Hueco Tanks State Park

While in El Paso, Texas staying at the Ft Bliss RV Park, I was approached by an individual who wanted to know if I wanted my RV washed and waxed.  I was going to say no, because I figured it would be more than I wanted to pay, but the price was quite reasonable with a 50% discount being offered to active duty and retired military.

The gentleman, we soon came to know as Adrian, came by and started to wash and wax the RV, which was long overdue!  We were also blessed with meeting his son, Julian and Julian's girlfriend Pita along with Pita's brother, Stevan.  

Adrian's business is called Sun Ray and if you are interested in a really good wash and wax for your RV call him at 915-703-8712.  He charges a very reasonable price, does an excellent job, and also washes your tow vehicle which is included in the price.

Sun-Ray Logo.

The day he came to wash the RV, Misty was really feeling down in the dumps and disconnected.  For some reason she felt an urgency to come out of the RV, even though she had not gotten ready for the day (which is very odd for her), and started to talk to Adrian, who we found out is also a minister, and after a quick prayer, Misty was feeling much better.  I did not know of her prayer the night before where she asked God not to leave her and to continue instructing her to do His work so did not know why she seemed so relieved and joyful over this meeting until after Adrian prayed and had left.  She then told me of her prayer and that she knows God sent him to comfort her and to assure her that he will always be with us.  He gave her the urgency to go outside even though she looked a mess (her words) because he was sending her reassurance through Adrian!  That caused her to reflect on all the times that God consistently sends us help, comfort & reassurance after asking as long as we are on the path of fulfilling His will.  It has only been times when we are seeking our own desires that He has remained silent.  During those times, we have turned away from Him instead of Him leaving us.  God is great in the way He guides us, when we just listen or follow.

As we got to know them better, they invited us out to do some sight seeing and one of the first places they recommended was Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site here in El Paso.  So the next Sunday, after church, we packed a lunch and drove out to the park for some rock climbing.

First off, if you are going to go climbing, you need to be in shape, which I am not.  I found out the hard way that sometimes a few extra pounds, thirty in my case, will hinder you when climbing on a mountain.  You will see very well what I'm talking about here in a few.

Just so you know, the park will only let about seventy individuals into the public area of the park, where you do not need a tour guild, at any one time.  There are a lot of indigenous species of animals and plants they do not want hurt along with pictographs and petroglyphs that they do not want damaged or vandalized.  You also have to sit through a brief film on the do's and don'ts  before you can enter the park.

A view of the North Mountain from the Interpretive Center.

Looking off of the North Mountain towards the entrance of the park.

Looking northeast towards the oasis that made Hueco Tanks such an important spot.

Not sure if these are pictographs or just graffiti, but they are all over the mountain.

More drawings on the mountain.

The views are spectacular along with the climb to the top of the North Mountain.  The elevation is right around 4800 feet, so that was not too bad on the breathing.

The Spanish word hueco "whey-coes" means tanks which are found all over the  mountain.  Early settlers would come and collect rain water pooled in the natural basins or tanks so hence the name Hueco Tanks.

Some of the natural basins created in the rock of the mountain.

Another hueco in the rock.

Tia, Pita, Adrian, Chloe, and Misty starting the climb up the North Mountain.

There are also tons of nooks and crannies to craw into and explore.  I guess it would be wise to watch out for snakes while crawling around the rocks, but luckily we did not see any while we were there.

Not sure if this is a nook or crannie, but it was fun to enter.

Looks inviting, doesn't it?

Rocks on top of rocks.

Tia, Pita, Avery, and Courtney in a natural made rock shelter.

Pita, Chloe, and Tia resting out of the sun.

As mentioned before, having a few extra pounds on can be harmful while climbing through some of the cracks in the rocks at Hueco Tanks.  If you ever watched the movie 127 Hours, you will know exactly what I'm talking about.

Don coming through one of the many cracks in the rocks at Hueco Tanks.

If you want to see exactly what I'm talking about, just watch the video clip below.  Needless to say, there was a couple seconds of panic in my heart.

We climbed on up, over, and through the North Mountain until we could climb no more or to be more accurate, until it started to get dark at which time we knew we had to find our way off the mountain while we could still see.  Luckily they have a chain trail off of the east side of the North Mountain that made it easier to climb back down.

Misty squeezing between two rocks on the North Mountain.

Julian way up on top of the North Mountain.

Two thumbs up from Julian.

Stevan and Don crawling through one of the many openings in the mountain.

Ian and Avery climbing the mountain above us.

Ethan on the North Mountain.

Julian and Ian taking a break.

Avery and Ian showing off their mountain climbing muscles.

Ian showing us his fun meter reading.

Don holding up the mountain with just one had.

The rock overhangs would have made a perfect place to camp for the night.  It sort of felt like we were back in time and walking where past explorers and settlers had walked years before us.

The pictures do not do Hueco Tanks justice on its massive overhangs and rocks.  It is one of those places you have to experience in person to really get an idea of its grandeur.

Looks like a great place to spend the night.

Ian, Adrian, and Don on the south side of the North Mountain.

Another hueco or tank with water in it.

More of the mountain.

The group just before the Sun set.

Tia, Courtney, Misty, Stevan, Ian, Ethan, Pita, Chloe, Avery, Julian, and Adrian.

If you are ever in the El Paso, Texas area, you need to make the time to visit Hueco Tanks State Park & Historic Site.  You will not be disappointed.

A panoramic view off of the North Mountain.

Once again while traveling the world, God has put us on a path where we meet just the right people and get to witness His might by showing us His wonderful creations on this Earth.  For us, just seeing what He has made is proof that there is One greater than us.

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We are so blessed to be able to explore this world, that God has created and that we have come to know his Son, Jesus, as our savior.

God bless you and your family and may He watch over you always.

Thanks!
Don, Misty, and Kids...

All Good Things Must Come To An End

Well once again we have to slide in the slides, pull up the jacks, and unhook so that we can head down the road to a new location and experience and leave Blue Bonnet Ridge RV Park.

We are really going to miss our good friends the Jungels-Norris family who were a Godsend and gave us just what we needed as a family.  I am sure we will be seeing them in the future.

We also met Sean Allen who was a very nice young man who liked to hang out with us and the Jungels-Norris family.  We will be sure to look him up when we get back in the Terrell area.

Along with them we also made friends with Dennis and Gabrielle Haynes who were staying in the lot next to JD and Jenelle Jungels-Norris.  The kids offered to walk their dogs and so of course we met them and became friends.  We also met their son Daniel and daughter Callie.  They have another daughter, Raechel, who we have not met in person yet, but will some day.

We are going to miss them all as we leave Terrell. 

A picture of JD (his back anyway) and Jenelle (pink shirt with cross) Jungels-Norris along with Sean Allen (sitting facing).

Dennis and Gabby Haynes with Sean Allen and the Jungels-Norris family.

The good thing is that this time we are going to traveling with Dennis, Gabrielle, and Callie Haynes.  Dennis is retired from the NY Army National Guard and so we both know some of the same people and have plenty to talk about, especially when it comes to comparing our war stories.

Before we left Terrell the kids had fun carving their Halloween pumpkins that one of the park employee bought them since they helped him with some of his daily chores in the park, such as picking up the trash.

Jenelle, JD, Misty and some of the kids carving the Halloween pumpkins.

Avery wondering why his hand is sticky.  Now you know why I was taking pictures and not carving the pumpkins.

Pumpkins carved while at Blue Bonnet Ridge RV Park in Terrell, TX.

Our neighbors' girl's pumpkin.

Our Neighbors' girl's pumpkin.

Courtney's pumpkin.

Tia's pumpkin.

Avery's pumpkin.

Ethan & Ian's pumpkins.

Unfortunately we left Terrell, TX before the kids got to trick or treat and so they did not get to see their masterpieces on Halloween night.  They did get their candy though once we got to El Paso, TX.

While driving to El Paso, TX, which was our next destination, we stopped for a few days at Van Horn, TX and took in some of the sights there with our friends Gabrielle and Dennis Haynes along with their daughter Callie.

We stayed at the Van Horn KOA which was a nice park, like a KOA should be.  The park hosts were also very friendly and accommodating.

While in the area Dennis, Gabrielle, and Callie took us sight seeing to some of the area's attractions.  One of the first things they did was take us to the local Prada store.  They had a limited selection and I think maybe they were a couple seasons behind.  Also I am not sure of their hours since they were not posted.  For more info you can go to Prada Marfa.

Prada store just outside of Marfa, TX.

Just some of the handbags available.

More handbags to choose from.

Their shoe selection at the Prada store in Marfa, TX.

From the Prada store we made our way to the Marfa Mystery Lights observatory.  To this day there is still no explanation of what the lights are.  Unfortunately it was not dark yet, so we did not see any mystery lights, but that does not mean they were not there.

Panoramic view of the Marfa Mystery Lights observation area.

Information on the Marfa Mystery Lights.

After our Marfa Mystery Lights experience we drove to Guadalupe Mountains National Park which is an excellent example of a fossil reef from the Permian Era.  The views were awesome along with the hike to the top of the mountain which is the highest point in Texas at an elevation of 8749 feet.

Entrance to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park in west Texas.

We were intent on making it to the top of the mountain, but some of use had some issues along the way.  You know the type, tightness in the chest, confusion, labored breathing.  Luckily Ethan performed CPR on me and got me going again. (Kidding!)

My chest hurts!

Don't worry Daddy, I know CPR!

Ethan performing CPR on Dad after he collapsed from climbing on the mountain.

I think it is working!

Dad feeling better after receiving CPR from Ethan.  Now only his tummy hurts.

After our little medical emergency we dusted ourselves off and headed on up the mountain.  We never did make it to the top, but had fun trying.  I did find it hard to breath while trekking up the mountain path and pretty much just wrote it off that I need to lose a good thirty or forty pounds, but then Misty complained about the same thing, so maybe I'm not too fat after all. (I know I am, but let me have my moments please.)

While climbing the mountain we paused so the older kids could have their pictures taken with Callie on a boulder that was on the edge of the trail.  The pictures do not do it justice since you do not see the boulder they had to climb on to get the picture.

Callie and Ethan taking a selfie.

Callie and Courtney posing for the camera with two thumbs up.

Callie and Tia with a thumbs up.

Callie and Ian smiling for the camera.

Courtney, Avery, Misty, Ian, Don, Ethan, Chloe, and Tia at Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

As I mentioned before the views were really great and we had a fun time climbing up and down the mountain.  As we left the park that evening we took some shots of the mountain and that evening's sunset.

Guadalupe Mountain's El Capitan.

Close up of Guadalupe Mountain's El Capitan.

The sun setting at Guadalupe Mountains.

A panoramic view of the sunset at Guadalupe Mountain's El Capitan..

After we left the park we drove to the McDonald Observatory to take in a star party.  This was the first star party that we had ever attended which was very informative.   Afterwards the observatory had all different types of telescopes set up to view an assortment of astronomical sights such as Ring Nebula which was very beautiful.

McDonald Observatory.

As the star party started we were fortunate to have the International Space Station (ISS) come over our heads while there.  It is as if the observatory had planned it that way and it was part of their show.

I tried to get a picture of it with my iPhone while it passed by the almost full Moon that night.  The ISS is the small spot on top with the Moon at the bottom.  It was one of those situations that you had to experience yourself to fully appreciate.

International Space Station passing above the almost full Moon.

Of course not everything has been peaches and creme in our travels with a couple of mechanical breakdowns.  When we reached Ft Bliss we discovered that we had a leak in our hot water tank, our toilet quit flushing, and the washing machine also developed a leak.

Water leaking out of the RV from the hot water tank.  You can even see it dripping onto the tires.

When I pulled the cover and looked at the hot water tank I did not see any leaks from the connecting water lines but noticed the water was coming from underneath the tank.  This was not comforting since that meant the tank would need pulled and probably replaced. 

The average cost of this water heater is around $800.00 but usually runs into the thousands.  Luckily we have an extended warranty that covered the cost of it and the labor, so, "Yay extended warranty!"

Even though this is only a ten gallon hot water heater, the water mixing valve, which is the silver thing coming out of the back top of the tank, makes it seem that it is a sixteen gallon tank and so Misty and I can take back to back showers with plenty of hot water.

We can also heat the water with both electric and gas, so if I have both running, the water temperature recovers quickly so that the kids can all take showers back to back.  Not that they would want too though.  It seems they like to go to the shower house better than taking a shower in the RV.

Our ten gallon hot water tank.

Leaking hot water tank.

What it looks like when the tank is removed.

To fix all of our broken stuff we called Double T Mobile RV Service who came right out to assist us.  They took our extended warranty information and dealt with them so I did not have to, which was nice.

After ordering the parts they had us fixed in no time and then called a few days afterwards to check up on us and make sure everything was still working fine.

I would recommend them to anyone who needs their RV worked on.

Double T Mobile RV Service.

The new hot water tank in place.

So that is everything that we have done or been through up to this point.  As always we really enjoy our adventures and the people we meet along the way.  Most do not realize what we are talking about until they hit the road themselves.

We are so blessed and thank God everyday for what He allows us to do.  Just like most, we get in the dumps at times and maybe even feel sorry for ourselves, but always realize that God has given us the gift of travel and roaming spirits that want to know whats around that next bend of the road to fulfill His will.  His greatest gift was his son Jesus Christ, and He continually gives us what we need to live and we need to praise Him every minute of the day.

We have thoroughly enjoyed west Texas and still have some other sights to see.  We will be sure to show them to you in our next post, but have covered enough for now.

God bless and Happy Thanksgiving!  Be safe on Black Friday if you dare to shop.  As for us, we will not.  It is safer to shop on-line.

Thanks!
Don, Misty, and Kids...

God's Healing Hand After The Loss Of My Only Sister

As many of you know, Don writes all the blogs and I have remained silent during our 29 months on the road partly due to my quiet nature and tendency to shy away from those around me.  Everyone knows that Don is my super sociable and very outgoing half that I deeply admire!  It obviously takes something that is very important and life changing in order to motivate me enough to come out of my shell but if I'm able to help just one person in any area of their life through my testimony then I will do just that.  

I have had the biggest struggle of my life since losing my 32yr old sister and only sibling on 28 Dec 2013.  After a tragic event that took her life, she left behind a husband, her 3 children, her parents, her sister (me), grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends who all miss and love her very much!  Going to her little boy's Kindergarten Graduation was among the hardest things I've done since her passing.  I hurt for what she is missing and for the little boy who stood in front without his mommy in the crowd.  

Me and Kristin always together.

Me and Kristin on my wedding day.

Kristin and me on our last family vacation together.

Ricky graduating from kindergarten. (He has his mommy's dimples.)

Ricky and me at his kindergarten graduation.

Me and Dustin at Ricky's kindergarten graduation.

For 3 months, I was unable to care for myself, our children, or my husband and it put a tremendous burden on him with everything being dumped in his lap and having to worry about my mental and physical well being too.  This also weighed heavily on our children to see me in such a state and upon seeing the pain I was causing them along with many answered prayers I was slowly able to resemble a functioning wife and mother again.  Although I appeared okay on the outside, I had a raging war going on inside that was full of pain and torment and I begged God to send me help sometime last month because I felt so weak and knew that I couldn't go on without help.  The next day God put Young Living Essential Oils (EO) in front of me again (He placed them in front of me approx. 2 years ago but I ignored him and now I battle with guilt because it's something my sister and I could have experienced together) through the testimony of a very dear friend who was unaware of my need.  At that moment, I promised Him that I would never again disobey and I will continually share my testimony in hopes that others may be blessed as we have.  God has given me balance in the raging war between pain and happiness within and has given me hope and faith to continue along His path while passing through this life on our way to our eternal home.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The products discussed are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.

I'm simply sharing with you what has helped my family.  Soon, I will be sharing a video on our Livelyrv FB page that explains the oils that came in my Premium Starter Kit.  But first I want to list a few of my favorites because of the amazing results we have personally experienced.

Everyday Essential Oils in the Premium Starter Kit

  -Peace and Calming: Helped support my body's natural sleep cycle and for the 1st time in 8 months, I was asleep before 6am. The essential oil blend is very calming and helps my little ones wind down for a peaceful nights sleep also. (We are currently out of this and I have found that Cedarwood EO is also helpful in easing my mind and promotes a restful sleep.)

   
  -PanAway:  Supports the nervous system, muscles and bones.  It helped alleviate the pain that has almost always been present in my back! 
  
  -Valor:  Supports the nervous system and emotional balance.  It is my go to when feeling overwhelmed, lonely (even though I'm surrounded by 7 individuals who love me!) or an extreme amount of sadness that stems from the loss of my sister. (Others help in this area too but so far, for me, Valor takes the lead.)

  -Di-Gize: Came in place of Purification (reason: currently out of stock) in my kit and it is great for supporting the digestive system.  I take 1-2 drops every morning to help soothe an upset tummy.

  -Roman Chamomile: Supports skin health and the nervous system so is very soothing in the bathwater just before bed.  Helped alleviate ear pressure and support proper drainage when we were having ear trouble. 

  -Lavender: Worked wonders for soothing our skin after being in the sun too long and we woke up feeling great.  Lavender is great support for the skin!   It took the sting from my arm after sticking it to a hot oven a few days ago.  This is also very soothing when used in your bathwater with Epsom salt and great for using in place of dryer sheets at the end of the drying cycle.

  -Thieves: Is great for immune support and is very soothing at the onset of a sore throat.  This also happens to be my favorite scent when diffusing in the air and has the added benefit of killing airborne bacteria!  It fills the air with the scent of Clove and Cinnamon.

Everyday Oils Included in the Premium Starter Kit.

Those of you who personally know my mom will also know that she has suffered from neuropathy in her feet since having radiation treatments in 2000.  Over the years she lost complete feeling in her feet and the loss of feeling has now traveled up to her knees.  At the age of 54, she has been falling on a regular basis and has slowly been losing her mobility.  As you can imagine, she has tried everything, both natural and prescription, to alleviate the pain but nothing helped so she was left feeling hopeless and emotionally drained.  After reading many testimonies about others getting that feeling back with the use of essential oils, I decided to mix several single oils that support the nervous system and sent them to her along with a bottle of PanAway to help soothe the nerves and maybe alleviate some pain.  I feel blessed to share that after only a few uses, she felt her toes wiggle in her house shoes, can feel the external temperature of her feet by touching them together and is now able to feel carpet fibers under her feet when she walks!  Her feet and legs are still mostly numb and these may seem like small changes but are huge to all of us!  I will continue to update everyone of any changes and feel free to call, email or PM me to check in privately.  

I know this is a lot of info but I'm absolutely blown away by what these oils have done for us!  I will continue to share the many blessings we receive through the use of our Young Living essential oils.  It breaks my heart to know there are many people out there that are suffering just like me that may not know about the amazing benefits that can be obtained through the use of these oils.  I wish I had used them when they were first placed in front of me years ago but everything happens in God's time!  These are the things that have stood out for us and had almost immediate positive results!

I signed up with Young Living's Premium Starter Kit to become a wholesaler in order to get 24% off retail price for my family but it has now blossomed into a business for us.  We are so blessed to be part of this amazing company and also do something that we love!  Helping others find the right oil to support their needs, watching them grow in excitement as they begin to feel the health benefits,  and building life long relationships with those that join us on this journey is more than we could ever ask for!  

Gary Young, the owner of Young Living, is a wonderful man who discovered essential oils 13 years after a logging accident that left him in a wheelchair.  Early on he decided he was not going to live life confined to a wheelchair and since then, he ran in a half marathon but still suffered with a lot of pain from the accident which is what led him down the path to what Young Living has become.  He never compromises on quality and always waits on God to provide each harvest which is why oils will sometimes be out of stock.  I love his seed to seal process and that he allows us to visit the farms and distilleries to be part of the entire thing!  If you would like to begin your own personal wellness journey through the use of these oils then I encourage you to sign up as a wholesaler for the savings and decide for yourself if you wish to work the business side or just use it for your own family and friends. 

If anyone chooses to take a leap of faith then you can sign up here:  https://www.youngliving.com/signup/?site=US&sponsorid=2023586&enrollerid=2023586.  My member number is already on the form as the referring member and all you need to do is check wholesale and pick your starter package.  If you would like to attend a class and have others who would be interested in attending then let us know and we will be happy to set one up in your area.

I would like to thank each and every one of you who have prayed for our family during these difficult times.  We still have many struggles ahead of us but also have faith that God will get us through as he has continued to do.  If he is able to take someone as shattered as I was and make them whole again then he can do it for you!  Sometimes all you have to do is ask and allow Him to carry you until you are able to get back on your feet.  I have many days when I feel as if I may fall but have such comfort in knowing that He will catch me.  May God bless each and every one of you and continue to guide you throughout your daily lives!

Misty Lively