~Seeing the Grand Canyon, and other events in AZ.~

(Thank you so much, Mrs. K, for your very nice comment.  Sorry, it took me so long to respond.  I was traveling and my phone wouldn't let me respond, so I had to wait until I could use my computer. :-)  Your words regarding my blog and our family were so kind!  Thank you!  I am so glad that you and your family are serving Jesus and shining for Him.  Praise God for His help to your special son. I am glad that God is using your family for Him.  Isn't it humbling to be used of God, even in the smallest of ways?  May God continue to bless and encourage you and give you a wonderful 2017 in Him!! )

~Heather~
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Well, After 24 days of being gone, (Jan 7th-Jan. 31st) we drove 19 1/2 hours straight from Nebraska and got home early last Tuesday morning.  Yes, I'm still exhausted!!!
In the last few days we have unpacked the truck and trailer, and unpacked suitcases, tried to catch up on laundry, took down Christmas, homeschooled, and got ready for Phillip to go on a mission's trip.
This morning, my sweetheart Phillip and Bro. Becker left to go to Colombia to visit with /teach/preach to our people there, and then on to Peru to minister with our missionaries the Flings.  Please PRAY that God will help them.
They will be visiting all 3 works in Colombia and doing teaching and preaching in each of the 3 cities: Bogota, Medellin, and Cartagena.
Then on to Peru.  In Peru, there is A LOT of rain, which is causing Flooding and Landslides.
I don't know that they were planning to go to those parts to minister, but PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYING FOR THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST EVERYTHING, AND SOME HAVE LOST LOVED ONES!! :-(

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On Wednesday, Jan. 18th, our family got to go to the Grand Canyon.  Here's some pics that we took on the way up there. 

~It's not often you see a sign like this on the road.~

 ~We LOVE our AZ.  God did a great job with it. ~

 ~Watch for Elk, next 40 miles.~

 ~On the way up, we stopped at an abandoned exit and let the kids explore, while we did some business on the phone.
Right before we left, I looked down at the ground and saw $30.00 cash on the ground!!!!
Praise the Lord!  That paid for our entry fee for the Grand Canyon...which was good for 7 days.~

 ~Here's the $30.00 cash we found on the ground at the exit above.  Praise the Lord!~

 ~Beautiful San Fransico Peaks in Flagstaff, AZ.~

 ~Flagstaff.~

 ~We got lunch at this Papa John's in Flag, and then headed to the Grand Canyon.~

 When we got to the Grand Canyon area, the hotels were crazy expensive.  Phillip stopped at a "Red Feather Lodge" and they wanted $104.00 for 2 queen size beds...and NO breakfast. :-(
Since we arrived at the Grand Canyon at SUNSET...we wanted to spend the night locally and see the Grand Canyon again at Sunrise too, before we left.
Phillip finally told me, "If I can find a hotel for under $80.00, then we will stay."
So, he ran into Holiday Inn Express to price it, and I BEGAN TO PRAY!  When he walked in, he heard the lady behind the desk on the phone and she said, "That will be $204 for 2 nights!" GULP!!! :-(
So, when she got off the phone, he asked her the price of a room with 2 Queen size beds, and she didn't say anything (because there were people around) but wrote "$79" on a paper and slipped it to him.  That included TAXES and a HOT BREAKFAST!!!
He GRABBED IT UP, knowing that Jesus had just created a miracle for our family!!!!!!
~Here we are walking to a point to see the sun set...and while walking (only buses were allowed on this road) we heard a pack of Coyotes near us.  SPOOKY!!!~

 ~An elk.~

 ~The Grand Canyon at Sunset!!~

  ~God is an amazing creator to create this beautiful scenery!!~

 ~Elijah eating snow.~

 ~In the gift shop with Abigail...and she was looking at a scorpion inside a sucker.~

~A Grand Canyon selfie.~

 ~The next morning, we got up and were OUT OF OUR HOTEL ROOM, and all of our stuff was in the truck, and we were eating our hot breakfast in our Hotel by 6:10!  Amazing for our family of 8!!
Sarah did her hair in 2 cute little buns.~

  ~And this is what the weather looked like for the OUR MORNING!!~

 

 ~So, though, SURPRISE OF ALL SURPRISES... we were EARLY to see the sunrise...it was snowing to beat the band, and we saw NO SUNRISE!!~

 ~And THIS is the Grand Canyon that we could see. :-) ~

 

 ~But we laughed and enjoyed ourselves and the now thoroughly~

~Phillip's beard froze!~

 ~My Sweetheart and I.~

 ~Abigail all worn out...by 8:00 A.M. ~

 ~Such fun to drive in the snow.~

 ~At the main lodge.  Abigail was sleeping, so Noah and Phillip are carrying her in her stroller.~

 ~3 of our girls...since Abigail was sleeping.~

 ~Mommy with 3 of her girls.~

 ~Down by the train tracks.~

 ~One lodge decorated for Christmas.~

 ~You can hardly see the mountain ahead in the snow.~

 ~Heading back into Flagstaff~

 ~We like these signs in Flagstaff...including Route 66!~

 ~Heading down to Sedona thru Oak Creek Canyon.~

 ~The snow on all these trees was so neat!~

~I love these colorful rocks.~

 ~Abigail in Sedona.~

 ~"Snoopy the dog" laying down on the mountain.  (Nose to the left and his feet are sticking up on the right.)~

 ~"Lucy" sitting up in the middle on top.~

 ~Elijah and Mary~

 ~Elijah and Mary.~

 ~Abigail~

 ~Are you encouraged? :-) ~

 ~One more glance of snoopy.~

 ~Such neat red rock...but with the overcast skies, you can't tell it.~

 ~The McD's in Sedona has a GREEN "M."~

 ~We bought some choc. fudge in Sedona to share.~

 ~Then we rushed down to Phoenix, to attend Prayer meeting at our Gospel Center Church that night. God gave us a wonderful service.
This is the sweet bulletin board that Sis. Wheeler made for our family for the Sunday (Jan. 15th) that we had a joint church mission's service.~

 ~After church the Wheelers, Dad D. and our family went to McD's for a quick snack and visit.  Grandpa let Kimberly drive his nice truck.~

 ~We had fun visiting together.~

 ~The girls~

 ~Having tea at Grandmas.~

 ~Grandma and Abigail~

 ~A dear lady, my new friend, Charollette S. dropped by with these 2 nice gift bags (below) and these yummy chocolates were inside.~

 ~Friday, Jan. 20th, Dad and Mom celebrated 44 years of Marriage!!~

 ~So we all ran to their Salvation Army and Goodwill (cause Dad and Mom wanted us to go there with them) and then our family took them out to eat at the restaurant of their choice, which was...Hometown Buffet.~

 ~Elijah got a LITTLE CARRIED AWAY...with his CHOCOLATE desserts!!~

 ~And Mary did too~

 ~Sarah was praying with Abigail, and I missed the picture, so we tried to retake a pic, and we had to take Several due to Goofy Abigail making Sarah laugh...but we finally got....  ~

 ~this one!  So Sweet!~

 ~Elijah made these neat "Tommy Hawks" and did a great job.  The little one was for Abigail.~

Again, Prayers for Phillip and Bro. Becker 
and for our family are 
GREATLY APPRECIATED!!
More pics of the rest of our days in AZ, and our time in Colorado and Nebraska on the way home coming soon.
~Heather~