Home...Finally

We arrived home this evening, but the day wasn't without it's adventures.  Ohhh nooo, it couldn't be that easy!  Driving along in Navajo territory stopped at a Subway for lunch and ended up getting hung up in the van on a speed bump when our spare tire, which is mounted under the center of the car beneath the front seat area, dropped and caught under the car.  It seems that when the fellows at Sam's Club changed our tires yesterday, they failed to properly secure the spare.  We were VERY fortunate it wasn't while we are driving at 70 mph on the highway, and felt that Someone was watching out for us to have it happen when and where it did.  Of course, we were blocking traffic in the driveway of a busy shopping center, but none of us lost our cool over it and ended up laughing as Matthew asserted it was just another school lesson and more practice in learning about changing tires. 

Here are a few pictures of our escapades on the way home...



Can you say "ironic"?  I hardly think stopping to change a flat tire qualifies as making something a "rest area".



He looked so forlorn...



Went off walking while the menfolk worked on the tire, and found this image.  I am loving playing with my new camera!




It was a long and exhausting trip on many levels for all.  And yes, there is Version #4 of Blankie :-)



Advice from the Peanut Gallery for the tire changers.

We did stop at Four Corners, which as usual was a total rip off but now we can say that all 5 kids have stood there and no one feels left out.



Not at his best, but feeling better and trying to help Dad.



Olesya and her buddy, Sunny, playing at a gas station where they had cut outs...and an attendent with a pistol on his hip.  Seriously.

Our trip was not a pleasure trip by any stretch of the imagination, but it was good to reconnect with our family even under these circumstances.  However, I will confess that the desert is absolutely my least favorite place on earth.  I'd take Petropavlovsk in the dead of winter over the desert.  I know there are some who find great beauty in  the open spaces of Arizona, but it leaves me feeling empty and yearning for my heart home.  Driving about 2 hours from home, snow settled comfortably on high mountain peaks, I felt that familiar peace that always comes over me when entering "my" home turf.  Isn't it wonderful that God has created such a variety of unique environments so that every soul can find their true haven?

It's good to be home.