Author: RHonda (Page 3 of 10)

The Challenge Of The Day

7/16/2013 / RHonda

Each day of this journey has had opportunities to go ballistic, lose our tempers or be refined. By refined, I mean seeing the beauty in challenge; allowing ourselves to grow and stretch. We choose to find the humor in each challenge (there generally is some somewhere!) and not forgetting we are on the same team needing to work together. We joked at one point last year that we felt like the “Gumby twins”. The green stretchy character from our childhood was our mascot of sorts for months. He could be adopted again. Hmmm, maybe he should be.

Today was no exception. Seeing the Grand Tetons has been on my bucket list for most of my life. It was always too far for Matt to venture to so it remained on my list. Well, here we are camping just a mere 2 hours from the National Park . We have planned to hike both the park itself and the western side of the Tetons. Checking the weather last night was not encouraging. Unlike Colorado Springs, when the meteorologist says 50% chance of rain and it doesn’t, here, they say that and it rains. That was our forecast. We went to bed a bit disappointed but slightly optimistic that the morning would produce a better forecast. It didn’t. Plan B. Work today and hike on Friday when the weather was more conducive to breathtaking photo opportunities and hikes without lightning. Continue reading

A Primer Hike

6/26/2013 / RHonda

After a day to get acclimated in our new surroundings, we wanted to get out and “tromp in the woods” as we call hiking. Matt’s back was still hurting but felt better if he moved slowly and cautiously. We are only about an 1/8 of a mile from the road leading to Ute Heart Trail. It didn’t look too strenuous on the map so we headed off to check it out.

It has been cool overnight here (we’ve learned we don’t want to spend the winter in this trailer in the North country for sure!) and it was a lovely, sunny morning though still a bit brisk. The Colorado sun, especially at this altitude, is quite warm. The somewhat rocky trail dropped us into a short descent approaching the rapids of the Bear River. The River is running COLD, fast and full with all the late snow this year but there was a nice sturdy bridge for us so no forging the stream this time! As we crossed, the trail started up a gradual grade and crossed a creek at the first bend. We continued the uphill grade for most of the hike. There is a beautiful level spot as the trail wanders through a large whispering aspen grove. The whole grove is soothing but about 1/2 mile in the fresh young grasses are interspersed with startling colors of the wild flowers – purple lupines, yellow daisies, white blood root, three variations of wild sweet pea, dandelions, lilac and purple columbines, Queen Anne’s lace (very early!) and a number of others that I was not familiar with. It was such a delight! The Lord has given me such a wide variety of flowers to enjoy with no watering and no weeding.

We followed the trail approximately a mile up and stopped for a snack, re-hydration and evaluation. Was it time to turn around? This being the first real hike of the season and Matt not wanting to stress his back we opted for the safe choice – not like the next hike – and started down. The pictures of us are at the turnaround point. It is the first real opening in the grove for those of you (Jamie?) who might want to come and take this hike.

On the way down we stopped for a photo op of some flowers. While I was focusing on a flower Matt said, “There’s a hummer on your right.” Those little buggers move so fast! By the time I would focus, he would move. I may post the one picture I got out of 20 or so, when it is cropped. The hummingbird sighting was “icing on the hike” so to speak. Matt did really well and it was a great primer for our next hike! To be posted soon!!

Staging Is Over and the Adventure Begins!

6/20/2013 / RHonda

Well, here we are in one of our favorite spots – Buena Vista, CO!! We left the fire behind this AM with 70-75% containment!! Thankfully there has been rain everyday since Friday. Everyone we know has returned to their homes safely. Everywhere you go though, some one has a story of their friends that evacuated. At our lunch stop in the lovely town of Florissant, a rancher came in to The Costillo Street Coffee House to visit someone and spoke about how their friend from Black Forest moved all their horses and cattle here to their ranch. It is just one story of how far reaching the fire, as any disaster, affects people. We forget how connected we all really are. The owner of our RV Park also had a story, his high school classmate was one of those in Black Forest who lost everything. His friend’s house was one of the 500+ homes to burn. The only one burned on their block! The oddities of disaster.

The point of going to Colorado Springs was to celebrate a birthday with our Wendi, see her Mom, Janette- back on Summer break from ministry school at Bethel in Redding, California, see our Grands and wrap up the last details of ‘The Glorious Adventure Plan’ before launching West. We still needed to shed one more time, get our kingpin extended allowing enough clearance between the truck (Clifford)/trailer on corners and add some “spring helpers”. Clifford is a truck, after all and spring helpers soften his ride a bit and minimize the bouncing uneven roads often cause. Because of who we are, bouncing roads are a part of life. We don’t often choose the road most traveled…..

Most of our goals were accomplished and, once here, we immediately found ourselves at the Cottonwood Hot Springs for a long soak and, with a day pass, the opportunity to return for more soaking later in the day!

PTL! The Fire Decreases!!

6/14/2013 / RHonda

We apologize for several posts in a small time frame but thought you would like to know what is happening with the fire.

As I sit to write this update, there is a tapping on the top of our home, rain – round #2! The Lord is good, we (with you) have all been praying for decreased winds and RAIN without lightening. Overnight the winds decreased, the temperature did as well, and the fire gained no ground! Today we had cooler weather, cloud cover, winds from the west to blow the fire back on itself on that boundary, later a wind from the northeast to blow against that boundary and then rain to cover it all. How awesome is THAT??!! The Sheriff had joked this AM in his press conference that everyone who had not gone and washed their car needed to do so AND park outside so it would rain. ;-). Then tonight he thanked everyone for having done that! Who says you can’t have a sense of humor in times of adversity?!

Tonight at 5PM, yesterday’s extended evacuation areas were rescinded and those folks were allowed to go home. That puts some of our friends back in their homes, in their own beds. We are so thrilled for them!! The fire is 30% contained, the smoke has greatly decreased! Breathing clearly is a good thing. The weather is for cooler, moister air over the next 4 days and into next week so barring anything unforeseen, we are beating the wildfire. To God be all the Glory. THANK YOU for your prayers.

We are working on the truck tomorrow and getting some last minute things done in preparation for travel. Sunday, one more mail pick up and one more trip to the storage unit. Then Monday, we saddle up and head this wagon train west to Cottonwood Pass. Long soaks in the hot mineral springs for a couple of days, hikes and some much needed vacationing! We will keep you posted. We promise to get back to posting pictures….thank you again for your part in supporting us and also this community. It has been a long week. This has been a good reminder of what is important. Health, family, relationships, faith, not stuff!

The Black Forest Fire

6/13/2013 / RHonda

Well it may be simpler to write a blog about The Black Forest Fire than to text those who have written me tonight. As Matt wrote earlier, we spent alot of the day in town repack and sorting our storage unit. We worked in the heat and some smoke while we repacked unable to see the fire from our vantage point on the south side of the Springs. The bluffs we used to hike so often, were in our line of site.

We monitored the fires progression on the radio as we are living at the Air Force Academy just across the Interstate from the fire. With the unpredictable weather – relentless heat and gusty winds, there is no way to know where the fire will go or when. We have gone everywhere together (including Abby) and carried all of our “to go gear” with us in case we couldn’t get back home for whatever reason. The fire has doubled back on itself at least a couple of times in some of the hot spots so you don’t know what it will do. The alternative northern routes to Denver have been closed and requests have been made that the Interstate be avoided if at all possible. With over 38,000 people evacuated (some of them our friends) and the emergency crews, fire fighters, officials and news crews trying to get access to the places that others are trying to flee, it has been a challenge. Matt and I tried offering our assistance yesterday with evacuees coming onto the Air Force Academy but were told that we weren’t needed. We are trying to interact with some of those who have evacuated but they are quite closed off emotionally and are tough to engage. We will continue to reach out.

We have been working hard to get ourselves ready to leave on Monday and have had a group of things to complete as Matt wrote about below. Continue reading

God’s Love Story

12/6/2009 / RHonda

Here is the wedding video…sorry but there is no audio. Might add some music later.

“I have found the one my soul loves” Song of Solomon 3:4

This was the verse that Kristina and Daniel chose for their wedding invitations and it’s truth was apparent in San Clemente, CA over the weekend. This is truly God’s love story. As Daniel’s Mom often states, “God took two families from different parts of the country and moved them to Colorado without jobs within a week of each other. He then introduced them through their Realtor and brought them into friendship.” Our kids became friends and our families have interacted through joyous and difficult life changing situations over the last 5 years. Daniel and Kristina are truly “two peas in a pod” as Daniel’s mother, Tanya, refers to them. Continue reading

Whew That Was Fast!

12/3/2009 / RHonda

We are home from Cali and the wedding! So many lovely memories! Everything was wonderful and I don’t know that I have seen too many couples so respectful and honoring of one another, not to mention in love. Such a God story!

I know it will take us a few years to regroup! Just kidding! We are tired but have taken a couple of days on the beach-it was COLD-before coming home to relax! That was a good time together and we got to spend Monday evening with the newlyweds. They were gracious enough to invite us to join them for dinner on the San Clemente pier.

Dinner at the Pier The pier is beautiful, especially at night. The waves coming in under us as we dined on the outside deck. It was hard to see the moon as Mr and Mrs Daniel Brown were glowing so brightly! Great to be with them an ‘extra’ time!