possessing very interesting headstones. We planned on touring through and witnessing this phenomenon for ourselves, but got so caught up with the rest of the town we totally forgot about it. For this reason we must return!

Winters are harsh in this mountain town causing most of the population to migrate somewhere else during the winter months. You have to be tough to stay! But it is easy to catch "the bug" to stay when the weather is as beautiful as it was the day we visited.

Silverton used to be a mining town. They used to say, "There's gold in them thar' hills and silver by the ton." We did not see any silver or gold there and we didn't have the patience to seek it out! There was fools gold for sale in nearly every shop! We left it all behind for the next guy!

After lingering awhile we were on our way to Ouray. What a ride! Even Scotty was woozy on this trail! It was downright eerie! We kept marveling at the pioneers and fortune seekers of the olden days! How did they dare to explore these regions with such crude means of travel and horrible road conditions? 

One of Scotty's patients had son that drove off one of the mountain passes. He told me this while we were driving. I was not comforted!

The waterfall at Bear Creek (pictured) forces its way through the canyon wall and plunges into the depths below. The grandeur of this site is veiled by photography. 

There is something about waterfalls that stir a desire to plunge into the canyon with them. Roaring water is inviting, promising adventure. After imagination wanders awhile, an awe settles over you as the reality of the power of water and gravity brings you to your senses. It is called a healthy fear of the falls!

Can you see the bridge around the corner at the very top of this picture? It used to be wooden. Later, at the museum, we would see a picture of a woman on the bridge with a team of six horses back in the early days. Terrifying! These falls pour into Bear Creek and you cannot see them from the road when you are driving. 

Speaking of bears ... do you know that bears still eat people? A bear had eaten a woman in Ouray the day before we arrived! She had been feeding a bear. He decided to bring some friends and have her for lunch. We did not know this when we were there. Hmmm.

We began our time in this little mountain town at the historical museum. We were educated well in this little haven of history. Every level of the old three story building presented a story. Beautiful quilts were the special exhibition, each one revealing a story of its own. 

We found an outdoor bistro beside a beautifully restored old hotel. The special of the day was a meatball sandwich and tomato soup. Perfect! We should have shared, but we both thought we were hungry enough to tackle it on our own. 

Seeing that hotel would have been worth the drive to Ouray. I would love to stay there someday, but it doesn't have the word "Comfort" in its name. Regardless of that fact, I am positive that I could make myself comfortable there. 

There was a little book shop in the hotel/bistro. Do you believe it? All of my favorite things in one place! I kept hearing Scotty giggle while I was perusing the shop. He was reading some hilarious postcards. I joined him and soon we were both enjoying the ridiculous humor of those photo postcards. We bought several trying to find the perfect one for everyone I could think of.

If you happened to receive one, I had your address with me! I hope you could read it, my mom let me know that the one she received was illegible. I scribbled them out pretty fast because I just didn't have a lot of time. Just know that I said all good things and be blessed! ; ) Sometimes you just have to go with "it's the thought that counts!" 

It was another beautiful day in Colorado! The average temperature on our trip was around 70. We called it perfect!

We thoroughly wandered through the entire town of Ouray. Scotty wanted me to buy raffle tickets to win a jeep promising, that if we won,  he would bring me back so that we could get it and bring it home. Should we return to Ouray soon, you will know that we won! 

Several hours passed and we felt we had exhausted our possibilities at Ouray and headed out for New Castle, CO. 

It was a beautiful three hour drive with the top down and the sun shining on our faces! Simply invigorating!

The Comfort Inn was waiting for our arrival in New Castle. We checked in and took the proprietor's advice and ate at the little diner just a ways up the street. She was right! It was delicious!

We will be leaving Colorado tomorrow with a final stop at Meeker. Have you ever heard of Meeker, Colorado? I have personal reasons for wanting to make this stop. I will share my story tomorrow. 

Until then ... I wish you sweet blessings!

Cheri

Among The Cliffs ~ To The Corners

Silverton and Ouray tomorrow! I promise!

Day 3 we went south to Mesa Verde and Four Corners.

Arriving toward the entrance of Mesa Verde National Park, my stomach began to do some uncontrollable dancing. 

"We will be clear up there?" Examining the heights from down below were very intimidating!

The road was extremely narrow, the edge too near, the drop so far! I held my breath much of the way. Squeals and screeches kept escaping my craw! I was terrified!!!! I clung to the hand rest on the passenger side as if holding on would help if we happened to slip over the edge. As our ride took us to higher elevations, the air became thin, and my head became fuzzy. 

This was adventure! 

Once we arrived at the visitors center we explored the museum and learned much about Mesa Verde. From there we chose the path we wanted to explore and headed out to find the remains of the Cliff Dwellers.

My head felt like it was full of helium the whole time! And my stomach refused to take a break from it's fancy footwork!

Have you read Tamera Alexander's brilliant works of fiction? She speaks of Mesa Verde in her amazing novel "From A Distance". This is the kind of fiction you do not want to miss! Check out more about Tamera and her award winning books at Write Perspectives .

We marveled at the cliff dwellers, men,women, families, who carved homes in the mountains. It was fascinating to learn their survival methods, and witness the remains of their handiwork. 

We wound our way through the park, choosing trails that looked the most interesting. 

Hungry for lunch, we stopped at the restaurant perched on one of the peaks. Windows line the walls of the restaurant presenting a most spectacular view. 

 Scotty had read about Navajo Tacos which happened to be the specialty there so that was what we had for lunch. Very different, very good! Warning! Little dabs of green stuff can be VERY hot!!!!

Breathing was easier for me on the downward spiral. There is nothing like a view from the heights! It was exhilarating!!!! It seemed like we could see all the way home! 

Travel time was short and very soon we were arriving at our next destination point, Four Corners. This point of interest is where four states: Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado join and you can stand in all four states at one time. It is run by the Navajo Indians and it was a fun place to stop. 

The Navajos have little booths all around the site where they sell various trinkets and treasures. My favorite, of course, was the jewelry. I am still regretting not buying a beautiful turquoise bracelet. It was amazing and probably worth a ton! I was on the search for a gift for my mom and finally settled on a pair of beautiful earrings for her. (She loved them, btw)

Jewelry was cheap here. Scotty told me that I really, really messed up because I could have bought a lot more and given it away as gifts. Of course he waited to say this the next day or so when we were miles beyond the opportunity! Oh, well! I only wish I knew when he was going to think like this!

I bought two necklaces at $5 each! I wore one of them most of the way home. It is beautiful!  

I bought a sno-cone as we were leaving and we headed on our way east to drive through New Mexico for a ways. I had never been in that state and I found it intriguing.

We reentered the town of Durango just in time for dinner. One of the locals told us about another Mexican restaurant that we should try. We couldn't resist! It took us awhile to recover from having Mexican food three times in 24 hours. I do not recommend it!  

After dinner we just hung out, perusing the town. There was a bit of a chill kneading the evening air making us long for our jackets.  

Our time in Durango was coming to an end. A bit of sorrow, at the thought, crept over me. I really liked this little town. Would I ever be able to return? I would love to hang out a bit longer and learn more about it. 

Soon we were nestled in our cozy bed at the Comfort Inn. 

My eyes refused to close. I kept feeling like I wanted to linger in this quaint little town a while longer. My thoughts refused to be quiet so sleep could settle in. Finally I had the answer. I would ask Scotty to drive me through town come morning. We could stop at Starbucks for a latte and wander a bit through the streets before moving on. I could not leave this place without saying farewell. 

Tomorrow Silverton and Ouray! I promise!!!!

Cheri

Cotopaxi General to Durango, CO

One of the biggest lures of our westward wanderings was the fact that there were several places, states, attractions, etc. that we had never seen or been to. Not so with this little stop on our trek toward westerland. 

Cotopaxi General is a little store at the base of the Rocky Mountains. Many times it has been the final stop before heading to one of my favorite retreat places. Not too far from the general store, hidden in the mountains, is a little cabin that belongs to some friends of ours. I have been to the cabin many times for: women's get aways, Josh's Sr. trip, planning sessions for retreats that my friend and I hosted, etc.

Cotopaxi General hasn't changed over the years. It has the same ambiance that it had the first time I stepped over the threshold. It resembles the old grocery store we used to shop at when I was a little girl. It has a little of this and a little of that but not too much of anything really. A country breakfast is also served there. The aroma of coffee and biscuits and gravy invite you to come in and sit a spell. 

Once there was a bear that visited Cotopaxi General. He was sitting on the counter eating lunch meat when the owner came in to open up. The owner told him to, "Move it on out of here!" and the bear did. Can't remember if he left the meat behind or not. Silly old bear!

Not much to do here but reminisce so we didn't hang out for long. We didn't turn down the road  toward the little mountain cabin, instead we hopped in the car and headed on down the road to Salida, CO. There was a bit of a tug on my heart as we passed the cabin road. It didn't feel right to go by without going up and saying hi. But we had a lot more miles to cover and a lot more sights to see. It was time to move on down the road.

I love the little town of  Salida. It is an artsy little town, with an awesome restaurant that has the best food! Hadn't been there for years, but memories drew me back for another taste of their entrees'.  Their homemade  pie is unforgettable! After lunch, complete with lemon pie with meringue that was nearly reaching the sky, we went across the street to The Aquatic Center for a peek. 

The Aquatic Center has a swimming pool that is heated by natural springs. Part of the pool is cool for serious swimmers and part of it is always like a nice hot-tub. When we home-schooled, a lifetime ago, I brought my kids out to the cabin for a stay. One day we journeyed into Salida and enjoyed the restaurant and the pool. I remember hanging out at the warm end with the kids taking over the place. We had a blast that day!  Scotty and I just dipped our fingers in and enjoyed the atmosphere for a moment and then we were on our way again.

Interesting timing occurred over and over on our journey. It was obvious that we had tapped into the Lord's agenda for us. 

One of our staff member's dad passed away the Monday before we left.  She immediately left Chanute and headed to his home in Buena Vista to be with her mom. The quaint little town of Buena Vista is only 30 minutes from Salida, so we made a little side trip and went to Buena Vista to visit and pray with her and her mom. The timing was amazing. Rhonda is an only child  and is not from that area so she was feeling very alone in her grief. She was so happy to see us. After visiting a while with them, we left, knowing that we had been sent. What a blessing to all of us!

One of our special surprises were three deer with racks that were huge still covered in velvet! They were gorgeous. I am pretty sure it was Dasher, Dancer, and Prancer. Kept looking for Rudolph but he did not show. They did not need that nose in broad daylight!

Colorado is beautiful! With our top down, temperature of 70 degrees, we were on our way to new territory! 

Have you guys ever driven through Wolf Creek Pass? What a ride! Scotty took it faster than I would have. After all our car was made for this kind of driving! There is something about having one's hands on the wheel that makes the driver feel much more confident than their passengers. I was the passenger and I was a bit on the shaky side! I think I might have felt better if no one else would have been on the road. Whew! It was something to live through!!! 

Durango, CO was our final destination that day. We arrived by evening, walked the streets of that little tourist town, and ate at an amazing Mexican Restaurant. 

I LOVED Durango. It was really touristy, but I really enjoyed that little town. In fact it was here, at Durango, that I began to say, "I could live here!" It was also here that Scotty began to reason with me, explaining why it would not be feasible, possible, or sensible to live there. He is always so practical! I just wanted to play the imagination game a little bit.  Even he enjoyed the idea of a new place like Durango, but the reality of  piles of snow in winter were a definite deterrence for him.  

We covered lots of miles that day. The journey was getting more exciting with every mile. The next day we would visit Silverton and Ouray. 

Evening had settled in, giving its way to night, so for now it was time to call it a day at the Comfort Inn!

See you tomorrow!

Cheri

Planning and Packing

Do you like to pack? I do not like to pack! 

Goodbye! Goodbye!

I never have liked to pack! I try not to get overwhelmed but I usually succumb to anxiety and have a meltdown before everything is loaded up and we are on the way to wherever! Better planning helped me this time around.

Do you like to plan? I do not like to plan! 

Goodbye! Goodbye!!!

(Are you familiar with Dr. Seus book with similar phrases?)

However, I LOVE to travel!!! And I live with a guy who plans everything! So......

Scotty and I hashed and rehashed plans for our trip out west several times before we finalized our destinations.

Our son, Luke, works for Comfort Suites and was able to help us with some lodging. Thank you, Luke and Comfort Suites! We really enjoyed our stays with them!

There were a few things that I purchased for our journey:

~Scotty a new hat! He was pictured in it yesterday. What do you think? Hats for men are really "in". My boys love them! My honey wasn't sure about this one. He thought it made him look old! NEVER!!! I thought he looked great!

~I bought two new straw hats from Wal-Mart for me. It is best to wear a hat when the top is down. We are at the age when hair can disappear and never come back so a good hat is a must!

~I purchased some sundresses. I wore a sundress over the 4th of July and Scotty really liked it, so I bought some on sale to wear on the trip.........just for him. (Modest of course!)

~New sandals for both of us. He always wore his with socks! : )

~Two new pair of khaki shorts for Scotty. He never wears them at home, however they proved to be another great investment!

~A new camera.

We packed one change of winter clothing and our winter coats just in case. We were really glad to have them one night.

The trunk of the Nissan could barely be latched. We prepared well. Scotty smiled as he thought of my limitations for shopping. Don't think he had considered shipping! 

Our first day was spent with the top up as we headed across the very hot Kansas prairie. The temperatures exceeded 100 that entire day. It was beautiful! I have heard a lot of people that they don't like the Kansas prairie, however it has it's own beauty. I absorbed the wonder of it as we passed by on our way to unexplored regions. 

Food, we had decided, would be part of our adventure. We would explore our options choosing spots that were unknown to us. Our first night we had prime rib, complete with soup and salad bar for $9 each! The price sent Scotty into unbelief mode. Suddenly I was gripped with fear that every meal we ate would be compared to this amazing bargain. He didn't mention it every time but a few times he could not resist!!!

We found the welcome mat out as we entered the Comfort Inn in Pueblo, CO for a nights stay. 

Oh, what a day! We were on our way!!! We had really escaped the home-front!

Cheri

For ME????

A journey begins with a crazy idea! 

My husband and I have just returned from a fifteen day road trip. We covered over 5,000 miles of beautiful country while experiencing the splendor of 13 states. 

I am going to share a few photos and snippets of our journey for the next few days. I hope that you will ride along and enjoy it with me.

This journey really began last summer when my husband decided to surprise me with a new car. The car is the one pictured, a Nissan 350Z. 

I wasn't that into cars. I like a nice one that will get me from here to there without hassles but not so big on outer appearances. That is until I met this little beauty. I fell in love at first sight. We weren't really looking for a car for me so I just stood next to it with awe on my face and drooled. 

It was on the showroom floor at a Nissan dealership in Kansas City at the time. We just stopped in without plans for buying. My husband is a shopper without an impulsive bone in his body. He prefers cash to remain in his pocket rather than surrender it to a buyer's hand. I have noticed that he is very consistent with this way of life after living with him for over 30 years. 

So imagine my shock when he bought this car on the spot.......for me!!!!

At the time, I told him that I was pretty sure I was having a dream and please to let me continue sleeping because I was really enjoying it. 

For over a year I have driven this car and have only grown more fond of it. It is fun, oh so much fun to drive! 

Scotty told me that I had driven conversion vans and station wagons with kids in every seat available for so many years while raising our family, he wanted me to get to drive a car with only two seats.

I LOVE to drive this car, but I also LOVE to be driven....(there were a few intimidating moments on the trip when it would have been nice to have my own hands on the wheel. It would have subsided a lot of my queasiness, I am pretty sure.)

So my dear, sweet husband and I began to dream of taking a road trip to the Wild West country of the United States. Dreams morphed into plans. Plans morphed into experience. What a ride!!! It was absolutely wonderful!!!!!! Beyond our wildest imagination!

Come along and enjoy! I am excited to relive the fun with you! See you tomorrow!

Blessings,

Cheri

2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (The Message)

"Remember: A stingy planter gets a stingy crop; a lavish planter gets a lavish crop. I want each of you to take plenty of time to think it over, and make up your mind what you will give. That will protect you against sob stories and arm-twisting. God loves it when the giver delights in the giving."

Among the Storytellers

Dear Friends~

I have just returned from the most amazing conference! It was my fifth year to attend the Proverbs 31 Ministries She Speaks Conference. I must say that this particular event was my very favorite. 

When I received information that registration was open to sign up for this years event I wanted to sign up immediately. I waited and prayed, asked my husband who gave me the go ahead nod, and continued to wonder if I was making the right decision. It would be my fifth time. There would be a waiting list of people who would not get to attend, perhaps there was someone else that needed to attend more than I. 

However everything seemed to be pointing to a go.

I have always gone by myself, a day early, and stay room by myself so that I can soak in prayer. It has been a precious tradition. 

It didn't take long for the Lord to confirm the fact that I was supposed to be at this years conference. His hand of blessing met me everywhere I turned. The memories are fresh and some of them even feel sacred, too precious to share at this time.

I got to meet the most wonderful people. I was on the look expecting to find lifetime friends. New friends. I was certain that the Lord would provide this for me so my heart was in expectation.  I am in awe of His ways! He knows how to pair us up when even when there are 600 women in attendance. Once again, I was treated with the blessing of meeting sisters with kindred spirits, that I believe, will continue to share my eternal journey. Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, thank you!

One of the most special hilights for me was getting the opportunity to hear Jennifer Rothschild speak and meet her. I even got to have my picture taken with her. I won one of her books and she signed it for me! It was a very tender moment. She is a beautiful, beautiful woman! I have just finished leading her study "Me, Myself, and Lies" and think it one of the most powerful studies ever. Hearing her in person and talking to her, only increased my admiration of her. 

At such a conference you have the opportunity to hear many, many stories. Testimonies that bring tremendous glory to the Lord. I wanted to share my very favorite story from the conference, the one that I don't ever want to forget. I began to write it out, but the Lord stopped me. Let me wait on that for a while. 

If you are one of my She Speaks friends that did not get to attend, I missed you. I do not know if I will get the opportunity to attend next year, but I pray so. In the meantime I want to put into practice some of the things that I learned.

I experienced many flight delays both going and returning home. I left Charlotte on Sunday and did not arrive back at home until 2:00 Monday afternoon. Tomorrow, Friday, my husband and I will be leaving on a two week vacation. I have not sorted everything out from my last trip so of course I am not ready.

I don't know if I will have the opportunity to write while I am gone, so I might need to take another little break. However, the Lord has given me so much to write about. So please check back in after August 21st. Being among the storytellers has stirred up some stories in me.

Blessings to all! I shall return soon!

Cheri