Breaking News...Nats to Syracuse

The Nationals just announced that their AAA team will be in Syracuse, New York for the 2009 & 2010 seasons. If by God's grace, Josh earns a AAA a roster spot out of Spring Training, we'll become Syracuse Chief fans. It looks like a great stadium and we would only be about two and half hours from our family in Buffalo. We may freeze for the first two months of the season, but it will definitely be a break from the Arizona broiler.  Please join me in praying that God leads us where He wants us to go.  

Quirkiness Comes in Large Packages

Cars can be quirky. And unpredictable. Take for instance, our family's new wheels. Occasionally, when we unlock the car with the clicker, the windshield wipers start flailing. They don't do it every time. Just now and then. And sometimes they decide to get some self-directed exercise while we are driving. Along we tootle on our merry way when out of the blue the wipers start swoosh, swoosh, swooshing. Turning them off is pointless. They were never on. After a few seconds of smearing dust, they stop. 

Other than that, we are quite happy with our new mode of transportation, although we cannot help laughing every time we drive it. Picture this....a six foot four athletic guy with his young wife and 19 month old baby cruising a sexy bronze Dodge mini-van, which sports a Leisure World parking sticker, is 10 years old, and likes to voluntarily clean the windshield at random moments. But through our laughter and the comedy of a 4-Runner couple driving a mini-van, we are remembering whose car this was and feeling thankful for all the ways he has and continues to help us. 

Our stud-muffin cruiser originally belonged to Josh's great-grandpa, G.G., who passed away in March, two days before we left for Spring Training. As G.G. only drove the van around Leisure World, to Walmart, and to our house, it did not have many miles on it. After G.G. passed away, Josh's grandparents had the van detailed and the wheel-chair rack taken off the back. And then they saved it for us until we got home. 

Once we got back, we decided to make the Dodge our first string vehicle, as it has about 1/5th of the miles the Toyota has. The Toyota is a workhorse. It has 167,000 miles and is still trucking. But, putting a few less miles on it during the off season would definitely reduce its stress and hopefully keep it chugging for another season on the road. So...we are cruising the van. Josh drives it to work and I drive it around town. I don't have any soccer or Little League games to go to yet, but when I do, I'll be set. 

Josh has always said that G.G. was his sponsor in his baseball career, as he, along with the rest of our family, has helped us generously over the years, making this minor league life feasible. Even now, after he passed away, his car is carrying us along for another off-season, reminding us how blessed we are to have such a wonderful and supportive family and how amazing God's provision is, even if it comes in quirky packages. 

So if you see a bronze Dodge mini-van with a Leisure World sticker cruising down the 60 in the car-pool lane, you can have a good laugh with us, but don't forget to wave. And watch out, there's no snowbird driving this one. 

There's No Place Like Home

Two days of confinement. 2400 miles logged. Rain from Hurricane Gustave endured. 

We are home at last! We pulled into our drive at 1:30 this morning. McKenzie woke up at 7:30 ready to, "Play, Mama!" 

It is so wonderful to be home, in our wide open, sunny state and see our beloved family. We look forward to catching up with everyone here and will post pictures and tales of our adventures as we settle back into life off the road. 

We are so thankful for the Lord's travel mercies and praise Him for the completion of another great season and the wonderful people He brought into our lives. I have pictures from Josh's last game, and our one night stop in St. Louis with my aunt and uncle and family, but I've got to find the camera cord. Hopefully, I'll be able to get them posted later today or tomorrow.

Love to all. 

I'm off to take a nap!!