It's Good to be Home (part 4)

By now it was quite dark and snowing hard. We couldn't tell what was under our tires at any given point along the freeway. Sometimes it was thick, slushy snow, sometimes it was compact snow, and other times it appeared to be relatively bare (but was likely icy).

We kept plugging away mile after mile. It was a beautiful drive. I enjoyed seeing all the snow-muted Christmas lights and the evergreens draped in snow. Kaylee was in the back chattering away so happy and gleeful that she was going back to "Kaylee's house", completely unaware of any danger that night. I love all the trust our children put in us. I love that they can be so carefree at such times. I love that our children feel so safe with us. And I love that I can feel so safe with our heavenly Father at such times.

Jeff really took care of us that night! He drove the whole way - white knuckled, sleep deprived, hungry... We stopped for some fast food in Marysville and I don't think a chicken sandwich ever tasted so good! North of Marysville, the road conditions worsened and we knew it would only worsen the further north we drove. Eventually we had to stop to put the chains on.

Again, Jeff took care of us. He got out in the cold and snow and got those chains on while we waited in the warm car. At one point I looked back at Kaylee as she was examining something on her thumb. Her expression really cracked me up. Jeff was digging in the trunk behind her, wet, cold, and tired in the snow. She had her head tilted back with her eyes looking down at some speck she saw on her thumb, like some aristocratic lady examining her nails while her hired help was struggling to get things done. I guess you had to see it!

I'm not sure how we would've made it back without those chains. We got back on the road again and continued on our way. Eventually we got to Bellingham and were almost to our exit when one of the chains sounded like it was coming off. Jeff pulled to the side and put on the hazard lights. He found a flashlight and some tools and proceeded to examine the chain - always keeping an eye on the road, for there were plenty of cars out on the freeway and who knows when one would spin out of control. I couldn't believe we were stuck in such a precarious place when we were so close to home. I had to wonder if this was Providence as well. Fortunately it was just one chain band that came loose and not the whole chain. We got back on the road and finished the last mile.

We didn't get home until about 10:30 - 8 hours after we landed! Jeff got Kaylee into her pajamas and settled her to bed while I nursed Hudson and rocked him to sleep. We got to bed around 11 and Jeff was asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow. I was still wired from our adventure. I laid awake for an hour or so thinking how good it is to be home!