Sunday, 1/14/24, headed home, breakfast at I-80 Truck Stop, traveled with our Michigan team

Beautiful rainbow this morning in those cold temperatures and on the highway where all the vehicles were off the road.  More were off today.

One lane was icy, the other had patches of ice now and then.  

Temperature when we left Iowa

We met up with everyone at the truck stop for breakfast 

We were so happy to get out of Iowa into Illinois. Warmer temperatures!

Kody Got new glasses.  He loves that he can see textures and things better but doesn’t like wearing them. Praying he adjusts well and will like wearing them because of how they hep him see better.  He sure looks handsome in them!

I got up at 5:30 and got ready.  I started checking out how the roads were.  Bill didn’t get up until 6:30, and by the time he got ready it was almost 7.  We went down to the hotel lobby.  We knew Julie and Phil were leaving, but all the other Michigan Area Reps decided to head out too except Pat and Art.  We all prayed.  We decided to get our stuff packed in the truck and head out too.  I had left my boots in the room, so l had to get a key and go back up and get them.  We had to go get gas too.  After that we called Debbie to see how the roads were.  She said they were dry and by that time Julie texted me back and said they were good too.  They were going kind of slow because it was dark and they didn’t know how the roads ahead would be.  We had dry roads for quite a while, then they warned us that up ahead it was icy and they gave us the mile marker so we would know where.  We took it really slow on the ice and made it safely.  We had a group text by then with all 6 couples.  They let us know what mile marker the roads got good by to.  By that time we were only 6 miles behind them.  We were stopping at the I-80 Truck Stop for breakfast.  We got at text that Mel and Betty were there and were getting gas.  Debbie and Paul got there next and got tables for all of us.  Julie and Phil got there next, then Al and Lucy, and Sue and Doug.  We were only 11 minutes behind them so got there before anyone ordered their food.  We sure were happy to be together with them.  We ate a delicious breakfast buffet.  While we were waiting for Bill to come out of the bathroom, a trucker heard Doug talking about going on I 94 in Michigan.  He told us not to go on that road because it was really icy and there was lake effect snow.  Mel and Betty had already left, then Doug and Sue left.  When Bill got out of the bathroom, the rest of us left.  We texted when we got close to Michigan and Mel and Betty decided to get on I 94.  They live in Muskegon, so that was the short route for them.  Debbie and Paul decided to get on that road too.  The rest of us chose to stay on I 80 and get on 69 in Michigan.  It wasn’t long and Mel and Betty texted that they were in white out conditions.  Then we got a text from Debbie and Paul too and they were in the white out.  There was only one lane of slow moving traffic.  The truck in front of Debbie and Paul it the center rail and slid across all of the lanes.  No one else was involved in the accident.  There were other. crazy drivers making them nervous too.  We were all praying.  They finally got off of 94 and went on county roads to get out of the white out.  They all made it home safely and so did the rest of us.  We had great roads our way.  We were the last ones traveling on the same roads that got home.  Debbie and Paul were the very last ones.  They had an hour and a half farther to go because they had to pick up their dog in Fenton and they live in Sandusky. Only Gratiot Rd. was a little bit icy, but not bad.  We stopped at Culver’s to get something to eat. We hadn’t stopped to eat since breakfast, but did have snacks in the truck.  We unpacked everything and put stuff away.  Julie texted and there was a gas smell in their house so they had to have someone come fix it.  Someone came pretty fast t look at it, but couldn’t fix it so someone came later.  They were fast too.  We heard from Art and Pat that they were home too.  Jeff, Jay and Jane had been at the airport since we left this morning and after waiting all day, Jay and Jane decided not to go to Florida to stay with Kathy and Jeff and just went back to the hotel.  They had had their truck in to have the heater fixed all week, and got it back yesterday and the heat still doesn’t work.  They decided to Bail and get their money back instead of flying.   They got back to the hotel we all stayed at at 8:45 p.m.  What a long frustrating day.  Jeff’s flight home to Florida didn’t leave til 7 p.m.  We Michiganders were sure glad to be home.  I texted with Melissa, Kimmy, Vikki,    Anyway, we were all thankful to have each other to make the trip home with, and have lots of laughs with, do lots of praying together and just be thankful for God getting us all home safely.  My highlight was when Kenzie and I face timed and Rehvyn was on the screen and was just waking up and making lots f adorable sweet faces.  Sure do love him and sure do love my family and friends.  

I texted lots with Gayla too, and found out Wes felt and sprained his ankle.  He has to ice it, rest it and elevate it.   Thankful he didn’t break his hip as he just had hip replacement surgery in November.                                                         

 

Saturday, 1/13/24, Ate breakfast at the hotel, spent the day at the church for RLM

Bill giving his message- He did great sharing it and hearts were touched. I’m so proud of him and how he serves the Lord faithfully.

The weather report for today here

Our truck is the third one to the left.  We left after dark.  Jeff rode with us.  Very windy and -40 with the wind chill, but the roads to our hotel were plowed. Happy to get back to our hotel 

Mark Small sharing…our group is on the right at the back table plus 4 are at the table in front of us.  Great turn out!  Only Ron and Bev couldn’t make it.  

 

We had breakfast at the hotel.  This morning they had omelets, bacon, and French toast for the hot food.  It was really good!  We all went to the church at 8.  There was awesome worship, then our North Central Prayer leader gave a message.  Bill gave a message next and did a great job.  We had a break after that.  Bill had people coming up to him telling him they loved his message and I had people coming up to me telling me they loved his message.  A couple of ladies in the bathroom were talking together and told me they were talking about my husband’s message.  They told me they were going to put it into action.  Stephanie who was our prayer partner was one of them.  We had snacks and then listened to more good messages.  Someone always sells delicious homemade candy for RFS and I always look forward to buying some each year.  Chocolate covered coconut, chocolate covered cherries, mint chocolate fudge, peanut butter balls and peanut brittle.  

We had a zoom meeting with our National Evangelist who was with us and our CMA CEO and our three ministry partner leaders, for the Jesus film, Global Christian Ministries and Mission Ventures.  They shared how God brought them together and made the like family and how each ministry works so well with the others.  Definitely a God plan.  They also shared how the money CMA raises for Run for the Son helps each ministry reach so many people and brings them to a relationship with Jesus!  The one ministry alone said there were 1 million salvations.  Another ministry said 3.6 million Bibles were given out.  The other ministry gave testimonies of how God is using it and how so many people are getting saved.  We are so blessed to be part of this ministry.  We had delicious soup and salad for lunch at the church. Then had more messages of encouragement.  For dinner they served us tacos.  They were yummy too.  Julie and I went to Goodies and helped load vests and rain suits in tubs, so the guys could load the tubs in the trailer.  There were many helpers packing stuff up and loading it.  We have the best and sweetest goodie reps. We went back to our table for worship and Jays closing message.  Then we put chairs where they go and others took down tables and put them away.  We blessed people who helped from the church with a special offering, also did a special offering for our Goodie reps and also did an special offering for our wonderful hotel staff.  They had told Jay how thankful they were to have their lobby be used for a worship service.  They are amazing and are so good to us every year.  We left after that and made it safely to our hotel.  It sure was cold and windy out, so we were very happy!  it was a great day of glorifying the Lord.  We called Kimmy and didn’t get an answer, but she called us back a few minutes later.  We had her lay hands on Jacob while Bill and I prayed for this grandson we love so much to be healed in Jesus name. He has been so sick for a while now.  We are believing God touched him with his healing power!  

Friday, 1/12/24, Snowed in at hotel, worshipped and listened to our National Evangelist and other speakers in our hotel lobby, someone picked up a delicious dinner and brought it to our hotel, ate together and finished our sessions. Fellowship and games in the evening

Everyone gathering in the lobby area and upstairs 

Worship was amazing 

Bill and I

Snow just starring 

Pat, Art, Paul, Phil, Julie, and Bill. Bill and Paul were the euchre champs!

Doug, Jay, Jeff and Sue playing Flip Uno.  9 of us played it the first time.

We all came down for breakfast at different times.  We sat with Phil and Julie.  We visited, then at 9:00 we gathered in the lobby area and upstairs overlooking the lobby. Jay had worship start at 9:20.  It was an awesome time.  Jay shared a lot and went over business matters too, sharing charts and updates with us. Mark Small and Lyle Schmidt shared too.  There’s much wisdom from the Lord in our leaders in CMA.  We too a few breaks, then around 2:30 food was picked up by one of our members for us.  Thankful he made it safely. We had chicken with cheese, loaded mashed potatoes, salad and rolls.  After lunch, we had another session and then we finished and Jay met with the State Coordinators.for a few minutes.  I let everyone from Michigan know that Bill wanted to meet with them after he was done meeting with Jay.  Our meeting went good.  We got our new CMA prayer partners for the year.  

We all played games and had fun, fellowship and snacks.  Bill and I came up to our room and went over his message for tomorrow.  His time was shortened by 10 minutes by Jay, so we decided what to take out and prayed for Bill to share what the Lord wants him to share and it would touch hearts. 

Kimmy texted me in the morning to pray for Jacob because he’s still very sick and needs to go to urgent care. We prayed that he could get out of going to his symphony class so Jared could pick him up earlier and also prayed for the storm to hold off and safe travel for Jared and Jacob. We were thankful they got to urgent care and then home safely before it got bad out.  Urgent care said it was viral.  Covid and strep tests were negative.  I just want my Jacob feeling good again.  Vikki was sweet and went and checked on our house, got our mail, checked on Kit Kat, filled her water dishes and checked her food.  She even took a picture of her for me.  Kenzie face timed me and showed me sweetie Rehvyn and also the couch they got and were assembling.  It’s beautiful!  I talked to Melissa and Evan.  She sent me pictures of heavy snow on her trees.  Brought the branches right to the ground.  Jack knocked the snow off and it popped back to normal.  

Weather says more snow and high winds here and in Michigan and in between.  Even Texas is getting cold weather and some snow.

 

Thursday, 1/11/24 , Ahmeh had her twins, Revyn is 1 month old, Blizzard predicted for here and back home, drove to Newton, Iowa, went to the church and helped put shirts out in goodies, went to lunch with everyone, back to hotel, had meet

Breakfast this morning at our hotel

On our 130 mile trip on I-80 we saw 71 vehicles that had slid off the road

 

Rehvyn is 1 month old today

He’s so cute looking at himself in the mirror

Where we watched the movie at the church 

My great great twin nephews were born today!  Congratulations to Ahmeh and Jeff

 

We ate breakfast at the restaurant, then headed to our destination in Iowa.  So many semi’s and cars had slid off the road the day before it was crazy.  The roads were dry and nice today though.  We went right to the church where the Regional Leadership meetings are going to be and helped with goodies.  Bill helped bring totes of stuff in and I helped put shirts they are selling on the tables.  Had lots of people helping so that was good.  We all went to lunch at HyVee’s afterwards.  It’s a grocery store that has a huge delicatessen in it with a large room to eat in.  The food was delicious. We came to our hotel and unloaded our stuff after we checked in.  Then relaxed, read our Bibles and hung out until it was time to go to meet with Jay and Jane and the other state coordinators.  Jamie Small and some friends made delicious chicken enchiladas for us that were amazing! They also made banana cream pudding dessert.  The meeting was good.  We went in and shopped in goodies, then we all watched the movie, When the Game Stands Tall.  Jay announced that the pastor of the church said the church wouldn’t be open tomorrow now because of the blizzard.  Then Jane announced that the food truck that was delivering food to our hotel was in one that slid off the road so there wouldn’t be breakfast at our hotel.  She said we might want to go to Walmart which was close by and pick up food.  We did and Jeff Wheeler came with us.  When we got back to our hotel they said the food truck made it.  Yay!  We are supposed to get at least 6 inches of snow with 50 mile and hour winds.  We hung out for a while downstairs after we put our stuff in the freezer and refrigerator.

The girls all let me know the kids schools all canceled tomorrow already in the daytime, even Hailey’s college.  Don’t know about Jacob’s.  They are supposed to get up to 10 inches.  

Good time to just stay put with this kind of weather.  Praying for all to be safe and power to stay on.  Praying for my Kit Kat too!

Wed., 1/10/24, Snowy and icy out, all grandkids schools were canceled. College ones had to go!, Bill had to have CAT scan of his bladder this morning, we Lordy for Iowa when he

 

Our neighbor, Sam, plowed our driveway this morning! What a blessing!

Bill driving in Indiana!

Our room

Bill got really then headed to the VA for his CAT Scan of his bladder.  I got ready and packed the last minute stuff.  I heard beeping and looked in the driveway to see our neighbor plowing our driveway.  I was very happy and I knew Bill would be too.  I took a picture and sent him a message. 

I finished doing a few things around the house and packing, then packed a lunch for us.  Made chicken salad sandwiches for us to eat while traveling.

We left at 11:45 a.m.  I texted the girls to let them know.  Good clear roads today while driving.  I drove from Chesaning almost to the Indiana border.  Bill took over after that.  We listened to good worship music while we rode.  

I called the girls and talked to each one, then texted with my friend Vikki.  We are trying to meet at a restaurant with her and her hubby on our way home like we did last year, but it will depend on the results of the big snow storm.  

I was resting and heard a ding ding. I asked Bill what that was and he said it was the low gas warning.  We had 50 miles we could go yet.  Well things around looked pretty desolate and there weren’t many exits.  I decided instead of complaining, I would just pray and continue to rest. Oh, and it was 28 degrees out.  We had 28 miles left when we got to a gas station.  

Bill drove til we got to Davenport Iowa at around 6. We stayed at a really nice Comfort Inn.  Such a nice room and comfy bed.  

We read our Bibles and I finished my blog.  One of the things I liked when I read the reviews was that they have a delicious breakfast here.  

Tues., 1/9/24, Went to breakfast with Bill and Charlie, packed all but last minute stuff, went to prayer in the evening

Isaac got a hair cut today...He’s looking very handsome

Snow this morning and during the day, then rain when I went to prayer in the evening

Pretty out when I went to mail something today

I took this picture when I used Kimmy and Jared’s bowl they got me for Christmas.  Bill is enjoying his soup in his bowl from them too in the background

Ha Ha!  It looks like Bill had the same idea.  After we ate he sent me these two pictures.

 We definitely love our bowls!  We give you a 5 star Kimmy and Jared.

Charlie had to go get bloodwork done.  It was snowing out, so Sue decided she didn’t want to take a chance on falling.  She called me and said she was just going to stay home.  She needs knee replacements and is also having trouble with her hip right now, so I understood.  She has to walk outside to get to the car.  Bill and I still met Charlie.  We had a nice breakfast and visit at Leo’s.  Charlie and I both had the veggie omelet and potatoes and Bill had oatmeal and bacon.  He shared a piece of bacon with Charlie and I.   Charlie took half of his meal home to Sue.  I took half of mine home for later.  Bill had to go get bloodwork done, so Charlie dropped me off on his way home since he goes right by our house.  

The snow was pretty, but it sure was heavy and slushy.  Pretty messy out.  Bill and I worked on packing our suitcases and getting a list of the last minute things so we are sure not to forget anything.   We had chicken noodle soup and Bill's wonderful dumplings for dinner.

I was very excited to use my new bowl I got for Christmas.

I went to prayer in the evening.  It was raining pretty hard and messy out.  It felt like a stay at home night, but I was so glad I went.  Prayer was amazing, and Andrea came for the first time.  She and her family have been coming to our church for over a year now.  We met them at a restaurant when she noticed Bill’s New Life Sweatshirt and asked us about our church.  They came to visit the next week and have been coming ever since.  They are such a nice family.  

 

Monday, 1/8/24, Did some packing, fed the birds, went to watch Michigan game at the movie theatre.

Took a picture with three cardinals in it

Took another picture and got a woodpecker added

Me at Melissa’s with my sweet grand doggies Abby and Badger

New kitty eating

It went and sat on the edge of the deck after it ate

Dressed in our Michigan gear...we had this stuff in the upstairs closet

Go Blue!

Bill and I waiting for the theatre to open...we ate popcorn while we waited

Yay, in the theater and still eating popcorn while we wait for the game to start

Lots of fans behind us

It was great watching it on the big screen

Ate oatmeal for breakfast and had a cappuccino.  Fed the birds afterward and then did some laundry.  Packed things that I could pack ahead.  We read our Bibles and Bill waited for Discount Tire to call to have him bring the truck in for them to put the new tire on.  

I went to Melissa’s to pick up some protein drinks they picked up for Bill.  I drove the car, because Vikki had car problems and her car is in getting fixed, so she is using mine.  I had a nice visit with Missy, got to see her beautiful slip cover on her couch, which looks amazing, and gave Abby and Badger lots of attention.   I didn’t stay too long, because I knew Bill was still waiting for that call.

We tried to take a nap, but I couldn’t get to sleep, just rested.  He fell asleep for a while.  We thought it would be a good idea because we didn’t know how late we would end up being up.  They called, so he took the truck in at 3 to have the tire put on. 

I found our two Michigan Jackets someone gave us quite a while ago, and also a Michigan sweatshirt for me.  Bill looked and found a Michigan shirt for him.  We got ready and took some pictures, then headed to the theater.  We got our popcorn and one pop, then sat in the lobby until they let us know we could go in.  It was fun watching all the Michigan fans come in the doors.  We went in the theater and ate more popcorn until the game started.  Quite a few people ended up coming to watch the game there.  It was fun hearing everyone excited for Michigan.  There were lots of food commercials and it made us hungry, so we got an order of chicken strips and fries to eat.  7 chicken strips were in the container, so each of us had plenty.  They were really good. Such a great game and I love how they gave glory to the Lord afterward.  Go Blue!

We came home, turned the electric blanket on, then stayed up for another hour.  I did a post on our adventure at the theater.