"Beach" Treasure

Although the Lord made His will very clear in Las Cruzes, New Mexico, this same clarity was unseen at Elephant Butte State Park, just outside of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico.  Not only did our dog get really sick just days before my leaving to Minneapolis for a wedding, but there were windy, napless, and downright terrible “school” days.  As mentioned earlier, I need to reread my blogs, because embarrassingly, I was even doubting this crazy adventure.  Details aside, I felt like a bad wife, mom, and teacher.  I was planning how we should go home (wherever that may be), I should get a job working with animals who don’t talk back, and put my kids in school and daycare where they had sane people taking care of them, because clearly I was not.  Despite this terrible scheming, I was lesson planning for Spanish when in walks Addalynn and Ethan with new “treasures” they had found on the beach: a Spanish talking and singing Arial mermaid doll and a sand dune buddy car (we later picked up the brand new pail and shovel that they had found for Abram).  For those of you who don’t know our children, these toys could not be more perfect for each of them!  I seriously had to laugh out loud you guys.  Here I am, attending my own pity party, dwelling on the fact that I am a terrible mom and teacher, and God is out on the beach gifting my three kids (and husband who got to drive our jeep on the beach) with toys He not only knew they would love, but toys He knew would show me how much He loves them, and is going to help me through this so often daunting task of being a wife, mom, and teacher…on the road.  Thank you Lord!  I need all the help I can get (even if it’s from Ariel 😉).  After leaving Elephant Butte which was wonderful, just colder and not as scenic as I imagine the white gulf sands of Padre Island will be, we headed through Las Cruces again on our way to White Sands, Carlsbad Caverns, Marfa, and finally down on into Big Bend, Texas. 

White Sands was AMAZING!  The best playground for an almost two year old we’ve found yet!  Although I am glad we waited a day for the wind to die down.  Carlsbad Caverns, unreal!  Literally, either the dim lights of the caves, the humidity, or their out of this world beauty made me feel like I was dreaming.  Marfa and its mysterious lights, definitely had me thinking.  So much so that I wanted to drive to where the lights where coming from just to make sure no one was “spotlighting” to trick me (I was the baby of my family).  Big Bend National Park was not at all what I imagined, but I don’t know why that surprises me anymore, nothing is!  It was becoming ever apparent we were losing touch with the rest of the world as we made the two hour trek down to this “must see” park: we had no cell phone service (now you can have some grace with the month late blog posts).  The terrain driving in to the park was desert-like and desolate, nothing new.  We couldn’t run our generator camping back country.  So there was only one place in all the park we could stay: Rio Grand Village.  But I tell you, the minute we saw the green life drawn from the Rio Grand River and felt the warmth (it was 104 the day we arrived), I was ready to stay.  Although my poor husband would laugh at that last statement.  This may surprise you and totally contradict this whole adventure we’re on, but I am not a good traveler.  I hate change, have a hard time being flexible, love routine, and have a tendency to set expectations.  Something’s gotta give!  Thankfully he’s learning to tune me out in a loving way, knowing that I’ll be fine in a couple days ;o)  Big Bend was Breathtaking and Lifegiving.  Read on…