Crazy Pass Driving and Paul's Parents' Missionary Farewell

The day after Carly's party/Ski Day, we headed OVER the mountains to Selah to be with the Leavens family for the weekend. Paul's parents are heading out on a mission to New England (Vermont, New Hampshire and part of Maine) for two years, this week and were giving their farewell talks on March 8th. They were also getting set apart, as missionaries, after church. Our trip over the pass was quite the adventure - YEAH for 4WD! It was quite slow go from North Bend to almost Ellensburg - chains required that whole time. Here's some pics:

It wouldn't be bad at all if all the DUMB people (who don't know how to drive in the snow) would stay off the roads. There were people without 4WD, who thought they could do it without chains, EVERYWHERE on the sides of the roads - blocking and causing great hazards. These people needed to just stay home. It was pert near a parking lot at a certain point!

We did make it around all the knuckle heads and here's what welcomed us on the other side. Quite the contrast, wouldn't you say? Literally, ahead of us was this and out the back window was dark, yuckiness...

So, half the family was here, our family, Steve's family and Tami's family. They did a great job on their talks and the setting apart as missionaries afterwards was wonderful! Wish I would have know that we were going to have time gathered in the high council room, as a family, and that grandma and grandpa were going to break into storytelling time. Heard some amazing stories for the first time and they both bore their testimonies. Wish I'd had the video camera!

Above, after church trying to corral the troops for photo session time. Below, all grandkids present with Grandma and Grandpa. From top, Kailey, Mackenzie, Brianna, TJ, Rachel, Carly, Aaron, G-ma, Sydney, G-pa and Alise.

Our Family with Grandma and Grandpa:

Just Us:

Dinnertime at Tami's:

It was a quick trip, but so worth it! Before we headed home, Paul's parents handed us a number of things to take home. Among the items was a box that had been packed for us from Great Grandma Leavens' house before they sold it. The box had "for Paul" on it and had been at his parent's house for a number of years. We found a treasure trove inside when we got home and spent family home evening, on Monday, going through the box. In the box were many items, among them being notebooks containing grandma's journals and a number of spiral notebooks she had written her personal history and her mother's history in. WOW! I've now added typing these things up, to my list of family history chores to do. What a fun chore though! Thanks to Great Grandma Leavens for being such the historian and leaving such treasures for us to enjoy for generations to come!