Gonna Hold 'Em Up In Seattle!!!

Garrett and cousin Colton (5)

Tomorrow is the big day! Or it's another big day.......  Last night Ainslee and I piled into the Yukon (aka Land Yacht) with our friend and 4-H leader, Tass,  to drive two hours up into the mountains, the beautiful, elk-grazing, snowy, peaceful mountains, and spent the night in "Uncle Billy Bob's Redneck Vacation Trailer." And the name TRULY describes the place well! It was a very old, completely renovated and HILARIOUSLY decorated small single-wide trailer. It had pink flamingos outside with a Christmas tree completely decorated with lights, red Solo cups and beer cans. Inside was yet another Christmas tree decorated with cigarette packages, more beer cans and garland made of MARSHMALLOWS AND PORK RINDS!!! No lie!!!! It was adorably trashy but very comfy! Before bedtime we went to a country club up there and swam in a hot spring pool for a couple hours. HEAVENLY!!! At one point I got the nutty idea to say,"Hey Ainslee, if you will get out of the water and go lay down in the snow for a quick second before getting back in, I will too.....and WE DID!!! It was so fun!! We adore Tass, and we had fun splashing and talking and just enjoying the beautiful night with snow and HOT WATER!!! We spent the night there with Tass and another family of four. We stayed up until too far past midnight playing word games and then playing guitars and singing worship and country songs until my fingers about bled!! Still recovering. This morning was our district 4-H horse bowl, and both our junior and senior teams did well!!! We are so proud of these kids for studying and working and then being so brave in the contest!!! We ended the time in the mountains with another trip to the country club where a large hill on the golf course is a sledding hill this time of year. Needless, to say, there were laughs, crashes and snowball fights. A fun time was had by all. Ended the day with a beautiful drive through another part of Idaho I have not seen. It was breathtaking. I never take God's landscape for granted here!!!!

Now the fun of the trip to Billy Bob's Redneck Trailer is over and horse bowl is complete, the next leg of this half-marathon starts tomorrow! I am OH SO PROUD to share that Addie is singing with two other girlfriends in the contemporary worship service at 11 with the adult BAND!!! I am so excited for her!!! Our new pastor begins his time with us tomorrow, and the service is a special one, so lots of cool things are happening! Then after worship, Garrett and I head to Seattle for our little get-away. We fly Boise to Seattle, then have an appointment with Dr. Saneto (Mitochondrial Disease specialist) Monday morning, then a sedated MRI Tuesday morning before flying back to Boise that same evening. Garrett knows we are going and likes the airplane part but isn't so keen on the doctor part, so I don't dare mention sedation and all on Tuesday!! I hope we can get there and have some fun!! His little rolling Thomas the Train backpack is packed and he will be so stinking cute pulling it all over the place. Two sweet moms from our Mito world are planning to meet me and help with Garrett. I should be just fine with him and no help, but the thoughtfulness these two friends share is absolutely amazing. I am blessed!!!! I have learned, finally, that when the exam portion of an appointment is over, I have the authority and right to tell the doctor we have to either start walking while we talk OR go to a place appropriate for Garrett to find something entertaining so I can focus on the info the doctor would like to share. That helps!! Also hoping to hit a children's museum and ride the elevator to the top of the Space Needle. Garrett LOVES elevators, and trains, and drums, and buses....

So I am unpacked from 4-H and now repacked for Seattle. Uh-oh, now I am remembering all the things I have forgotten to pack........like Garrett's umpteen meds. Better get going!!!

Godspeed,

Clara-Leigh