I remember when I first saw Dances With Wolves how pretty I thought the prairies were. It has been nice seeing them first hand. Today we sped across the rest of Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and came to a full stop in Uniontown, PA. There is something daunting about looking for a hotel every night. We didn't want an itinerary, but the price to pay is finding or not finding a decent place to stay that won't break the budget. Tonight we thought we were stuck. The only place in town acceptable was the Holiday Inn. Usually more expensive. Imagine my sheer joy when it was less than some other places we stayed and has everything needed to survive for... maybe ever... within it's four walls. The center of the hotel is a courtyard featuring a huge swimming pool with tables and chairs and chaise lounges, a spa and an indoor playground, air hockey, billiards and ping-pong. There are also a restaurant, arcade, hair salon, guest laundry facilities, cookies and punch, etc. Our room opens onto the courtyard and a rear hallway to the outside. Everything is soft and lovely and I am sitting in a leather swivel office chair writing this tonight. Not bad. I asked the fam how long they wanted to stay! But, tomorrow we go tour Fallingwater and then to the Indian Echo Caverns (2 great places to stay out of the 98 degree weather we've been having. I forgot how much fun the heat is.)
So, on another note. I have some observations to share about the last week. Sometime try putting your whole family in a 4 foot by 6 foot space for 8 days. Only get out to go to the bathroom in unfamiliar places, eat outdoors and sleep in a variety of beds. Things will begin to happen. Feelings will surface. Your communication skills will be put to the test. You may find they are not as strong as you thought. On the bright side, this may be like immersion therapy, like putting arachnophobes in a room with tarantulas to get over it. Ok, I personally think that's going too far but bear with me. When you are confined with people you have to work out the kinks or havoc will break out. You find out what your weaknesses and sensitivities are and whether or not you are good at being a team player. I have found that none of us are the best team players. Not that I was totally clueless about this flaw in my character but it does seem magnified in all of us when put into a small blue box. We each have 'suffered for the other's desires to visit certain spots (I almost paying with my life; per my last blog entry). My conclusion is it is hard to be a family, even when you're in God's family. But it is worth the trouble it takes to put the others before yourself. I have found out things I believe God wants us to change about our characters and He is using our confinement to bring things out into the light so that He can help us grow up just a little more. So this trip is full of adventures, outside and inside the car. He is preparing us for some future events that we cannot foresee. I just hope we don't kill each other on the way!
Thought you might appreciate this:
ReplyDeleteElizabeth Simpson Bradshaw A widow, with five children, the youngest only 6 years of age, walked across the American prairie pushing all her family possessions in a handmade, wooden handcart. After much tribulation, more than could ever be told, Elizabeth, with all of her children still alive, arrived at her destination, the Salt Lake Valley. There in the West she made her home, reared her children, and is honored by her posterity.