Off we go to the dentist again today (poor Tanya)

She's been having pain in the jaw, TMJ, and headaches that started a few days after her root canal, and have been escalating since. We were hopeful it would subside after a few days, but three weeks later, it's still pretty ouchy. So back to Calgary today, to see what is going on with her poor tooth.

The bus is in being inspected, and they found a lot of items that need attending yesterday. They were going to take a day or so to work up a quote for the repairs which include:
Front drivers air bag (suspension)
Tag axle frame
tag axle bearings
back up lights
valve cover gaskets
clearance lights
tag axle tires
We'll know more when they call today what we're looking at for $$

Keep you posted.

Readying Steadying...

Yep, it always seems to take substantially longer than you expect. We have the bus, but the earliest I could schedule the inspection is Monday, so we wait.

I have no idea what the inspection will show, or even what they are looking for. But after the inspection, we will have to make whatever changes are required before we can head out. My fine brother in law Keith made the frames for the bunks, and they are ready to be installed, and my fine brother in law Kurt has arranged for a Reverse Osmosis water system that we will get next week, and install. That will leave geeking out the bus (with computers, and a network, and perhaps a TV and sound system to make it all work together).

The three girls had their hair cut and styled, and we have been on the quest for foamies to add to the top bunks. I’ll post some pictures of the process when I can, and more pictures of the bus for those who want to see it.

See you soon!

Cameron

Ready, Set....

It's here! The Rubicon!

After hours of driving, and much trial and tribulation, the Rubicon is here. Now all we need to do is finish outfitting it, get it inspected and registered in Alberta, and we're off to the races.

Get ready for the start of the Rubicon podcast, coming soon to Mevio! We'll be posting the link here, and everywhere else. If enough people watch it, maybe Mevio will pay us for our Diesel bill (or not)

Thanks to everyone who prayed, and worked, and loaned vehicles, and prayed, and lifted, and cleaned, and prayed, and helped us to get out of our house, and onto the road. More stuff to come soon.... Hang tight!

Tooth and Nail

It's always entertaining when you have a large family, and doubly so when you have small children in the large family.

Abram was following Mom up the stairs as she carried a load of laundry, and fell down the stairs. His brothers rescued him from the bottom of the stairs, and brought him up crying, and bleeding from a large split on his bottom lip.

We stemmed the tide of blood with a cold washcloth, and the little dude calmed down, and ate some stew for lunch. A few minutes after he was finished eating, I looked at him, and thought he looked different somehow.

Then it hit me. "Buddy, where's your tooth?!". A quick search down the stairs found the tooth, root and all, sitting on the step. We placed a quick call to the dentist, and found that he has just advanced himself about 4 years, when the new adult tooth will grow in. So for the next 4 years, he'll be missing his right top front tooth.


It looked pretty strange for a while, since I was used to seeing him with a full set of chicklets, but it's starting to grow on me now.

That was two weeks ago... This past week, we headed south to Calgary for Tanya's cousins funeral, a sad time to be sure. The next day, Liam's birthday, we headed back up to Edson... almost.

As we rounded the curve on the south end of Drayton Valley, with a water truck in the outside lane, and a pickup truck behind us, we met with Mrs. Deer. She was the fourth one across the road, and impacted squarely in the left front of the Suburban. As I watched pieces fly off to the left, I momentarily wondered if it was pieces of meat... but it was pieces of Suburban naturally.

After getting pulled over to the side of the road, I inspected the damage.
-Left front headlight - gone
-Left front signal light - gone
-Grille - smashed to bits
-Bumper- cracked and twisted
-Radiator - pushed back and leaking
-Automatic transmission fluid cooler - crushed and leaking-
-Hood - Bent back at the front
-Left fender- bent and dented
_who knows what else - broken to bits

Well, I guess we're done driving this rig tonight... After calling AMA, and getting the ball rolling on having it towed the 145km back to Edson, I visited with the nice police officer who stopped to make sure everything was all right and to start the accident report. What to do next.

-10C, with a truck that won't run. Could be getting cold soon. We called a cab, to take us in to Drayton Valley. 20 bucks later and two trips (they could only take 6 of us at a time) we were safely nestled in at A&W. Nobody even noticed that Dagmar had chickenpox. We ordered some food for the kids, and I called Pastor Steve to come with his minivan to pick us up.

Problems solved. Whew. Almost.

A few minutes later, a smell began to waft about the table, coming from the vicinity of Abram (2 years old). Poopy. Diapers and wipies were left in the Suburban... great. Kennedy, liam, Dagmar and I headed out to Walmart, just a couple cold snowy blocks away. The sidewalk wasn't bad, but cutting through the deep snow to get to the Walmart parking lot, was a bit refreshing, and Dagmar's shoes weren't going to cut it, so she rode on my shoulders. After getting the smallest bag of diapers they had (still huge by the way) and wipies, I decided that there was no way we were going to get them back to A&W without a backpack of some sort.

So armed with the new backpack, diapers, wipies, and with Dagmar on my shoulders we trekked back to the A&W, changed the bum, and only had a moment or two before Pastor Steve arrived to take us back to Edson.

Now we wait... for I'm not sure how long, before we have wheels again. It's an interesting walk to the the grocery store, and you do have to plan what you're going to buy. But we have many friends and neighbours who are helping us out, and taking care of us, so this too shall pass with much less pain that one would anticipate.

We are so blessed, that Abram wasn't more badly hurt when he fell, that the suburban bore all the damage (well the suburban and the deer, poor thing), and that we are home safely.

You can actually feel God's love through this whole incident, and through his people.

In the words of tiny Tim,

God bless us, everyone.

Morning in New England

What a beautiful Morning!

The sun is shining here on the shore of lake Winnipesaukee, and the fall colours are amazing. It was a warm evening, and we didn't even have to use the furnace in the Rubicon.

Once we pack up camp here at lake shore park, we have decided to head a bit further south, toward Boston. Since the autumnal equinox has come and gone, we realized we've never been to Boston in the fall....

Whoop! Sorry, for a minute there I was daydreaming about how things would be if the house had sold according to MY schedule, and the plan had gone according to MY plan.

We are here in Edson. Trying to keep the house as clean as we can, and waiting for the inevitable offer that will be forthcoming soon.

The German Measles seem to have run the ranks of the kids, (and the Dad) and we seem to be pretty much on the mend. Only Tanya and Caleb have managed to dodge the fever, chills, and spots.

It has been good to be here in Alberta this summer. It has been a beautiful summer, and as a family we have been blessed with a trip out to Kola MB and back through Rouleau and Moose Jaw. We had some great "Beach time" in Cold Lake, Moose Lake, and Pyramid Lake. Tanya and Abram and Elowyn and I had the opportunity to drive the going to the sun road twice (there to Kalispell, and back again).

We were so blessed to be nearby during Jedediah's birth, to meet him, and keep the families spines in tune. To help with pouring concrete in the basement. To be here in Edson for the patients and friends who needed me so much they just had to come see me at home.

So many reasons that we were blessed by God not following MY plan. It has been a season of waiting, and watching God's wonders around us. Wherever we are.

We will enjoy this season, as we look forward to the next one.

Happy Birthday JO!

Sicker 'n a poisoned pup...

Yipes.

First Dagmar and Elowyn, then Abram, Liam, Palmer, Kennedy. The two girls seemed to follow the pattern of German Measles (Rubella), with the fever, and then spots a couple days later. Just a few spots though, on the face and arms for Dagmar, face and diaper area for Elowyn.

Certainly takes the wind out of the ol' sails. Today even I feel sort of tired, and achey all over, and cold. Sheesh. It's quite a roller coaster, but since it's up to God, I'm going to relax and let Him handle it.

Since the last blog, the bus went away again with another offer, and then came back with the offer being withdrawn.

We had a second showing on the house, but no offers yet... soon.

We have to renew our listing too, I can't believe it's been 3 months of waiting.

Ethan, Palmer and I attended a creation home schooling conference. Very interesting stuff. There sure is a lot that they don't tell you in school, and a lot that evolutionists don't want us to look at or study about the fossil record. Fascinating. It was fun and entertaining to have a look at all the evidence for creation, and a worldwide flood.

Well, that's all for now, back to the trenches! Talk to you sooner next time!