Christmas Train

Here's Rick & Stephanie standing in line in 7 degrees wind chill factor, waiting to ride the train. We were not alone. Logan was all bundled up. All the kids in our family group waiting in the warmth of the train station just before boarding the train. The train ride was very interesting, with scenes along the way depicting the creation of the universe through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the train pulled back into the station, the sleet began to fall.  The walk across the parking lot was brutal.

Now, remember, we're an hour from our 5'er.  As we traveled, the precipitation got worse with everything sticking to the highway in the sub-freezing temperature.  Stephanie's knuckles were white and she finally relinquished the wheel to her dad.  Up on US 141, we passed a car upside down in the medium and the driver was crawling out the window.  Thankfully, a pickup was stopped to give him aid.  We are so thankful that our windshield did not freeze over.  Finally, we reached the Tulsa area and the precip subsided.  There was still a glaze over the road and really slick spots, but not so bad as where we had just been.  Stephanie decided that she could make it on across town to her house, so she and Logan left us at the Quantum with instructions for her to call us when she got home.  When she called, she was so relieved to be home, as the roads got worse the closer she got to her house, with cars off the road and wrecks everywhere along the way.  We would not have let her leave if we had known that the roads got bad again.

So, we are stranded in Tulsa until this ice clears.

Rick picked us up yesterday about 4:30 when he left work and we had dinner at their house and spent the night with them.  Dinner was a feast of glazed ham, green bean casserole (my fav!), a new Paula Dean(recipe) loaded mashed potato dish that was to die for, and rolls that were so delicious.  For dessert: Don's favorite pecan pie. I can't believe I didn't take a picture of the beautiful table, but I was hungry is my excuse. We rode back with Rick this morning thinking maybe the roads were clear enough to travel to Norman, only to find out when we checked online that the roads in Norman and all along the route have slick spots and hazardous driving conditions until later this afternoon. 

We learned that the US 412 we traveled Sunday night was one of the worst.  Around midnight a lady and her husband saw an eighteen wheeler sideways across the highway too late.  When she hit her brakes, her car just slid right into the truck.  Her husband was killed.  As he realized that impacted was imminent he reached over and unlatched her seat belt.  That's what saved her.  She was able to get out before the car caught on fire.

We just decided to wait until tomorrow (Wednesday), to travel to Norman, when the temperatures are predicted to be above freezing across the state and no precipitation is expected.

December 15, 2008 cold sunset in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Our friend, Richard Boyanton, is currently in surgery for repair of his crushed leg.  Surgery is expected to take 5-6 hours and he will not be able to put any weight on his leg for twelve weeks. Rehab will take at least six months and after rehab he will have to have another surgery to repair his ACL.  Then more rehab.  Richard is the pastor of the Norman Cowboy Church, and also owns a small saddle shop in Purcell and has no insurance.  Your prayers for Richard and Susan are greatly appreciated.

Also, little Abby Riggs is having a CAT scan today. Please pray for her and check out the Pray for Abby link for status.