Sometimes I Write

My friend Tawnya was here this week from Kansas City. We had a such a great visit until she left yesterday. Her timing couldn’t have been better with Benny and Max being in Texas. It was so nice to have an extra set of hands when it came time to go anywhere, and she is great with my kids. Zoe the cuddlebug would hardly leave her side the whole week. 🙂

We drove up to Buena Vista and stayed with my inlaws for a few days and played tourist. Tawnya loves to travel and see new things, and I was happy to play tour guide in these mountains I love so much. The first night we were there, we met Linda for dinner. It feels a little odd for two worlds to collide, you know a friend from one period of your life meeting a friend from another, but I was glad these two women that I love could meet each other.

Wednesday morning we drove to St. Elmo, an old mining/ghost town up on Mt. Princeton where we hand fed chipmunks. We took pictures of the high mountain lakes, and Cascade Falls which runs alongside the road – a tourist spot for sure. We drove up Cottonwood Pass to the Continental Divide and parked so we could climb up to where the snow was. (The kids stayed with grandma and grandpa for that one.) I told her she HAD to take my picture up there because there was no way my MIL would believe that I hiked anywhere. LOL The hike produced 9 more heart-shaped rocks! 9! That doubled my collection, though the ones received by Benny and Max hold more of a special place in my own heart. We visited Mountain View that night with my in-laws. It was an interesting hour! It was singing night, which I love, but right in the middle of the song that my FIL requested for me, Petey filled his pants and my cell phone rang! I don’t get service most of the time up there, so I didn’t think to shut it off! Right after that mess, literally, my van alarm started going off so I had to leave again! It was not my night!!!

The next day my FIL made us all his homemade biscuits and gravy for breakfast before we left to head back to Denver. He’s tried to teach me how to do it, but honestly I prefer to just eat his when we visit. I can’t make good gravy to save my life! We drove past Twin Lakes on the way to Leadville and I thought of the group from Northside that might still be in the area. It was cloudy and rainy and I hoped it wasn’t their day to go whitewater rafting. Not knowing their schedule, they could have already been on their way back to TX.

Leadville is the highest elevated city in the continental U.S. It too is an old mining town, and though it isn’t much to look at, it is rich with history. Tawnya had been trying to capture wildlife on film since we fed the chipmunks and driving through Leadville she saw a fox in a front yard. I turned around to drive by again, but it was already gone. We took LOTS of pictures while she was here. (She’s a scrapbook junkie) 🙂 I’ll post a few after I get them scanned into the computer this week.

Thursday night my friends Jonathan and Jennifer watched the kids so Tawnya and I could go out for dinner. We went by Shakespeare’s first so I could introduce her to the other Dry Bones staff and a few of the street kids I know. In this case, former street kids – Cheeto, Don, and Bob. All three are now off the streets and have jobs. Praise God! They still come to pool night and hang out with everyone. There were about half as many kids there as normal. I don’t know if the rain kept them away or what. Nikki said she heard there was a concert downtown, so they could have been spanging. (collecting spare change from people) After that we went to Cinzetti’s for dinner. That place is awesome! There are only two restaurants, one in Denver, and one in Kansas City (Overland Park). Tawnya and I have now been to both of them together. If you’re ever in either city, you have to eat there.

Friday morning Tawnya left and I spent the rest of the day running errands with Jennifer and baby Judah, Zoe, and Petey. We went to Savers and witnessed a screaming woman be obnoxious with her kids. I don’t ever want to be one of those parents that people actually sigh with relief when the offensive family leaves the store. It won’t happen! After my irritation subsided I felt sorry for her. I have no idea what her life is like, I just don’t think yelling and screaming in a store is any way for an adult to act…EVER!

Today I’m hanging out at home and catching up on a little housework and resting. I’m hoping Benny and Max will be home on Monday since they were unable to find another place to speak about DB on Sunday. Speaking at Northside was a HUGE blessing last Sunday. It really was the reason for the whole trip to begin with. Benny and Max have definitely been loved on by our friends in the south and I’m so grateful! Their hearts have been cared for and they’ve been able to stay with friends we’ve not seen in a long time. Today they’re in Dallas seeing his grandparents, and his great aunt, none of which are in good health. They’ll be traveling back to Denver from Dallas via I35 north through OKC and Wichita, then I70 west from Salina to Denver. If you know anyone else he can share the DB message with on the way, email me and I’ll relay the message.

MANY MANY THANKS to the Northside congregation, and all of the people that have welcomed my guys into their homes or fed them this past week: Bob & Glenda Laxson, Troy & Lauren, Shaun & Emily Burrow, Marshall & Kristine Morris, Chip & Lisa Bloecher, Dan McGregor, and anyone else I may have forgotten to list here. My family is truly blessed with great friends!