Through the Car Window Glass - WASHINGTON

I experienced culture shock when the Lord moved our family of eight to the Pacific Northwest from the midwest nearly six years ago.  I kept reminding myself that since I moved within the same country and I spoke the same language, it really shouldn't be that hard.  I imagined the pioneer women in their covered wagons and told myself over and over, if they could do it, so could I.

Through many tears and trials I learned valuable lessons such as:

-don't plan on making a left turn on a busy street without a traffic light

-plan on 20 minutes extra for every missed turn

-expect the Seattle Salute, the one fingered wave, when you do something wrong

-the turn-off to airport isn't that well-marked, and if you miss the turn you might not actually find the airport for another 40 minutes

-the way out of the airport isn't that well marked, and if you miss the turn you might not actually make it home for another 40 minutes

-the airport construction will NEVER end

-the ecoterrorists hate Suburban driving mommas.  If you move to the PNW with a Suburban you need to buy a different vehicle to keep your car from being "oops - dented" or "oops - scratched"

-a GPS could actually be cheaper than marriage counseling

Driving was a huge stress.  I knew until I mastered the skills of merging four lanes in 1/2 mile to get to downtown Seattle, I wouldn't be able to enjoy all the sites, sounds, smells and experiences of our new home.

It didn't change until I prayed about it.  I was ashamed and amused that I had forgotten to employ a simple privilege believers have, to boldly approach the throne of grace, to ask the Lord to give me the ability to drive in the traffic here. Amused only because it was a "DUH" kinda revelation.

When I made nearly a dozen on-time trips to the airport in about two weeks without anxiety, I knew the Lord had answered my prayer.

Then I could actually swerve my neck around, not to avoid another near collision, but to enjoy the soul-refreshing beauty of my surroundings.

From  the I-90 floating bridge,

 I am always excited to see the floating houses on Lake Union.

Scott and I dream about living in one someday

 when the kids have moved out, especially the sleepwalking one.

Sleepless in Seattle was filmed here, can you spot the house on the end of the row?

(Actually, you can't, it faces the other way.)

Somehow, gray became a color of beauty to me.

But, gray roads, gray clouds, gray buildings, and gray mist

can produce a gray mood,

if you aren't careful and prayerful.

This is how it can look summer, fall, winter and spring.

Lake Union

When we enter Seattle on 1-90,  we also love spotting the old yellow house just above the bridge.

If you turn around on the Interstate and drive east  3032 miles you will arrive in Boston.

We marvel that the interstate was tunneled under the established residential area.

The Mount Baker Tunnel was named after Mount Baker neighborhood.

not THE Mount Baker, east of Bellingham,

 the second most active volcano Cascade range.

We love utilizing the ferry system.

I call them a poor man's yacht.

Sunset view of the Mukilteo Light Station.

You can get used to this area.

Just keep your eyes on

bicyclists,

accidents,

merging traffic,

rear view mirror,

side view mirrors,

shrapnel on the road

people waving with one finger,

city buses with the right of way,

brake lights five cars ahead of you,

people pulling out without looking behind them,

pedestrians who walk into traffice before looking,

a sighting of Mount Ranier in full glory,

the Cascade Mountains in the east

the Olympic Mountains in the west

beautiful people of every ethnicity

rhododendrons in riotous color

 skyscraperish cedar trees

emerald green grass

 heather in bloom

Mount Baker

Mount Ranier

gray

ivy

I'm no longer in culture shock.

I'm in creation shock.

All because I have a God

in Heaven

Who

answers

prayer.

Praise Him!

(to see Montana through the window)

(Montana in the rear view mirror)