What a month it has been! October was jam packed with all sorts of McVentures. We have been through the ringer with the house. Still no renters or buyers, but we have had so many close calls! Right when we think it is going to work, something falls through or just doesn't sound quite legitimate. Then something new comes up right away. We could quite possibly still be in FL by December 1st, but who knows what is actually going to happen! We are so unpredictable.
Speaking of which, we decided to take off across the country yet again! We had scheduled a trip to a Texas wedding with the Williams family during the last weekend in October. We had a blast as we went packing from Oklahoma to the lone star state. The wedding was beautiful and Mom, Collier and I were able to meet and make new friends. Then the three of us parted ways with our loved ones and drove all night to Pensacola, FL where Dad is attending a 2 week school. We arrived at 5 am on Monday the 27th. We were exhausted, but elated to finally see Dad. Thus ensued our marvelous vacation.
We found a good deal for rental house on a canal close to Pensacola bay that accepted pets and is covered by Dad's perdiem (the money that he was given by the Navy for accommodation during this school). It was so nice to be able to come in and feel at home, not having to be cramped into a hotel room for two weeks. And like I said, the house is on a canal. We are less than a mile from great fishing. We have spent countless hours on the water and caught quite a few fish. Collier finally caught a big one!
We have had such a wonderful time being a family again! It is so nice to be together after a separation.
Love to all,
Chelsey for the McGehee's
November 4, 2008
October 7, 2008
High time to update the Update
Needless to say, the McGehee Update hasn't exactly been updated lately. So...now there are more McVentures to catch up on!
Shortly after Mom's jaw surgery, she and Dad took off to Steamboat for a special get-away. They had a very relaxing time and took some beautiful pictures.
Our next trip took us north to Bear's Lodge (more commonly known as Devil's Tower...but it is too spectacular for that name.)
Then we meandered over to the Homeschool Memorial: Mount Rushmore! There, we revisited our granite friends, who were actually in the process of having their wrinkles filled and ears cleaned. We even met a mountain goat on our way to the Sculptor's Studio.
We had one final stop on our way back home: the Badlands. During our "Great Migration" from Florida to California nine years ago we hit every national park and forest we passed, but we never experienced the Badlands. It was dry, brown, hot, and fantastic. They have an open park policy, which means that you can hike and climb anywhere you want to. We did just that.
Walking on the edge of the canyon.
The sandstone formations reminded us of Bryce Canyon on a 1/10 scale. Here, Collier poses as king of the 'mountain'.
Shortly after Mom's jaw surgery, she and Dad took off to Steamboat for a special get-away. They had a very relaxing time and took some beautiful pictures.
We didn't stay put for long.
Our next trip took us north to Bear's Lodge (more commonly known as Devil's Tower...but it is too spectacular for that name.)
Then we meandered over to the Homeschool Memorial: Mount Rushmore! There, we revisited our granite friends, who were actually in the process of having their wrinkles filled and ears cleaned. We even met a mountain goat on our way to the Sculptor's Studio.
We had one final stop on our way back home: the Badlands. During our "Great Migration" from Florida to California nine years ago we hit every national park and forest we passed, but we never experienced the Badlands. It was dry, brown, hot, and fantastic. They have an open park policy, which means that you can hike and climb anywhere you want to. We did just that.
Walking on the edge of the canyon.
The sandstone formations reminded us of Bryce Canyon on a 1/10 scale. Here, Collier poses as king of the 'mountain'.We returned from our adventuring just in time for Dad to leave for Florida. He is officially stationed in Mayport now. The rest of the family is still in Colorado waiting on the house to sell or rent. Please pray for our family. We utterly despise being apart and are anxious for everyone to be together again.
More recently we have been staying at home, trying to save money on gasoline since Dad has our most fuel efficient car with him and a fair commute in FL. There are plenty of things to keep us busy around the house. We thoroughly enjoy our time out, however, and relish being with our dear friends while we can.
Hopefully there will be something worthy of updating in the near future!
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehees
Micah 6:8
*There are new albums with more pictures from our latest trips on Pisca Web Albums. You can access them here: http://picasaweb.google.com/BrideofChrist88 or through the link in the upper left corner of the page.
More recently we have been staying at home, trying to save money on gasoline since Dad has our most fuel efficient car with him and a fair commute in FL. There are plenty of things to keep us busy around the house. We thoroughly enjoy our time out, however, and relish being with our dear friends while we can.
Hopefully there will be something worthy of updating in the near future!
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehees
Micah 6:8
*There are new albums with more pictures from our latest trips on Pisca Web Albums. You can access them here: http://picasaweb.google.com/BrideofChrist88 or through the link in the upper left corner of the page.
September 2, 2008
Stephanie's Surgery
Mom had surgery on her jaw today that will hopefully ease the symptoms of her TMJ and alleviate some of her neck pain. As of yet her mouth is wired shut so she cannot talk or eat. Please remember her in your prayers for a speedy recovery. Also pray for Dad, Collier, and myself that we can care for her properly. This comes at a good time as she will have a few weeks to rest before we have to think about gearing up for our move closer to the end of the year. Thank you for remembering us!
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehee family
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehee family
Another McVenture
Our latest McVenture went down in usual McGehee family style...at the very last minute. On Thursday night we decided that we were going to form a convoy with the Williams family as they traveled over to Las Vegas. We packed up, tidied the house for potential showings, and set off on Friday morning with two cars, a big red van, a trailer, six adults, and six kids. After about 10 hours of driving we arrived in Beaver, Utah. A good night's sleep under our belts, we set off once again on Saturday to our first fun stop: Bryce Canyon.
Eight years ago, during the time that we like to call "the great migration", our foursome visited Bryce Canyon for the first time and were completely enthralled with the beauty of the area. We had determined that before we make our next move we would revisit a few of the places that we enjoyed so much then.
Our visit to Bryce was short, as there were not many hikes that we could feasibly take with two babies in the time that we had allotted for that park. We were able to visit a little waterfall, Mossy Cave, and Fairyland; three of the more popular scenic spots in the park. It never ceases to amaze me that God is such a brilliant artist and that we can enjoy and glory in His breathtaking creation!
We drove a few more hours on to Zion National Park, a family favorite. We had been aching to go back for years and were so excited to finally be there. Passengers in the blue car had an ear-full of my ravings as I chanted, "I could live here. Look at that house! Isn't this gorgeous?! Oh, I would love to live here." The drive was perfect, even though we didn't stop to enjoy the scenery. Instead we drove through into St. George to have a final meal with the Williams' before we parted Saturday evening.
On Sunday our family returned to Zion for the day. We were so anxious to start hiking. Our favorite hike is up the Narrows. We were ready to tackle the river when we found out that there was a high risk of flash flooding. How disappointing! We reluctantly hopped on the shuttle and examined the map for an alternative hike. We chose Hidden Canyon, a 2 mile trek up the Wiggles (19 switchbacks) and through a small narrow valley. As we began the hike we were all fairly indifferent. By the time we saw the chains anchored in the canyon walls and the 2 foot wide path winding around the tip of an otherwise sheer rock face, we were slobbering like children in a candy store.
At one point we found this little space between the rocks that looked quite adventurous. We decided to climb up and have lunch at the top. Needless to say we did more than just eat up there. Again, in true McGehee family style, we decided that it was incumbent upon us to provide a little entertainment for other hikers who found themselves below us on the trail. If you have ever heard Dale impersonate a "mad" cow, you can just imagine what it might sound like resonating through a canyon. Collier also added his own touch with an inflated plastic bag and thus we created quite a scene by "shooting" the "mad" cow.
Half way through the day we were at a loss for what to do. We consulted a park ranger on the condition of the Narrows since the sky appeared to be clear at 3pm. He gave us a very encouraging report and we excitedly set off to use the second half of our day in the river. As we expected, it was a blast! We seemed to be enjoying the water more than most hikers. I cannot tell you how many unbelieving glances we received as we all dove into the icy cold water. We found a few deep spots and launched ourselves off the rocky canyon walls into the current. Once we attracted a large group of Indian tourists who joined us in making cannonballs.
Collier and I shoved ourselves into this little hole in the canyon wall. I seem to remember that we might have taken a picture here eight years ago when the river was a little higher...and we were much smaller! We tried to get Mom in too, but it was a bit too small for all three of us.
What a day! We were thrilled with what we were able to do and see again after so long! Maybe there will be time for one more trip out to Zion before we head back east!
Until Next Time,
Chelsey for the McGehee's
Eight years ago, during the time that we like to call "the great migration", our foursome visited Bryce Canyon for the first time and were completely enthralled with the beauty of the area. We had determined that before we make our next move we would revisit a few of the places that we enjoyed so much then.
Our visit to Bryce was short, as there were not many hikes that we could feasibly take with two babies in the time that we had allotted for that park. We were able to visit a little waterfall, Mossy Cave, and Fairyland; three of the more popular scenic spots in the park. It never ceases to amaze me that God is such a brilliant artist and that we can enjoy and glory in His breathtaking creation!
We drove a few more hours on to Zion National Park, a family favorite. We had been aching to go back for years and were so excited to finally be there. Passengers in the blue car had an ear-full of my ravings as I chanted, "I could live here. Look at that house! Isn't this gorgeous?! Oh, I would love to live here." The drive was perfect, even though we didn't stop to enjoy the scenery. Instead we drove through into St. George to have a final meal with the Williams' before we parted Saturday evening.On Sunday our family returned to Zion for the day. We were so anxious to start hiking. Our favorite hike is up the Narrows. We were ready to tackle the river when we found out that there was a high risk of flash flooding. How disappointing! We reluctantly hopped on the shuttle and examined the map for an alternative hike. We chose Hidden Canyon, a 2 mile trek up the Wiggles (19 switchbacks) and through a small narrow valley. As we began the hike we were all fairly indifferent. By the time we saw the chains anchored in the canyon walls and the 2 foot wide path winding around the tip of an otherwise sheer rock face, we were slobbering like children in a candy store.
At one point we found this little space between the rocks that looked quite adventurous. We decided to climb up and have lunch at the top. Needless to say we did more than just eat up there. Again, in true McGehee family style, we decided that it was incumbent upon us to provide a little entertainment for other hikers who found themselves below us on the trail. If you have ever heard Dale impersonate a "mad" cow, you can just imagine what it might sound like resonating through a canyon. Collier also added his own touch with an inflated plastic bag and thus we created quite a scene by "shooting" the "mad" cow.
Half way through the day we were at a loss for what to do. We consulted a park ranger on the condition of the Narrows since the sky appeared to be clear at 3pm. He gave us a very encouraging report and we excitedly set off to use the second half of our day in the river. As we expected, it was a blast! We seemed to be enjoying the water more than most hikers. I cannot tell you how many unbelieving glances we received as we all dove into the icy cold water. We found a few deep spots and launched ourselves off the rocky canyon walls into the current. Once we attracted a large group of Indian tourists who joined us in making cannonballs.
Collier and I shoved ourselves into this little hole in the canyon wall. I seem to remember that we might have taken a picture here eight years ago when the river was a little higher...and we were much smaller! We tried to get Mom in too, but it was a bit too small for all three of us.What a day! We were thrilled with what we were able to do and see again after so long! Maybe there will be time for one more trip out to Zion before we head back east!
Until Next Time,
Chelsey for the McGehee's
August 24, 2008
Prayers for our Home Sale
Praise God! We were just informed that a family wants to put an offer in on our house. They had a showing yesterday and again today. We were surprised to hear of their interest, especially that they want us to respond to the offer (which will be determined tonight) by tomorrow evening. They seem anxious. We are very excited, and yet slightly disappointed. We are in love with Colorado not just because of it's beauty, but because it is home to people that we consider our family. With the sale of our house there is nothing keeping us from returning to Florida. So all of this is bitter-sweet, but we know that our final destination is Florida (for now) and that God's hand is in this transition. Continued prayers from our dear friends are so encouraging to us as we work through this time. Thank you to everyone who has lifted up our name so far. We will see what the Lord has in store for tomorrow!
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehee Family
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehee Family
August 23, 2008
Dear Friends
Welcome to the McGehee Update Online! In 2000 Collier and I "published" a newsletter that we sent to family and friends, keeping them informed of our adventures and other happenings of our lives. As we are about to make another transition across the country we think of all the new family that we have in the western portion of the nation and realize our desire to remain closely connected with them. Hopefully, this web site will be helpful in accomplishing that. We will be sharing special events, pictures, stories, and thoughts often. So keep up with us as we roll down the interstate back toward Florida!
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehee's
In Christ,
Chelsey for the McGehee's
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