Monday afternoon, June 9, 2008

Riding shotgun as we sit in line to cross into Canada

Well, we said goodbye in the rain to Larrabee State Park. Yesterday was lovely, and perhaps we should have gone on and packed up while still having the chance to do it dry, but I suppose we were meant to tuck those pop up panels wet, again. Happily, Cole and I are getting quite fast at this. He cranks the camper down while I tuck the canvas. Usually by this time, Simon is buckled in his car seat and Taido is strapping bikes on the back of the van. It was nice to sleep five nights in the same place, without having to take down anything, but it was definitely time. We are ready for new territory.

Yesterday morning we tried to go to church. We had one all picked out. We even gave ourselves an hour to find it, but an hour and 20 minutes after we left camp, we were still circling the same block where it was supposed to be, but just was not. We went back to the exact same spot twice, once on our own following the map and then one more time following a Google map. Alas, it was not to be. We still don’t know where Northlake Community Church is, but the miracle of the morning is that I did not throw a fit. And the children, after driving around all morning looking for a church, also did not throw a fit. We went back to the spot in a parking lot where we had gotten a map via internet and I started looking for other places for us to go. Places with later services. I finally found this church that had a 5 pm service. It looked a little different, but Taido said he was willing to give it a go. So, I sent the pastor an email warning him that we had four kids (I didn’t want to totally overwhelm their childcare situation) and we headed to REI. Because we also worship gear, apparently. Actually, it was strange how little we both felt like we needed. I had this same feeling on Saturday morning when we went to the Bellingham Farmers’ Market, which is not really a farmers’ market (there were a couple of farmers) but more of an artisans’ market. And while I can certainly appreciate, under the right circumstances, a crafty market, it was hard not to just feel like the whole place was mostly covered up with junk nobody needs. Nice junk. But still, just stuff. Even if I wanted something or thought something was really pretty, where would I put it? The van is full enough as it is and I’m not wearing anything but what I have on all summer, or a slight variation of what I have on. Anyway, we did get Simon a pair of wool socks at REI, because wool socks really are necessary in the constant wet and cold, maybe not necessary, but very helpful. And the rest of us have them, so it just seems right that he should too. And Mary Polly spent the rest of her money on a small camp side table. She was determined to have it, saying that she and Simon could sit at it the rest of the summer, since Simon has so much trouble sitting at the camp picnic tables without spilling food all over the place because the benches are so far from the table. It was really kind of sweet. So, with table in tow, we headed back to camp to fix lunch. The campground had cleared out by the time we returned. All our new friends are gone! We had steak at the kids’ begging for the first time on our trip, which Taido had marinated and grilled to perfection. Plus potatoes, onions and pencil thin asparagus. I love those teeny tiny asparagus.

Then at 4 we left to try to make the 5pm service at MissioDei, which is a new church that meets at a house, with the childcare on the second floor. There would be no sneaking in and out. But instead, we were like a third of those in attendance. We were refreshed with music, scripture reading, teaching, discussion, communion and even a meal. The kids loved the gal who was in charge of childcare, especially since the four of them made up the entire children’s program for the night. I asked the girl how many she usually had and she said, well sometimes, we have about two. Sweet. We doubled the usual average. It was nice just to be in a home for the evening, and of course they had to welcome us in and ask us what we were doing all the way up here from Arkansas and where were we living, always fun to explain about the pop up, you know. All in all, we were all so glad we went and it was great to pull back up to our camper and not have to cook, but just change into pj’s and read The Penderwicks on Gardam Street and fall asleep feeling like yes, it was Sunday today and tomorrow starts a new week.

Now we are driving in the POURING DOWN RAIN to another campground. We are stuck in a lot of traffic, but who cares you know because I am in NO hurry to get out of the van in this rain. Taido went back to the library this morning and the kids and I sat in the camper listening to the rain, trying to stay warm and reading the Penderwicks. I have almost thawed out now, but not quite, so a little longer in the car will be just fine with me. Just fine. Five more days until we get to check into our house, but who’s counting?