Up The Hill

So I rallied the troops and we headed up a local ski hill to visit Becci and the family who are skiing for a few days. I figured it would be a lovely prayer drive for Oma, Tante Hilda and Elsie and that they would love the winter scenes and family rendezvous. 

This has been an exceptional year for snow and we left Spring behind when we rounded the corner that heads up the hill. 

This stop sign gives you an idea of how much snow is still hanging around at the end of March!

It was an exquisite drive and such fun to enter the strange white world.

Kind of like opening the closet door to Narnia...

Becci does some writing for a travel company which earns her points towards accommodation and the place she found was over the top amazing. The views were stunning and we felt like we were sitting on top of the world. 

And the best part was connecting with these kids again.

Alexia has grown up.

There's even make up involved!!

(Completely unnecessary as she is simply gorgeous, but we all know what it's like to be 13 and wanting to use PRODUCTS)

And Luca?

Heart melting smile and an eagerness to engage with life and people that is so delightful.  He is incredibly huggable. 

He had managed to get lost and then found on the ski hill during the time we were there.  Thankfully he had the smarts to find a ski patrol and get re-connected with his mother! 

The boys have both won awards for their skiing skills. 

This family spends A LOT of time enjoying the outdoors and skiing is a big deal for them. Maybe we'll have an Olympian in our midst as well one day soon...

As you can see Pupcake was a big hit.  

I'm incredibly grateful that the Lord sent this family to live in Kelowna for those years and that they were right under my roof for about 6 months or so.

There is a sweet connection that is precious and they love coming to Kelowna to see all of us.

Even beautiful Christine drove up from Vancouver.

Vic spent a night up there with his grandkids and had fun skiing with them.

He is my hero.

I seriously can't say enough good things about him.

Again, it was like an angel landed in our midst and he fixed things, did paperwork, loved on us and was his amazing cheerful self.

Here he is with Alexia and below is beloved Becci and her sweet Nico.

Nico is gentle hearted and precious. I wish I had more one on one time with him.

The cool thing about this condo was that it was on a ground floor and there was underground parking so Oma and Tante Hilda didn't have to touch any snow!

I love that they are brave enough to do these outings even though it is physically taxing.

Family is worth it.

The drive down the hill was energized with many prayers and songs of worship. 

That hour was one that sees heaven pulled down onto earth.

I just love the passion in these precious women that are some of my closest companions here on this journey to heaven.

What a thrill to drive down the lake towards our comfy little nests. 

For me it's a picture of our journey towards the ultimate goal - our eternal home.  We see it glimmering off in the distance and it gives us hope to finish the race that we have been called to complete. 

Poor beloved Elsie felt so sick on the way home.

She carries the weight of spiritual warfare in her physical body it seems and I pray that she will experience restoration and healing so that she won't succumb to the difficulty of the path.

He is able to do EXCEEDINGLY and ABUNDANTLY MORE than all we are able to ask or imagine.

That means there are going to be some outrageously wonderful answers to prayers happening very soon!