The Wheels on the Bus

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Adventure with a Twist

When I was little I prayed for a brother named Rebecca. A few years later, along came Rebecca:)

This Saturday she's getting married.

Those of you who know my family may suspect this will not be average:

When Becca got older and stopped stealing my dolls, she went to work overseas with YWAM where she met Matthais from Nigeria.

After doing missions in Switzerland and alternately teaching English in Azerbajan, she decided to marry Matthais in Thailand.

The wedding was moved "a little closer to home" (ha): Geneva, Switzerland.

Knowing the 11 of us would be showerless and racing from Chicago to Indiana that weekend, I accepted my lot in life with many a tear and decided to enjoy the pictures.

But we had a schedule change:)

On Thursday my dear, marvelous husband is maneuvering a 45 foot long bus through downtown Chicago to the O"Hare Airport, dropping me off for a flight and 48 hour visit in Geneva, and bravely hauling 9 Busy Bowers children and their gluten free pancakes to Lake Michigan.

And I am thinking: Can I find the right gate? Can I not lose my passport? Do my children swim? Will I end up in Spain?

But also…. isn't the Lord sweet to provide so unexpectedly?

Tomorrow we continue the adventure with a twist:)

I'm bringing someone's camera, earplugs, the book Cassidy gave me called " Queen of the Home" and a huge thank you note to my parents, because tickets to Geneva four days before are like buying a house.

And Lord willing:

The Bowers clan will be back together on Sunday to head for Ohio, while Becca and Matthais honeymoon in Greece before moving to the Republic of Georgia which is NOT the Peach Tree state:)

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Lego time in the bathroom

Interview in Sioux Falls

Radio show in Appleton.....He only looks like Secret Service.

U.S.S. South Dakota....in more battles than any other ship

U.S.S. South Dakota Bell

Bowers girls working hard

Trying to deplete our energy stores. Next to impossible.

America the Beautiful.... starring Crockett Henry

Just say,"AHHHH."

Sugar and spice...mostly spice.

I-pod girl listening to the Botkin sisters

Fort Belmont

The Lone Ranger rides again

The Calico Forge Blacksmith would be proud:)

John Wilbur Chapman preachin' to the choir

98 Degrees and Still Rolling!

Greetings from Chicago (98 degrees!) and welcome to one of the craziest stretches of Bowers' bus living on record so far:)

Seems rather boring and unthankful to sum up each day this past week with, "We drove for a thousand hours, we sang and Curtis spoke." But that is about how it's been:

Monday and Tuesday: events through South Dakota

Wednesday to Friday: events all over Minnesota

Saturday: drove to Appleton Wisconsin to sing/speak in services Sunday morning

Curtis is booked twice a day in Chicago until this Wednesday

(That's a lot of rattling around in the old Endurance with corn chips flying and water bottles rolling!)

I am ever thankful for the girls who point out the very funny side of all this. They make me laugh when the boys are loudly wrestling/yodeling/dive bombing like maniacs, the fridge keeps flying open, Crosby will NOT sleep, and Curtis is trying to park the bus (gracefully). It is very comical, very stinky, very humbling, and so very good for those of us (me) with perfectionist visions of how things ought to be. When you pray for the peace of Jerusalem, you can also pray for the peace of the bus:)

We praise the Lord for these opportunities and for excellent attendance at every event so far. We have met so many dedicated people who love our country and love Curtis:)

Thank you so much for your prayers.

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Welcome to Walmart

Here's our new favorite Carolina story:)

Last night Curtis ran into Walmart to get Peppermint tea for the girls. On his way out, he reminded me to lock the door behind him. A few minutes later I heard a knock and thought, "Wow! That was fast."

Before I opened it, I looked and realized it wasn't Curtis. A totally crazy drug addict had decided the bus looked like a nice place to visit. Thankfully the locked bus is very solid, but for the next 10 minutes, which seemed like an eternity, Mr. Parking Lot certainly had us on our toes.

I've always had a special admiration for our fog horn but never really tried it before. When he started hanging on the rear view mirrors and looking through the windshield wipers, it just seemed like the thing to do. This made him REALLY mad, which was when my dear, ever relaxed Carolina sweetly called 911.

As she provided the operator with details, ("He's now ripping off his sweatshirt and trying to throw a gallon water jug through the window…Yes, Ma'am….He's kicking the lights, tossing his backpack and trying to climb up the side. He's using sign language?"), I continued applying the horn, not at all calm, with my own running commentary: "Just how long can one man take to find the tea? The wandering Walmart security guy…is he eating a sandwich somewhere? How big is Spearfish South Dakota ANYWAY!!?"

And finally, finally… three police cars arrived and he was arrested. Carolina concluded her animated conversation with 911, the ever-ready Bowers boys put their weapons away, and when Curtis got back with the Celestial Seasonings, the whole scene almost looked peaceful again.

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We are so thankful to the Lord for protecting us and sending help when we needed it.

We also got to talk with the officers about traveling, singing and AGENDA, and gave them gospel tracts. And when we asked if we could take pictures for our little blog, they said, "Do you want the flashing lights off or on?"

God is so good:)