It is rare when one can say they have been on vacation (five states in ten days) with two Rachel Elizabeth’s! One Rachel is my youngest daughter, and the other is her best friend, who I call my fourth daughter.

If I was making a commercial, I could list the individual ways we spent money: airfare, rental car, gas, hotels, and food.

But instead, I choose to focus on the priceless parts of our trip. The longer I live, the more I have learned to appreciate the senses God gave us.

Gift of Sight

     I etched some visions from this trip into my heart. I had the pleasure of watching my “fourth daughter’s” face light up,  seeing the beauty of the west coast. Her enthusiasm of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge stretch over the bay was precious. Driving up Hwy. 1, which weaves along the coast, we watched the waves crash into the rocky terrain. We talked about God’s power. His might was also seen in the enormous redwood trees! One of my Rachel’s most cherished sites was seeing her Aunt Jeanie and Uncle Bill’s enthusiasm when they greeted her. She seemed to be making mental photographs of her grandparents, knowing it will be a while before she saw them again.

     Perhaps, the most precious site on our whirl–wind trip was our amazement as Great-Grandma Mona, who is 93. On afternoon she slid into the floor for my Rachel to play with her hair. Then she practically jumped up out of the floor!

Scents

Refreshing smells of salt in the ocean and sweet perfume made me smile over the past ten days. The odor of urine, from the mass of homeless people on the streets of downtown Portland, made us so grateful for our blessings.

Scrumdiddlyumptious 

Ah, the food that our mouths inhaled! I savored clam chowder on the pier in San Francisco. We ate burgers cooked by my sister-in-law outside Sacramento. Then in Oregon we devoured meatballs made by a beloved cousin and the barbecued tuna grilled at my brother and sister-in-law. Finally, there was a specialness in the taste of Applebee’s chips and dips simply because we had driven 20 extra miles to cross the state line and spend the night in Vancouver, Washington.

Tantalizing Touch

     God seems to think of everything; how remarkable is our sense of touch? In California, I held Grandma’s sweet, worn-out leathery hands. Her hug embraced me, reassuring me that one time or distance would change the love she had for me. Later in Sacramento and in Portland, we sensed the uncertainty of a few double-decker and draw bridges as we tightly. We had the pleasure of feeling a cool breeze by the coasts, and for this menopausal women, it was even more of a treat! Along with some of windy moments, we felt the warmth of smooth sand on our feet as the three of us sat with my in-laws enjoying some sweet stories with each other. And, there was the feeling of a tear or two that trickled down my face as we left each relative’s residence.

The Sounds of this Season of Life

Many of the adults I have adored over the years now need help with their hearing. The most blessed sounds I heard on the trip were the sweet caregivers at the assisted living home where Grandma Mona and Grandpa Jack lived. “Good morning, Jack, I brought in your medicine,” or the joyful, young lady who greeted us at breakfast, “Mona, what could I get you for breakfast this morning?”

The sound of laughter accompanied the three of us as we rode from city to city was priceless. “Hey, Mom, I think this is your lake up ahead. It’s named Loon Lake!”

     The Sense of Belonging

Rachel and Rachel were troopers, having to hang out with a 50 year old on this trip. I know I am blessed; they made me feel a little more carefree and young again. I believe I did ok, hanging with them, until I accidently called the rapper Tupac, “Toepac”!

Visiting with relatives, who could have allowed life to separate us, rewarded me with some of the most precious gifts of all time.

Over the past ten days, R & R took on a whole new meaning! And I have the selfies to prove it!

-Karla