Well we made it out here safely. This is my first time getting internet, and so I'll try and catch up with everything that has been happening. Nothing too eventful, other than the extremely turbulent landing and take off from Denver. We arrived in San Francisco and after a couple hours and a neat AirTran ride we got a rental vehicle, filled it with our luggage and were off on our adventure.
First stop: Jamba Juice! We were all dehydrated and hungry so we decided that Jamba Juice would be a good place to go. With the handy-dandy iPhone we have found our way all over the place and a Jamba Juice was only a few miles away. After we had our fill our next destination was…
The coast! So we drove right over and started heading up the coast, oh how beautiful it was! We drove all over and then crossed the Golden Gate bridge on our way up to Napa Valley. We drove all through the grape vines, so reminded me of 2 1/2 years ago when we were driving to the Mandache's house from Northern Cali and the Bambrick's were driving from San Francisco, I'm sure we took the same route they did for I recognized some of the places from their pictures.
The sun set as we were driving through the vineyards, it was oh so beautiful. We arrived there easier this time than the last (we got lost a couple times the last time we went to their home.) Got all tucked in (in the house, not the back cabin that is FILLED with spiders, well at least it was last time) and got to bed by 8:00pm their time.
The next morning we headed off to Elmshaven, oh the memories… It's so special to see the places and hear the stories of our Adventist Pioneers. While we were there the little mist turned into rain and well, we still decided to head to the redwood park. The rain would have been ok if it was warm…but it was about 45 degrees out. By the time we got there it was really raining hard, so we decided to drive through rather than walk, oh my are the raindrops HUGE in a redwood forest! It was a beautiful drive, do we ever have an amazing God! When you stand there beneath a tree that is over 300 feet tall, it gives you a new perspective.
From there we headed back down the highway to just about where we started and then went North East to Chico area to spend a couple days with Dr. Gilkes and "Grandma" Arna. We had a wonderful time with them and Dr Gilkes went over my mom's lab and MRI reports with us which was so helpful. We now know more of what we are dealing with, which is scary but good to know the enemy that you are fighting. The Lyme's have really gotten a hold in some bad areas in my mom so please do pray for her and that the treatment will be effective.
Nalani and Grandma Arna had a lot of fun making bread for Sabbath and for our trip. Nalani just loves spending time at Grandma Arna's house. While there the forcast was for SNOW!! We didn't get it but we did have wind like I've never experienced before. Last night the winds got up to 75 mph with gusts up to 100mph. It was raining oh so very hard too! My mom woke me up last night to check the weather report and to tell me that if something came flying through the window (which I was under) to cling to the wall. When we got up this morning the wind had calmed down and the rain had just about stopped. we had decided that if it didn't that we wouldn't be going anywhere today as they have a big bridge that you have to cross going to town and there's no way I'd cross that with 75 mph winds!
This morning we went to church and then drove back through San Francisco to the coast to start our journey to Monrovia, CA.
The sun came out and we were having such a blessed Sabbath when we got to the end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Oh no! Our hearts just sank! When we had crossed it the first time it was free and so we weren't thinking anything about paying to cross it, esp. not during Sabbath hours. We got to the end and saw a line of cars by the toll booths all ready to pay the $6 toll to cross the bridge. While the others were in shock I sent up a prayer for help and suggested that my mom explain the situation to the toll person and see what would happen. My poor mom. still with some slow stuttered speech was trying to get the words out while I was praying for the Lord to soften the toll man's heart. The gentleman just kinda listened then said that they'd mail us something to pay later, then he just stepped back and sent us on our way, never getting our address or giving us anything. We all said a prayer of thanksgiving to the Lord as we continued our journey to the coast.
A beautiful place to close Sabbath was our destination, I timed it out and looked at the map and had a place in mind. It was perfect! We were just about alone, only one other man there to take pictures of the sunset, and us on the beach. How majestic it was to see the huge waves, from the storm, crashing on the rocks and the beach. I climbed up on the top of a rock and decided that there would be my place to close the Sabbath. Looking out at God's amazing creation my mind drifted to our creator, what the earth must have looked like when He created it 6,000 years ago and how it'll be when He re-creates it anew. As I watched the sun going down a song sprung into my mind that we sing as the Sabbath closes "Day is dying…" and I sung to the Lord while watching the mighty waves and the sun slowly drifting through the sky. Nalani joined in her sweet little harmony and soon we were all singing. I pray that it touched the man's heart that was near us. After some time to meditate we closed the Sabbath and climbed up the stairs (on the way down we went my unconventional way, but it was decided that we'd walk back up the way that we were intended to) and got in our vehicle to figure out where to stay the night. After a little searching and changing rooms we are all settled in at Half Moon Bay. Tomorrow morning early I hope to go out and see what I can find.
We'll head down the rest of the way via highway 1, my favorite road in the world, to Malibu and then to Monrovia where we'll begin treatments for my mom.
The doctor is thinking that it's a possibility that I might have it since my mom most likely had it when she was pregnant for me and since I do have just a couple of the symptoms I've started doing the basic treatment, nothing serious as he doesn't think that that is needed at all.
So keep us in your prayers. It's been and will be quite the journey, and it's only the beginning.
I'll update as often as time and internet access allows.
We appreciate all of the calls, emails, and prayers.
~Laura
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