Denver Driving

There is a very wise saying:
 
             "Somedays are a waste of lipstick."

I know those days.  Maybe if I had put some on, that trip would have gone better.

Last Tuesday evening we left for Denver to take Ashley to see multiple doctors and for surgery.  Our friend Marilyn went with us.  There's always lots of laughter on our trip and this one was no exception, yet some laughter had to wait until time had separated us from the situation!

Our first stop was in Monte Vista, CO for the restroom.  Ashley was nauseated and we both needed to use facilities.  When I saw a locally-owned gas chain that I was familiar with and stopped.  Ashley did indeed need to throw up (Note:  no fish sticks and fried potaotes before Wolf Creek pass).   We bought some snacks, Sprite and loaded back into the car.    Several blocks later, a wedding dress in a store window caught my eye?  Hadn't we passed that before?

Dadgumit!  We were going the wrong way!  Had to turn around.

This shoulda been a sign.

We spent the night in the last available room in Alamosa.  Next door to the breakfast room which started to fill with truck drivers about 5:30 am.  We were on the road early that day.  Going the wrong way again, but this time, on purpose so we could eat at McDonald's.    Our next stop was in Monument - ahh, Kohl's!  After an hour we traveled on to Denver to meet our friends at the American Girl Store.  We were all excited.

Hmmmm.  Three miles to Colfax?  I think we passed our exit.  Called David.  Chris looked it up on the computer.   We had passed the mall about 25 minutes earlier!  So, off 25 we skipped;  back on going the other way and we soon arrived.  Lunch was great - Cheesecake Factory - then shopping!

Then we left to go to the Colorado Mills Mall.  Now Sommer was in charge of directions via Ryan.  Did you know that Colfax does not have an Exit off of C470?  We do.  We then saw Golden, CO and the Coors Factory, I70 and then off the highway.  Sommer is frustrated.  Ryan is, well, his mood is undertermined and don't ask Sommer!  I went into a shoe store and got help.  We were close.  Turned around, but close.

Super Target!  Pei Wei's!  The Mall!  On to their apartment.  There we made it without turning around once!  We had a lovely evening visiting and the kids playing.  Their apartment is so nice!

The next morning we awoke to snow and a fresh-made quiche.  We allowed an hour for travel.  I listened carefully and repeated the directions back to Sommer on how to get to Colfax.  One major problem - which way do you turn on Colfax?  I thought I knew.  I was turned around.  Let's blame it on arriving after sunset, okay?  And the snow.  The visibility was low, too.

My first clue should have been hearing myself say:  "I have never driven East in Denver and seen a Mountain."   Uhhhh, duh!   In all our wondering the day before, I just assumed we had gone further west than I knew and we had to go around a mountain.  Uh, no. 

I got on I70 going East.  But I was so turned around, I knew we were headed the wrong way.  At some point (okay, maybe more than once) I heard myself saying, "Stupid State!  They mark the highways where you are coming from not going to!"   Marilyn was overwhelmed and said nothing.  I just kept going "East".  Until we hit Morrison, CO.  Yes, nestled in the mountains, quaint little Morrison.  The guy inside gave me directions, which I again messed up!

So, if ever in Morrison, heading to Aurora and you miss the 70 exit - Take C470 south to Santa Fe;  Santa Fe north to Bellevue;  Bellevue east to 25 north;  25 to 225;  225 to Colfax exit and you are there!  Our 40 minutes drive took 90 minutes!

We had called ahead and the Dr was waiting for us.  THanks, Dr. Collins. More on that appointment later, but I will say that it lead to more phone calls and scheduling.

After the visit, we were getting gas and I called David to get an update.  I was, ummm, a little on edge.  I felt like a complete idiot (no, we weren't laughing too much yet).  I wanted my husband to say, "Darling, love of my life, it could happen to anyone.  You are such a good mom.  You've taken good care of our kids.  I know this is hard, taking Sis to surgery and doctors appointments.  Anyone could get lost!  And you have only driven in this town 3 times in your entire life!  In fact, it's wonderful how well you've done!  You have such great directional sense, it was just a fluke because you are tired and worried.  I love you."

Instead, I heard, "One would think if you are on the South side of Colfax, you would turn left."  I replied, "that would be assuming one knew WHICH side of Colfax they were on to begin with."  And then I said bye.  The doctors' office was calling and I had to do more scheduling while I pumped gas, fought tears and fatigue.

We went straight to a  Chipotle's and ate in honor of Kayle's birthday.  I went to the bathroom and cried.

I have this mental picture of God leaning over a cloud in heaven saying, "Seriously?   SERIOUSLY?  The State marked the highway signs wrong?  And you're the first, in history, to notice it?  Really?  I'm right here, Kim.  I've put up an entire MOUNTAIN RANGE to give you direction.  You can't see it?  (by this time, God is laying on his stomach, stretching over the edge of that cloud, waving his hand in front of my face)   KIMBERLY!   Look up!  Woo hoo!  See me!

We all have stresses and life-highways we are trying to navigate.  Sometimes the stress keeps us from sleeping.  It forms a knot in our stomach.  And, unfortunately, it puts tunnel-vision goggles on our face.  We only see the road immediately ahead.  No signs are marked.  We can't hear good advice.   All we can see is that darn Mountain that's in the wrong place.  And that Mountain is God.

Stop today and look around.  Where are you?  What roadsign had God put in front of you?  Quit trying to get around that Mountain and ask directions!

Mean Momma

Okay, I am not up for any Mother of the Year award this year.  In fact, a Mean Momma award would probably garnish me nominations from my family.

I've been testy and edgy;  short tempered, shorter fused;  high strung and have left a trail of blood behind me.  Maybe that's an exaggeration - a little.

Part of it is allergies.  They are horrible this year!  And the meds that don't really seem to help leave me groggy and fussy.

Part of it is spring fever and adjusting to being together 24/7.  I love teaching my kids but I've not had a break in a while.  Yesterday, I went to my room and shut the door - for 4 hours!  I read some and took a nap.

Partly, I miss my friends from work greatly.  I  miss that daily interaction and our wordsmith session.  I miss the coffee and lunch.  And yes, I occassionally  miss the paycheck!

And a big part this past week is looking at another surgery for Ashley.  The screws should come out on Friday.  But, are they doing to do anything else?  Seems like they always find something else they can tweak, change, inject, stretch, lengthen, fuse or just plain play with.   Fourteen hours of driving - half of which you hope she doesn't have a seizure or throw up.

Frankly, I think I've been a pill because I don't want to be the adult this week.  I want to be the kid!  I want someone else to take care of this.  I miss my dad.  I want to curl up in his lap like I'm still 5 and the whole world is quiet and peaceful.

So, I go to my Father.  I curl up in his lap.  Father God, make this all go away!  No, he answers, but I will go through it with you.

Yup, here come the tears.

"Bring all your needs to the altar,
Bring all your needs to the Lord;
He is so willing and able to help you,
Bring all your needs to the Lord."

Here they are God.  My needs are not neat.  My problems aren't tied in a nice bundle.  They are not pretty, but I can't keep them any longer.  Here they are.   You are willing.  You are able.  I'm not.

Phillippians 4:7 reads:

"Then God's peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus."   God's Word Translation


or another translation:

"And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."  King James

In our time of trial, God's peace will keep our thoughts and emotions calm! 

I will rest in Him!  In this time of unrest - so many friends are hurting and facing trials - I will take their name before the Father. 

There's plenty of room in His lap for all of us!

P.S. - Yes, I have apologized to my family.  They voted that mom needs more sleep and less Benadryl!

Here we go again!

Next week, Denver's Children's Hospital will be blessed with the presence of two great gals from Durango, CO!   On April 30th, Ashley will be having the screws removed from the growth plate of her right knee and our friends daughter will be having surgery as well - the same day!  Okay, we are actually neighbors and I would much rather hang with them at our house or theirs, but we're going to Denver.  And no, it wasn't planned.

You can read about our friends and their daughter at: http://aplacecalledsimplicity.blogspot.com/

Please keep these gals in your prayers.  And their families!

Ashley doesn't always come out of anesthesia well.  Actually never.  She screams and cries for Chris, pushes people away and sometimes they must give her lots of meds for pain control.  Then, we get to travel home with her.

On Thursday, she is attending two clinics - neurology and orthopaedic. They evaluate her progress and she how they might be able to help her further.  We have some friends living in Denver now (boo-hoo!) and we will be staying with them.  And, going to the American Girl store!  Oh, yeah.  And Kohl's.  And maybe a real mall!  And eating out!  Just hanging with friends will be great.

When we get home, Ashley wants her screws welded into the shape of a cross for a necklace.

A cross.  At the cross.  That's where we live.  Beneath the shadow of the cross, covered in love and forgiveness.  Showered with grace and fed on mercy from the Father.

Hmmm.  What a nice place.

Caution: God at Work

As pastor ended his sermon series this week on The Keys to the Kingdom, one statement has shouted at me.  It has yelled at me the past two days.  I wake up thinking about this.

God is always working on my behalf!

Wow!  For me? Yes, me.

This past fall, I was plagued with computer problems and for 2 months I had to beg computer time from my kids.  Each day, Chris would say to his dad, "get her a new computer!"  No one wanted to share with mommy.

What they learned later was humbling for them - the time I spent on their computer was researching our vacation plans that we suprised them with on Christmas Morning.

I think the meal they had that day was crow.

How many times do we complain to God?  It's too hot, it's too cold.  I don't like my car.  My kids won't behave.  I hate my job.

Then days, months maybe even years down the road, we look back to see that the heat made the plants grow that fed our family.  The cold snap calmed downt he allergans that were making us miserable.  That car may have been old and slow but it kept us safe.  The kids were growing up and, well, being kids.  And God provided a new job that we could never have been dreamed of in our wildest imaginative regions.

He was working.

We were complaining.   And He was still working.

Father, forgive me for being so short-sighted.  I will trust you.  On this path.  In this season.  With this breath.
You are working on my behalf and I am so amazed.

Thank you.

2010 Easter Pictures

The Beach Family

2010 Easter

Durango, CO

Sweethearts

This year will be our 19th Wedding Anniversary

He still makes my heart flutter.

David Christopher

Ashley Ruth Wilson Beach

Our Boys

My Friends

Angela Michal and Marilyn Rogers

Pictures from the Big Finish

Honestly, officer, this is where we found him!

The Kitchen! 

Living Room - New Carpet

Chris's Room - It's Clean!

and so is Ashley's Room!

The Big Finish

About 13 months ago, we looked at the prospects of selling our home and moving further into the woods.  A dream of ours - to have a home surrounded by pines and land to hike and hunt.  As the housing market went bottomward, we decided to stay put and do some remodeling.

We began downstairs with fresh paint and carpet, turning the extra bedroom into a classroom and making the den a place for the kids to hang with video games and a foosball table.  It took about 3 months.

I do not deal well with chaos, but I handled that quite well.  No tears.

In January we began the process of looking at how to remodel our kitchen / dining area.  We made the cabinet order and in February began the demo.  Here it is April 2nd and it's the last day of contrators!  The carpets are being laid in the bedrooms and then we are done. 

It's amazing to look back at the past 8 weeks:
   1 Superbowl Party
   2 Emergency Room Visits
   1 Major Surgery
   8 weeks of school work
   3 flooring changes
   1 Vacation (much needed!)
  
Then the things you can't count:
   How many times you bit your tongue as your spouse made another change (guess who!)
   How many times your son sighed at you over having to move something - again.
   How many times your daughter changed her carpet choice - we chose the color in the end.
   How many times you have moved the towels to accomodate pantry changes, cabinet changes, etc.
   The kleenexes used as dust has been stirred up from moving furniture.

And only one day of tears!  I stood in my kitchen Wednesday and cried - I can't do this!

But I did!

One of my favorite sayings comes from my mom.  After a major surgery that went majorly wrong, I was in the bathroom vomiting yet again and my mom wiped my forehead with a wet cloth and said, "You are closer to the end of this than the beginning."

Closer to the End.

I think that means in everything.  Every journey begins with a single step - yes that's cliche, but it's true.  And each step brings you closer to the end that you were before.  It's like telling your children who ask for the hundreth time on a road trip, "are we almost there?" - Well, we are closer than we were.

We are closer to the end of an illness.  We are closer to the end of financial trouble.  We are closer to the end of strife.

And, we are closer to the end of this World - which means we are closer to meeting Jesus face to face!

At least, I hope you are closer.

Remember, knowing about God doesn't assure your eternity.  Satan knows about God.  It's knowing Him.  It's having a relationship with the Creator of the Universe.

It is saying, God, we all mess up - me included.  But your Son, Jesus died for my sins.  I want to know You, God.  I want to know your Son.  I want You to know me, too.  Forgive my sins, my short-fallings, my disobedience.  From today, I choose to follow You.  Alone.

It is the message of Easter.

It is admitting that God is the one true God.  That Jesus is His only Son.  Beliving that Jesus died for your sins, a final sacrifice for all mankind.  Confessing that, "I am Christ's child!  He loves me!"  and Deciding to follow Him forever.

And then you are closer to the end than the beginning!