Destination Notre Dame {Day 1: Bellingham to Bozeman}



A dad's duty: loading the car for departure.


Alarms ringing at 5AM, only a few hours after a few of us finally fell asleep, the departure for Zachary’s new life at the University of Notre Dame drew near. Awakened by his sleepy friend, Patrick, who had crashed on Ezra’s old bed after the final round of DnD in the wee hours, Zachary watched as his dad systematically loaded all the carefully packed bags and boxes into the van in the darkness of pre-dawn while the coffee brewed.



One down, two wide awake and ready for action.



Only half an hour after our posted leave-time we were all road worthy, and began the 2,000 mile drive with the traditional family prayer. The Joyful mysteries of Christ’s life on our minds and in our hearts as we lifted up our journey and Zachary’s launch.



A shortage of beds leads to creative negotiations.



An uneventful day of driving, with as few stops as humanly possible found us arriving safely in Bozeman, Montana, only to discover that the over-the-phone hotel reservation service (rhymes with stupedia) misled us and booked a room that could only sleep four at a hotel that didn’t even own roll-a-way beds. After over twelve hours of driving nothing satisfies like calling an 800 customer service number for a gigantic corporation, waiting on hold for 30+ minutes and getting hung-up-on by before finishing your first sentence.



Pizza time in Bozeman, Montana



Oven-fired pizza to the rescue; the guys walked 3 miles to the restaurant in the warm Montana night and I brought the van for a speedy trip back to the hotel after our 9pm supper. Without complaint, Joseph slept on the floor on a pile of blankets and bedding willingly provided by the hotelier, sorry for the mis-representation of the room we booked.



Noteworthy:

• Zachary slept most of the 12 hour drive.
• Coastal environs of our hometown gave way to mountainous terrain, followed by high plateaus.
• Our Lady of the Rockies statue outside Butte has a commanding presence at the Continental Divide.
• Unexpected 94 degree heat at a fuel stop in St. Regis caught us off guard and significantly reduced our desire to linger.
• St. Regis the man led a pretty phenomenally holy life.
• Having a smart phone makes on-the-go Q&A's a breeze.

Pre-Departure Festivities {Praying, Playing and Feasting}

Zac prays the Divine Mercy Chaplet at St. Mary's Anacortes Faith on Fire Conference

True to his Boy Scout ways, Zachary was prepared for his departure to the University of Notre Dame down to the finest details with a few days to spare.  His extreme readiness meant that our family was free to travel to Anacortes for the third annual Faith On Fire Catholic Family Conference.  Athough we opted out of the camping element this year, we participated in the opening Mass, the magnificent conference talks and the life of prayer and fellowship on the spacious grounds at St. Mary's.  A super-charging faith experience, this conference is one of those "do not miss" family events.

Heaven and earth collide in the beautiful Mass celebrated by Archbishop Sartain at St. Mary's

A phone message from Judah inviting us to his baptism Sunday morning caused a departure from our original plans to attend morning talks at Faith of Fire so that we could witness his new birth into the Body of Christ.  Sharing and celebrating this leap of faith with Judah meant back to back services, as we drove straight from his baptism to the closing  Mass celebrated by Archbishop Sartain at St. Mary's.  The pews were packed, but we were able to stand at the baptismal font and participate in the amazing mystery of the Holy Mass, celebrated with great reverence and awe.  As always, Archbishop Sartain's preaching deeply inspired and encouraged us to grow in faith and never let the world 'steal it out of us.'

Peter, Joseph, Judah, Zachary and Enoch celebrate Judah's baptism into the Body of Christ.



Zachary, Cole, Patrick, Peter, Joseph, and Roy dine in style at Grandma & Grandpa's

 True to form, Grandma Billie and Grandpa Cliff hosted a delightful, delicious and welcoming farewell barbecue for us and a few of Zac's friends on his last night in town.  Zachary provided the after dinner entertainment by pulling out the old potato canon for a blast on the shores of Lake Whatcom.  Unfortunately the striker wasn't working properly so there were only a few flying potatoes.  But we can say without reservations that Zachary went out with a bang!


Zachary bids farewell to Grandma Billie and Grandpa Cliff.



Launch Countdown {Hours 'til Departure}

Zachary composed his own packing list, checked it, re- checked it, and methodically completed his preparations for his move to Notre Dame.  With a final surge of assistance from his laundress (me), personal shopping consultant (Grandma B), and a generous tech donor (Tim), Zac filled his suitcases and wrapped up his packing with a few days to spare.

Free to enjoy his last weekend in town without fretting over material readiness,  Zachary is balancing family time (with faith formation at Faith on Fire Catholic Family Conference), and visiting friends for gaming and hanging out. 

An unfortunate incident with a hammer this week nearly claimed a chunk of Zac's index finger, so my elementary nursing skills are being put to good use.  Although he could easily dress his own wound, it's nice to have this opportunity to be his mom.

How to Grow an Eagle Scout {7 Easy Steps}

Zachary salutes the US flag at his Eagle Court of Honor, held on his 18th birthday.

1

Begin with a rambunctious boy who loves adventures in the outdoors and reaching for the stars.

Cub Scouts Ryan, Zac, Canon, and AJ enjoy the muddy shores of Baker Lake, with Mt. Baker looming beyond (2003).

2008 hike on Galbraith Mountain with Zachary in charge of the crew as a den chief in action.

2

Add a uniform, an oath and law, teach him to live up to his promises, to be a patriot, 

and to be obedient to rightful authority.

Zachary in his new Cub Scout uniform (2001) sporting his first lost tooth.

3

Focus on his extracurricular interests and hobbies, encourage him to discover new ones and teach others.

Riding on two wheels, Zachary on his first bicycle (2000).

Zachary steers Peter along the length of Lanezi Lake on an 80 mile canoe trip in the Canadian wilderness (2011).

 4

Stay close to God and help him deepen his faith, grow in personal holiness and foster a servant's heart.

Zachary serves at the altar as acolyte on Easter Sunday 2011.

5

Explore the heights, but stay grounded in day to day requirements and chores; let him pack his own gear.

Zac crossing the Chilliwack River in style with AJ on our 50 mile hike in the North Cascades, 2008.

6

Encourage him to persevere and work diligently, connect him with virtuous mentors who can further his skills and help him fulfill his ambitions.

Zachary works on the historic carpentry merit badge with Mr. L as his guide, 2010.

7

Be his home base as he grows into a leader, pray unceasingly for him to realize and fulfill the unique mission for which he was created.

Zachary works on the roof of his Eagle {carport for our priests} project (2012).

Proud mama (Bridget), Eagle Scout (Zachary), Scoutmaster (Tim), First Class Scout (Peter), Life Scout (Joseph) 2012.

Congratulations on reaching Eagle Scout Rank, Zachary!



Now go visit Jen @ Conversion Diary for her hilarious 7 Quick Takes.

Dog Tales {Charle's Surgery}

We interrupt the previously scheduled packing and preparing for Zac's departure to the University of Notre Dame, and the concurrent family drive to (& from) Indiana...

Charlie can't stop wagging or licking his injured tail.

for emergency veterinary surgery to dock Charlie's severely infected tail.

Thank goodness for Uncle Craig and Aunt Bethany {Veterinarians}, who rearranged their office schedule to make way for Charlie's urgent surgery tomorrow morning.  They also agreed to keep Charlie under careful watch during our trip should his tail surgery require follow up treatments due to his fierce wagging habits and licking tendencies.  We are so fortunate to be able to travel knowing that Charlie is in such capable and loving hands.  The family taking care of our place and pets during our travels to Notre Dame will miss Charlie's antics (most of them anyway) but be relieved of the duty of following up with possible post-surgical complications. 

Rocky jumped into the traveling kennel in (false) anticipation of joining Charlie for the ride

.

The timing of Charlie's urgent heath complications leaves a bit to be desired, as our trusty van is in the shop getting a few needed pre-trip safety improvements (including front brakes) at the tune of about half a mortgage payment.  Without the van, Tim loaded Charlie, kennel and all, into his good old 4Runner for the 3+ hour trip to the vets'.  Lacking a functioning power window on the driver's side makes the transaction for ferry fare a bit awkward, but if it gets him from point A to the other point A, we're in business.

Zachary bids Charlie farewell a few days earlier than originally scheduled.

With Charlie in tow, Tim hits the road at dinner time and heads for his brother's house.

Parting is such sweet sorrow... and the sudden departure of Charlie brought home (again) the reality of a string of farewells taking place in our world about now. 

Change... 

It's in the air.

Blessed Carport {A Catholic Thing}

Zachary, Peter and Joseph process to the carport following daily Mass

The finishing touch on Zachary's Eagle project carport came from above in the form of a blessing with a formal procession following daily Mass.  The community which has supported his efforts, with financial, spiritual and material assistance joined in the joyful occasion.  

Jesus leads the way, in Joseph's care

Our new priest, Father Joseph Altenhofen, presided for the blessing of the carport, and the rite of blessing beautifully recalled Christ's own labor on earth as a carpenter and His giving dignity to workers by His own example as one who labored.  The final touch came in the form of holy {blessed} water, sprinkled liberally throughout the new structure, a tangible claiming for good and dispelling of evil.

Father Joseph gives the blessing, calling upon the Lord

Father Joseph blesses the new carport with holy water.

Grandma Billie, Zachary and Tim; three generations of hard workers

Time Flies {Zac's Last Boy Scout Meeting}

Zachary wears his Boy Scout uniform proudly on his final troop meeting night.

His 18th birthday only hours away, Zachary's final Boy Scout meeting found us hiking through the woods, over the tracks and to the rocky shores of Puget Sound for an evening adventure.  Happenings included bouldering, wading, a sand and seaweed burial, wildlife viewing, and molasses cookie eating.  Without a formal opening or closing ceremony or the usual crowd of Scouts in attendance, it was about as low-key as a Scout meeting can get.  It's probably just what Zachary would prefer in any event, a meeting straight out of the Dangerous Book for Boys.


Our drive home along the beautiful, winding, cliff-top Chuckanut Drive, graced with a gorgeous setting sun across the water over the not-too-distant San Juan Islands seemed apropos as a visual reminder of the passing of an era... And the full moon welcomed us home.

Zachary with the younger Scouts, perched atop the rocks at Clayton Beach.

Joseph going up...

Joseph coming down.

Owen going up (with a little help from his dad/Rod)

Peter, Enoch and Nate explore the shore.

Connor, Peter and Cameron put Nate a few feet under.

In his tomb of sand and seaweed, Nate takes a break.