Trip to Alberta

Last week we went to Calgary for Matthias' yearly check-up. All the doctors said he was doing great. The kids had a lot of fun playing in the hospital, especially the elevator! While we were in Alberta, we took a couple extra days to visit the kids' cousins -- Nathan in Okotoks and Silas in Red Deer. Yay! I was excited to meet Silas, the first child of one of my own siblings!

Carrie Ann was amazed (and a little jealous) to find a baby smaller herself. Bethany learned how to hold him comfortably (something she never quite mastered with Carrie Ann), and enjoyed helping to feed and burp him. Thanks to Dan and Caryn, Deborah and Helen for their hospitality!

Lots more pictures are on my family pictures site.

Matthias was very excited about the trip there. Right when we were about to leave, Frank's sister Deborah called to warn us that it was very snowy there. We looked on the internet and saw some yucky pictures of snow blowing over the road, on every possible route. So we prayed together, and Matthias offered a heartfelt prayer that God would keep the snow from us. Well, we made it to Sparwood with no sign of snow, but at the rest stop there we saw a man from Albert chipping ice blocks off his truck--no fun! He said the worst part was the stretch from Pincher Creek to Fort MacLeod -- a section I usually by-pass by taking Hwy 22, but planned to take that day, since Hwy 2 was plowed but 22 was not.

Well, we set off, and I prayerfully decided to take 22 if it didn't look too bad. Surprisingly, the sun was shining after Sparwood, and by the time we reached 22 we still had not hit the storm -- and the sun had melted all the snow off the road. As we drove up Hwy 22, there was a heat mirage which made it look like the road was covered with snow 100m ahead, and as if it was blowing away as we approached. It was a really neat visual image of the power of God melting the snow to clear the path for us! We were very thankful for the great driving conditions, and Matthias especially rejoiced that his prayer was answered!

The rest of the trip was not quite as good as that first stretch, but God kept us from any accident (and even close calls, though we slid around a little). When we got home, we heard that Bethany's friend Millie had been praying for us the whole time. The prayers of children are powerful in God's eyes!