We woke to the alarm on my iPhone. Eyes trying to open. Deep breaths. Up at 4 am again. Then I remembered.
I clutched at my phone to check if anyone had posted about it. Nothing. Had it happened yet?
We tossed on our clothes, grabbed our luggage and plowed out the door to leave Whitehorse for a 15 hour day on the road to Fort St. John.
•
This was the second day in our journey down the Alcan, from Fairbanks, Alaska to Charlotte, North Carolina.
I had been waiting all day prior, hoping to receive some news, but without cell phones or internet all through Canada, we were relying on the Wifi in our hotels at night for any updates.
I was left to wonder all day. All 15 hours of winding through the mountains. What had happened? HAD it happened? Why had no one posted by 4 am?
•
We passed through some gorgeous mountains.
Turquoise waters that rivaled the beauty of our honeymoon in Maui.
We spotted bears.
Bison.
And caribou.
Getting up at 4 am has its perks. The sunrises were insane. Magical mist hovered over the lakes, whispered down the rivers and vanished with the brightening day.
We existed on goldfish crackers, beef jerky and Reese’s (which are called Reese in Canada, we found out).
Listened to Pillars of the Earth on audiobook. Bumped, bumped, bumped along.
Kept pointing and saying, “Look at thatttt…”
Stopped for construction. Kept plundering through the wilderness. Minutes ticking off. And kept wandering. And wondering.
All day.
On and on.
Never tiring of the sights. Always wondering. Had it happened yet????
We told Al the Owlie, not to worry. He rode with us in the front of the Jeep, watching for bears and gas stations and gorges and mountains and keeping us entertained with his cuteness. He was a birthday gift from my boo several years ago and is one of the few personal items I kept on this trip.
And on we went. And on. And on.
The views were out of this world the entire way.
Finally…
Finally we pulled into the Pomeroy Hotel in Fort St. John and pounced onto Wifi immediately.
•
•
•
And all my wondering came to an end.
He had made it! Baby Grayson Roy had entered the world the night before, healthy and happy and all was well.
He’s my first great-nephew, born to my niece and nephew, Diana and Robi. And he’s absolutely perfect. The sweetest of news.
Whewwww… What a day. I realized while bumping along that day that it was a microcosm of life.
•
You have to live in the moment. Each day, each hour, each minute, each second, each infinite, infinitesimal moment is a gift.
And to fully embrace life you’ve got to walk on in faith with a whole and trusting heart; loving what is and believing in the beauty of what’s to come.
And on we went the next day.
Happy and content…
Isn’t life wonderful?
Chandi
Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy !
Thank you for that wonderful post and congratulations, great- Auntie!
Oh he is just adorable!!!! Congratulations on becoming a new Auntie!!!
Wow that is wonderful news and the baby is so cute. Love looking at your photos of your travels and seeing where you are going to. It’s like being there with you all the way from England. Take care Love Marion xx
Yes it is!!! Enjoy the journey!!!
How wonderful! Congratulations on the new addition to extended family! I hardly believe you are old enough to be a great aunt. 🙂
Oh he is just adorable. 🙂 Congratulations all around!
Sweet bundle of joy! What a gift. Love reading your blog, your enthusiasm for life shines through and can’t help but rub off.
You will love north Carolina. It’s mountains are awesome, the beaches and outer banks are also awesome with all the outer banks. I live in South Carolina and we go to NC several times a year. My husbands is from there. Good Luck with your house hunt. Have fun. Go to Grove Park Inn in Ashville
Congrats, Chandi, and thank you for this great story and awesome photos! Enjoy your road trip and may you find a new home very soon 🙂 lots of love, Jo p.s. <3 The Pilars of the Earth!
Blissful!!!
what a gorgeous little bundle of joy! He is sooooo cute!
Good luck with the new house, can’t wait to see pictures! You will get it I am sure!
the universe is smiling on you both and congratulating you on you brave hearts
Onward and upward! You are flying!
Love and light
Wanda
What a great blog of your travels….and the suspense-filled arrival of your little nephew. I’m sure you guys have been a bag of nerves and I hope things calm down for you soon! You will soon get rest and time to enjoy the south! WELCOME!
Good to hear from you! Have wondered where you were on your journey.
It’s was amazing reading you’re story and looking at the beautiful views that you have put up and then to read that you are a great aunt and seeing the beautiful baby, congratulations all round and safe journey to your new home.
Too bad you couldn’t have rounded up some bison yarn before leaving. It would make a beautiful shawl or scarf once processed and woven. Glad you are enjoying your trip and the excitement of the new baby.
Congrats Great Auntie!! And Thank you for sharing your trip and the beautiful pictures! Makes a person want to head out for a road trip!
Wish you the best on your house hunting!
I needed to hear that! My hope…my joy have been very low the last few days. I need to get my focus back on the simple things of life and forget the backstabbers, car breakdowns, house repairs, and entrepreneurial woes!! Gonna try to get back on track!! Thanks a bunch!! ♡♡
Wow, loved the pictures. I hate road trips, but that one looked very fun. And you are so right, we have to live in the very second of every one we are given because we aren’t promised the next breath we breathe.
So adorbs!!! Looks like you had an awesome trip across the country! And now you have a little nephew, too! Congratulations!! 🙂 xo
Awe, what a precious little one, to have to wait to find out. Happy your finally, almost at your destination, and pray you get the house you want. I look forward to Septembers yarn club.
Enjoy all that God has made for you in the beautiful state of North Carolina.
So brave of you to take off not knowing where you will live or how long it will take to find a place to call your home,BUT how very exciting the trip must hVe been. Prayers for a new home soon and can’t wait to see more beautiful yarn!
Bless you!
Congrats to the great aunt! He is darling. Loved your pictures and story
I can’t imagine the stress of not knowing if Grayson had arrived yet while you travelled. He’s adorable!
Mile Zero signpost of the Alaska Highway was just another hour down the road – hope you took the time to get a photo as you went through Dawson Creek the next day. We may even have passed each other on the highway as we headed north for a family reunion!
Keep blogging while we all wait for more yarn to drool over 🙂 It`s fun to travel vicariously through someone else`s eyes!
Great post. Love your photos. Beautiful boy. Life is good.
So nice you shared your road trip and wonderful miracle news of the addition to your family. I am so not familiar with that type wild life. Mostly smaller critters, and deer, so it’s nice to see all the pictures. Continued good luck on your house hunting!
So glad to hear from you, I have been wondering where you were on your journey. Glad you are safe and in Charlotte. Your pictures are beautiful and so is the new baby. Looking forward to the new yarn shop. Stay well.
You have such a refreshing zest for life!!!!!! So great!
HI folks,
Congratulations!! I’m so happy for you, Great Auntie and Uncle. I’m also glad things are going well for your trip. I can’t imagine transplanting myself like that. Wow, what an adventure.
I love reading your posts and looking at all the gorgeous pics you’re sharing with everyone.
Best of luck in getting your dream home. I’m hoping everything goes your way and will wait and watch for your wonderful website to be up and running!!
Lauren in W MI
WOW! Those pictures are gorgeous!. I see some new color ways coming soon!!!
Congrats on becoming a Great Aunt! – he is adorable!
Good luck with the house hunt and congratulations on the great-nephew born earlier this month and your great-niece born this morning 🙂 I am a proud great-auntie too now 🙂
Awww! How sweet! He is darling. 🙂
And love the message you embedded in the end: yes, life is wonderful and we do have to enjoy each and every moment we are here. I have had to relearn in so many ways to walk in pure faith, that the future isn’t some looming doom over my life. Instead, it is full of so many possibilities!
What a beautiful journey you and your hubby have been through, and best of luck finding that house!
Your great nephew is adorable. I kept wondering what you were waiting for.
Thanks for the beautiful photos and narrative, am sure it will continue to be exciting!!
Congratulations!!! 🙂 Be sure to spoil Baby Grayson! What an adorable bundle of joy! <3
It looks and soumds as tjough you had a wonderful trip. Glad you made it safely. Congratulations on the great nephew and good luck with the house.
I have to ask, who is your boo? My husband and I have been calling each other that for years. I reread that line twice then read it to My Boo. Every night we say Love My Boo, before we go to sleep and that’s been going on for about 34 years. I love that there is someone else using that nickname!
Ah Chandi,
It has been several years since I have travelled the Alcan and then it was just to get between southeast Alaska and Eagle, Alaska, but I recognize the sites and loved Kluane lake, one of my fave memories was of that beautiful place, and so many more. Thank you so much for sharing the photos as you and your hubby start the next phase of life. Can’t wait to see all the blessings that brings! And congratulations on the new Great-Niece! Isn’t life beautiful and amazing. Sure there are a lot of bumps in the road but the joy and companionship in between make all the bumps seem insignificant. Blessings! Alaska will miss your beautiful smile, not to mention your talents. I admit, I took pride in showing off your beautiful work and bragging you lived here in Alaska. But I don’t begrudge you the sunshine! I think of it more as each year passes!
Beautiful pics.. That baby what a cute, rocking his crochet or knitted beanny .. 🙂 .. I love reading your blog.. 🙂 .. Send you hugs and good wishes all the way from SUPER HOT Arizona land 🙂 …
Congratulations on your great nephews birth he is adorable. Love the name Grayson , so precious and exciting , enjoy Auntie.
TerryLee
Oh what a story. I really enjoyed how you wrote this & posted pictures along with it. Congratulation.
Beautiful pics! Glad you had a good trip – Pillars of the Earth is an AWESOME book, isn’t it?!