Travel Thoughts

We just returned from a driving trip to Idaho where we had a wonderful, memorable and blessed Christmas with my family. Here are a few things I noticed along the 18oo or so miles we traveled.

- The Red Box policy of returning your DVD's to ANY Redbox location is genius for the traveling family with a DVD player.
- A one-year-old in the van means you'll hear desperate screams every so often that one can only surmise mean "get me out of here!"
- Catheters every 4 hours rise to a whole new level of challenge when you are traveling through rural Nevada, Oregon and Idaho in the dead of winter.
- When over half of your family are children ages 12 and under, your time together is bound to be loud and lively.
- Family pictures with a one-year-old, two-year-old, three-year-old and four-year old will challenge even the best of photographers.
- Our Idaho friends may think we're crazy for living in Southern California, but we're not the ones sitting in over three feet of snow right now.
- A Ninetendo DS for Christmas and new games is a great gift for children about to be sequestered in a van for 18 hours.
- Children of all ages will watch Baby Einstein if contained in a moving vehicle for several hours.
- Parents' grand plans of making a "quick stop" for lunch or dinner were thwarted when they decided to have 5 children to feed, exercise and use the facilities.
- Snow is beautiful and lots of fun, but I can't say I'm sad to leave it behind.
- When your children who sleep on the floor at home complain about the beds in your overnight accommodations, you know your pickins were pretty slim.
- A community and church who provide meals for a family of 15 for a week leave you feeling amazed, humbled and abundantly blessed.
- Cancer may take your health, but it will never take your faith!

No matter how long the journey, it is always worth it to see your family!