But first, Day 7 continued. . . I promised more Yellowstone pictures on yesterday’s blog, so here they are. At Yellowstone National Park the surface of the earth bubbles and oozes. Every feature is named and studied. Unpredictable shifts occur with volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. One section of the park is closed altogether because of a recent eruption.
Day 8 starts with 7am Mass in West Yellowstone before an eight hour drive to Harpster, ID. Our Lady of the Pines features an impressive amount of pine, including pine pews. Yes, they are as uncomfortable as you might think. But, it’s still the Mass and we still get to receive Jesus at the beginning of the day.
As we drIve by a body of water called Earthquake Lake, we need to know more, so I look online as soon as I have enough cell phone service. It turns out the lake was formed as a result of a 7.9 earthquake in 1959. It also swallowed up a small town and took the lives of 28 people. Today’s beauty is, at least in this case, yesterday’s devastation.
We stop in Missoula for lunch at a little delicatessen. Good food and perfect weather for eating on the patio!
To avoid motion sickness, I keep my eyes fixed on each successive curve ahead as we make our way up the windy mountain road.
Our hosts have warned us that air quality is bad and we may not want to stay as long as planned. Sure enough, as we continue toward Harpster, smoke from Oregon wildfires thickens, but the splendor of the forest is not diminished.
John and Kim greet us with all the warmth of companions who’ve long and faithfully chosen love for God, their family, and each other. Kim’s delicious supper of taco salad and homemade ice cream with delectable white nectarines fills my belly as I write this account from the comfort of our hosts’ rental house. It’s a bit smoky outside, but John and Kim have thought of everything. We could not be more comfortable. At day’s end, we marvel at the amazing trip we’ve had so far. So many gifts we could not have anticipated! We wonder what lies ahead. Tomorrow marks the halfway point in our Epic Road Trip.
Inundated with Love 
Dear Lani,Praise be Jesus Christ now and forever!I love th
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