Trials, Romance, and Faith on the Oregon Trail

antique photo of wagon train
A western silhouette of a couple dancing together

Rebecca’s Journey
Journey Series Book 1

Dance under the stars and moon. Ford rivers. Climb mountains. Trade with Native Americans. Heal the sick. Bury the dead. Live with indescribable fatigue, fall in love, celebrate at the end of the trail…

two gold rings on paper

Wedding at Journey’s End
Journey Series Book 1.5

Following several months of clearing land, building homes, and fencing forces Rebecca Pierce and Zachary Miller to postpone their wedding. February, and the promise of spring, becomes the perfect timing for the wedding the new community has been anticipating.

old schoolhouse painting

Katie’s Journey
Journey Series Book 2  

James and Elizabeth Miller and their daughters Katie, Hazel, Helen, and Ruth finish their trek tired, dirty, and grief stricken.  

Wildflowers along a trail
Wildflowers along a trail, at Tom McCall Nature Preserve, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.

Aaron’s Journey
Journey Series Book 3 

Aaron Smith was twelve years old when he crossed the country with his parents. He learned to have hope and honor despite the tragedies and uncertainties in the early years of his life. Now, he had to learn how to be a man.     

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Why Open Rood?

Open Rood sounds strange, but several years ago my husband and I thought it would be interesting to name any business we started The Open Rood. Why? Because my husband is named Frank Cross; Frank=Open (honest) Cross=Rood (an ancient name for cross). It’s merely a play on words. 

From the Blog:

  • Margie Lawson Immersion

    Margie Lawson Immersion

    September was a busy, busy, busy month. The highlight was a five day Immersion with Margie Lawson. We met at the top of her mountain in Colorado. Donna, Julie, Mary, Peggy, Vanessa, and I showed up with laptops and binders expecting to work, how much work Donna and Vanessa knew because they had attended Immersion before. The rest…

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  • Back to School

    Back to School

    Every year when the summer heat beats down without relent in Oklahoma I look forward to school-supply shopping with my granddaughters. They love it. I really love it. Not just for them, but because I have an “addiction” to office supplies, pens, pencils, paper, notebooks, binders, planners, dividers, and reinforcements.  I volunteer at my granddaughter’s…

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  • Happy Father’s Day!

    Happy Father’s Day!

    Father’s Day is the day we all celebrate and remember our fathers. Our dads, our daddies. For me it is always a sad day. I try to get through it for my husband and sons, but my thoughts are on my Daddy.I hope that each of you has fond memories of your father. I hope…

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