There were a few major differences, too. I had two favorites. One was warm weather (of course). We learned of the crazy weather in the central portion of the country. Even Grove was getting freezing rain Friday! I'm really glad we left Thursday and went south. A few sprinkles, but nothing major in Texas.
My other favorite was how much God is invited into this area. In Minnesota, I'm used to seeing some fish on the back of cars and there's one billboard that says "Love God. Love People." promoting the nearby church. I'm sure it's just because I usually drive around the Twin Cities metropolitan area, but I don't really see a lot about God around town. In Oklahoma and Texas we saw silos, billboards, barns and businesses with "In God We Trust" or "Jesus Saves" on the sides. We saw lots of creative decals on cars promoting God. The gas stations sold Christian paraphernalia. We even found the restaurants to promote Jesus. (See the kid menus in the photos below.) God and Jesus seemed to be everywhere! I hear Texans call their state "God's Country." In the past I felt like Texans were boasting - as if they were saying nowhere else except Texas was God's country. My perception has changed. The entire world is God's, especially the United States, but Texans seem to give up their land to the Lord. Overall, it seems in much of Oklahoma and Texas that God is Truth and the One in control. Most of the United States is passing laws that are pushing God and His truths out of businesses, schools, media, and any public arena. Texas and Oklahoma seem to have chosen to keep God right in the center. Another reason why I would to move to Texas in the future (besides the warm weather, of course).
I would not move to El Paso, though. Thursday night we boondocked at a rest stop west of Abilene, Texas, off Interstate 20. Friday morning we continued west on I20, which met up with Interstate 10. Have you ever driven on Interstate 10 on the west side of Texas? It takes you right along the Mexican border. As we approached El Paso Travis yelled out, "Hey guys! There's Mexico!"
"Can we go there?" the kids asked. Um...no. I told them it was because we didn't have passports for them (which is true). Remembering last year's time in Chula Vista viewing Tijuana from a distance, Taite pointed out that this is the second time we have been close enough to Mexico that we can see people's homes, yet will not be going into the country. Juarez and Tijuana are not the places I would take my children to first experience Mexico.
There was a distinct difference between what we saw on the Mexico side of Interstate 10 and the U.S. side. In Mexico the houses were like run-down trailer homes built into the side of a mountain. They were practically on top of each other. It reminded me of pictures I've seen of one of my favorite charities, the MORE Project located in the slums of Brazil.
This is a photo of Juarez
Here I must share an unforgettable conversation Travis, Jim, Linda and I had with Derick and Michelle (Travis' brother and brother's wife) over Thanksgiving. (*Disclaimer - the conversation went something like this, but it might not be exact...) Derick and Michelle have some very close friends - Sergio and Martha - who are originally from Ciudad Juarez and they still have close family there.
Me: Why do they stay in Iowa if their family is in Mexico?
Derick: Because they are from Juarez! It is so dangerous there! For example, Sergio's aunt apparently has a really nice home there. It's where Sergio and Martha go for family reunions every few years or so. Around the perimeter of her property she has tall fences with barbed wire at the top.
Me: Oh dear!
Derick: Yeah, there is just a lot of corruption in Juarez. A lot of drugs and a powerful drug cartel. They just take whatever they want. They wanted Sergio's grandmother's home so they told her to get out. Sergio told us about a billboard - literally one you can drive by along the road - that has a hit list on it. You do NOT want your name on that billboard. He's even seen dogs wandering around with human heads in their mouths.
Yikes! That's no joke! I can see why those people might flee to the U.S. side! My heart skips a beat as I think of the evil. It all reminds me of the year I read the Bible cover to cover. Genesis to 2 Chronicles is ugly - doom and gloom. By the time I arrived at Ezra I felt hopeless. Mostly because our world today is not so different from the world 2,000, 4,000, and 6,000 years ago. Thankfully today we have Jesus to offer us hope and a future, and the Holy Spirit to live in us and help us do the right thing.
Speaking of doing the right thing, Friday I did the right thing and let Travis take over the driving. ;-) I am perplexed at his driving skills. As we drove I could still feel the RV floating back and forth - just like it was when I was driving. But Travis doesn't seem to be bothered by it. He'll drive one-handed while he drinks his coffee or eats lunch. He can chat with the person riding shotgun (nobody was allowed to talk to me unless we were stopped). He was even on conference calls for over 3 hours Friday morning! (Of course, he had his fancy Blue Parrott headset on.) Maybe I was over-reacting? Maybe he's more comfortable with it since he's driven over 6,000 miles more than I have? Either way, I'd prefer if he was behind the wheel from now on.
He drove us toward Tucson. We stopped at our favorite New Mexico dive - The Grand Motor Inn. Aunt Sharon told us about it last year and we loved it then. We thought we'd give it a second opinion. We knew in advance who could handle the heat and we ordered appropriately. And we loved it again.
After dinner the girls and I were exhausted so we read books, prayed and fell asleep. As I was dozing off I could hear Lincoln, who had plopped himself in the passenger seat, talk to Travis.
Lincoln: Dad, what's your favorite football team? (Lincoln is a fabulous conversationalist!)
Travis: The Huskers.
L: What's your favorite Big 10 team?
T: The Huskers.
L: Oh. Um, how 'bout your favorite Big 8 team?
At this point Taite joined the conversation (of course) and corrected Lincoln, encouraging him to ask Dad about the Big 12. Once they got through all the major college conferences they moved on to professional teams. This time Travis asked the questions.
Travis: Lincoln, do you like the Vikings?
L: Yes
T: Why?
L: Because they are from Minnesota.
T: Ok, do you like the Browns?
L: Yes.
T: Why?
L: Because they are brown. I like brown
And orange.
T: Ok. Do you like the Buffalo Bills?
L: No.
T: Why?
L: Because buffalos scare me.
T: Do you like the Packers?
L: Yes.
T: What?!
L: I mean no. I mean yes. Um...
T: We are going to have to talk about that one later. Do you like the 49ers?
L: Yes
T: Why?
L: Because it sounds like 29 and mom's 29.
That's right. That's my boy!
The boys all stayed awake until we arrived in Tucson. We stayed at the Lazy Days RV Park. They had a heated pool. Travis drew back the shades Saturday morning and Lincoln was the first to notice. By 8:30am all four Wilson children were swimming away! It was a balmy 48 degrees in Tucson Saturday morning. (I could even see my breath!) But the pool was 85 degrees.
By 10:30am the kids had swam, showered and done the dishes. Travis and I cleaned up and packed up. Orange, grapefruit, lemon and olive trees lined the RV park roads so we grabbed a few oranges for the drive. As we drove away from Lazy Days Travis noticed a lot with new and used RV's for sale. "They've got a lot of RV's here!" he said. Lincoln responded, "And cactuses!" Taite cringed at the reminder of his run-in (literally) with a cactus last year at Aunt Sharon and Uncle Harold's. Ouch!
Ok, one more story. We learned something new about each of our kids:
It was Thursday night. We had just met up with Travis in Forth Worth. We walked to IHOP for dinner (not our first choice, but the peanut filled Texas Roadhouse wasn't a safe choice and the bar/grill next to it was not our best option either). While we waited for our food Travis said, "Ok. Here's a question for you. Just say the first thing that comes to your mind. Don't think about it for too long. What is the thing you are most afraid of?" (Apparently he and some friends played this question-asking 'game' at a Christmas party Wednesday night.)
Lincoln: Dinosaurs!
Mom: Ooh, that's a good one Lincoln. Especially since they are extinct and can't get you.
Taite: Umm...probably having to use my EpiPen...and peanuts. (He did have to use his EpiPen on Halloween. It is no longer the fear of the unknown.)
Calla: Tornadoes (She really has always been afraid of tornadoes. I'm not sure why.)
Parker: (meekly) I don't know... (She is just too darn cute.)
Lincoln: And buffaloes!! (?!?!?)
Who knew?!
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