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Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Steamboat Springs: Day Two/Day Three

*This was written yesterday (Monday), but I'm just getting around to posting it today (Tuesday)*


Wow. What a day it has been! My emotions have been on all ends of the spectrum today. Late on Day One (Sunday), we got a call that my grandma was back in the hospital and things were not looking good at all. This morning (Monday), I got a call from my dad that she had just passed away. We were just gearing up with helmets and boots for our 2-hour snowmobiling tour. My heart sank and I fought back the tears as all the memories began to flood my mind. It's always sad when a great person leaves this world. Even though I am happy for her that she is free of the earthly body that was beginning to fail her, of course it's still sad to see such a wonderful person go on. I will miss her dearly until we meet again!

But God is always so good. The timing of my learning the news of her death actually turned out be perfect because I was able to have those two hours to myself and my thoughts, surrounded by amazing scenery, to talk to God and have a little cry. It was time well spent!

Here are some pictures from our day:
Me and Hilaire (Brad's cousin) ready to go snowmobiling!!!
Part of the group waiting at the bus stop for the van to take us into the mountains (L to R: Chris (Brad's brother), Hunter, Hilaire & Kaleigh - not pictured: Frank (Brad's dad) and myself)
Grampa and Kaleigh snowmobiling!
Here's Hilaire recounting the death-defying stunt she had just pulled prior to this photo.....

Our guide had just "turned us loose" to ride around in an open meadow when Hilaire got a little ambitious with her speed. She was in front of me at the time, so I witnessed it all unfold. Her snowmobile was barreling toward Frank and Kaleigh and she forgot to apply the brake with her left hand. So, right about the time she had decided to bail from her snowmobile, it hit a bump and sent her flying anyway and the snowmobile itself went airborne! All I could think was, "PLEASE GOD, DON'T LET THE 600-POUND SNOWMOBILE LAND ON HER!!!!!" It was scary. But, being the professional stuntwoman that she is (she has quite an accident-prone past), she survived the incident without a bump, bruise or scratch and we went on with the rest of our day. But it's a day we will never forget, thanks to Hil! LOL!!!


Who's the goober under all those layers? It's me, it's me... at the amazing "summit"!
Ahh, that's better... same gorgeous view without the goober! ;)
Here's some cute little snowmobilers we found on top of the mountain.... haha, just kidding. It's Kaleigh and Hunter! Don't they look adorable??!?!
Here I am with the infamous stuntwoman, Hilaire.... can I have your autograph?!?!!



And finally, here's what I came home to:
A sweet balcony greeting from my little family! It made my day!

Okay, now let's fast-forward to today (Tuesday). I am packing up tonight to leave the family and catch a flight to DFW in the morning so I can be at Maw Maw's funeral on Thursday. Tori will be traveling with me so that way Brad will just have one kid with him, making the long trip home more doable. It was a heart-wrenching decision to split up the family, but it seems to be the best option for us given the circumstances. So, please say a special prayer for us tomorrow; for safe travels for Tori and I and then an extra safe drive home for Daddy and Tanner!

I will be in touch in the next couple of days, when I get a chance, as we celebrate Maw Maw's wonderful life!

1 comments:

Jara said...

Sorry to hear about the loss of you grandmother, but at least you can rejoice in the fact that she's celebrating with her Savior this new year!!!