over these hills you’ll go

From the mountains I heard you call
so i went running to collect them all
the gifts you showed me, all your best parts
when I got there all I saw was..

Blue Mountains for the heart of me
and a highway where you must be driving since you last saw me
Over my heart, over these hills you’ll go
Over my heart, over these hills you’ll go

If you’re running for the hills why don’t you
Find a place for us to dance slow
By the light I’ll say I love you
we’ll be hanging there right under..

Blue Mountains for the heart of me
and a highway where you must be driving since you last saw me
Over my heart, over these hills you’ll go
Over my heart, over these hills you’ll go

~ Jenn Grant, Blue Mountain

It’s finally here! The kids have been counting down the weeks and days and finally it’s here.

We’re arrived in the beautiful mountains of British Columbia for a week of sport and refreshment. We started planning this 2nd annual trip during last year‘s vacation so needless to say we’re excited. And once again my sister is joining us – yay for a slow archaeological season in March.

The trip was somewhat harrowing. Sleet, rain, snow, and ice. Ugh. Rather unfunny that after waiting, hoping, and praying for some sweet winter snow it came on the day we are leaving town. And even more wonderful that we were leaving town for the even snowier mountains.

We were rerouted to another highway which took us much longer than we’d hoped. We ended up driving in the dark which we’d hoped to avoid and missed our early check-in. 

My sister followed behind us in her little rental. I kept tabs on her through the side mirror (see the happy Mazda lights?). I worried she’d be about as tense as I was feeling in our vehicle but it turns out she was (nearly) as cool as a cucumber. At our snow-covered bathroom stop in Lake Louise she greeted our grey faces with a much more cheerful shade.

Maybe she was just thankful she wouldn’t be left in charge of catching any nephew up-chucks this go round?

The kids were so good to us. I guess the 12 – 14 hour trips to the grandparents Jay made the relatively short (five hour) trip today seem easier. They even seemed to go easy on the snack demands although I did ply them with chocolate a few times. We stayed entertained with The Famous Five and carrot sticks. We sang along with Raffi and Florence.

The weather got worse. We lost the light. I freaked out a little and Dan looked a bit grim (he doesn’t often look grim). I worried anew about my sister – this being, after all, only two days after she told me she can’t see well to drive in the dark.

When things were looking quite bad, we paused the story and requested some praying help from the back seat. Once again the faith of a child (or children) astounds me. What my silently whispered prayers weren’t seeing in the front seat those shouted prayers from the backseat   saw in less than a minute. We drove out of the driving sleet and snow onto dry pavement just like that. As Elizabeth describes it, it was “pretty cool”.

The rest of drive was peaceful. Liam marvelled that he didn’t feel the least bit carsick (another word of thanks on that one). I picked up my knitting for the first time during the drive. My sister went hoarse singing in her car.

We got in to our home for the week with some rowdy, hungry people; filled up on cereal; and settled little people into beds. The last little standing was the two-year-old who was finally sung to sleep around 11pm.

And now our vacation has truly begun. Dan has hit the slopes. The big three will join him this afternoon. I’m cozy by the fire here taking care of food, naps, and snuggles. And of course I’m the official vacation knitter. I can handle that.