Yes, that’s where we are at the moment. We left home on Friday in the morning. After a smooth border crossing, we started our trek into the United States. The roads were clear and progress was good. We stayed in Sheridan, Wyoming for the night. We left a little bit before 8:00 a.m. (record broken!) Around lunchtime, we were cruising down the interstate at around 75 mph when Daddy saw a hammer laying on the road. He knew he couldn’t miss it so he just hit it, the thought going through his mind that this might cost a tire. Leandro needed to use a restroom very badly and so we got off of the interstate and found one. After Daddy got out of the van, he checked the tires. Sure enough, the tire was letting out air. We went to find a place to fix it. The Costco parking lot was full so we went to Sears. They were totally booked but they told Daddy to park outside the door and they would at least put the spare on for us. After removing the tire, the man who did it, said he would quickly try to fix it. After he had put it on, Daddy wanted to pay him. “No,” he said he couldn’t accept anything for work done outside. Daddy thanked him and we thanked God. As we thought about it, we realized what a blessing it had been that Leandro had needed the restroom. We could have easily realized that our tire was empty too late. And even if we had realized it soon enough, we would have had to fix it on the shoulder of a busy interstate.

After finding our way through Denver, we headed through the mountains to Frank and Elaine. Even though there was a nice layer of snow everywhere, the road was clear so that was a blessing. We were almost at their house when our trailer started shaking. Another flat! Thankfully we knew the couple whose driveway was next so we just parked the trailer there and headed to Frank and Elaine’s, a few hours later than planned.

Even though the situations weren’t the most pleasant, we saw God’s hand working through it all.

Now we have thoroughly been enjoying our time at Frank and Elaine’s. We had a relaxing Sunday yesterday. Even though we hardly noticed it, it was snowing quite hard all evening. This morning we woke up to a thick layer of snow on the ground. Our cousins didn’t have to go to school due to the weather so we have enjoyed a forenoon outside in the snow with the quads and snowboards.

A view of the table from the second storey.

Thanksgiving Dinner on its way!

Edgar and Samuel really enjoyed the room to spin around in the snow.

 

 

 

Justin helping Leandro get started.

 

And he flies… (after getting enough speed behind the quad)

 

Yes, they are thirteen now. In one day, we have four teenagers instead of one! In fact, now over half of us children are teenagers. Their birthday was yesterday and we celebrated it at breakfast. Janice and Nacho and Willy and Marcie came over. Mama had made an egg casserole, and I baked a lot of pancakes. I had baked a cake the day before, so the girls decorated it after breakfast.

It was an enjoyable forenoon. Especially so with the snow that started drifting down. By evening we had a nice layer of fresh snow!

Although I was three and a half at the time, I remember when they were little. I remember the apprehension as Bianca went through, not one, but two heart surgeries; the worry about Imelda’s pneumonia; and the problem of Edgar not breathing on his own. I also remember going into the NICU in the huge hospitals, finding the correct incubator, reaching into the holes in the incubators to touch my tiny little siblings. And the attention! I was such a special little girl to be their big sister. Busy times obviously followed.

Although the attention has diminished by now, it’s still a specialty.

Happy Teenage years Bianca, Edgar, and Imelda! And may God Bless your next year.