Sweet friendship

It was cold and starting to rain when we left Moose Jaw, so we stopped to pick up a hot drink for the road. That's when we noticed a neatly packed bicycle outside the store with waterproof panniers, a tent, and other gear strapped on. Having biked across the Rockies in my younger days, I was thinking about how cold and uncomfortable that ride might be in this changing weather. Victor and I looked at each other with the same thought.

I took the kids out to the bus to get them set up for the 8 hour drive to Edmonton. A few minutes later, Victor followed with Gabriel and his bike.

By the end of the 8 hours Gabriel felt like family. He had laughed and played games with our kids until they almost couldn't breathe through their laughter, and he and Victor had talked about family, faith, and purpose.

We shared a meal, and a "see you later," as we made plans to take him as far as Jasper in a few days. Offering kindness to a stranger turned out to be a total blessing in disguise.

When we arrived far too late to knock, we parked outside our friends The Wisemans' home. In spite of his lack of sleep, Ben was up at 7:30 asking to see Steve and Mrs. Leslie. I was so thankful to catch their reunion on video through the bus window. Mrs. Leslie gives the best hugs!

This pastor couple has loved our kids since they were tiny and quickly grew from pastors to friends over the 9 years we shared community with them. Once they moved to Edmonton this summer, we've all been counting down the days until we saw them again. Reunion can be so sweet, and we enjoyed our visit immensely. We visited over a few days and shared a delicious Thanksgiving meal with Steve, Leslie, and their sweet daughter Julia before leaving to visit with my cousin and her family on the other side of Edmonton. As we left that morning, "Mrs. Leslie" had placed notes of spiritual blessing for each of our children on the table, a gift that I will hold close to my heart.

We had such a beautiful two days with my cousin Suzanne and her family. We shared stories of adventure, home cooked meals, and games around the table. We were even able to bring their daughter to Elk Island National Park for a school day with us! Gabriel also accompanied us to the Park, and the bus was at legal capacity for the first time this trip. At the park, we saw bison that were so close it was uncomfortable at times, and even heard a wolf howl in the distance as we hiked.

Leaving my cousins family was hard, especially for one member of our family who developed a special bond with this gentle giant.