Walk on

Saturday afternoon was rough.  I found myself feeling alone and discouraged.  Well, I wasn't alone, I know I've always got Casey and the boys, and my Lord, but I was feeling discouraged.  I found myself wanting the company of a few like-minded friends back home.  After I cried my load of tears and gathered myself a bit I went to the One who knows my heart.  It's Him I desire to please, not man.  He has given us convictions on certain things.  If it's from Him, I dare not compromise, though it would certainly make life easier.  I went to the Word last night, found some encouraging words for my heart and meditated on the Truth.  God knows my heart.  I will stand before Him one day - not any man.  My prayer last night was that I would walk worthy of the One who has called me.  Even if it means withstanding the scorn and judgment of those in the church.  The Lord spoke quietly to me this morning (in church) through the special music song.  I don't know the name of it, but the chorus was a simple beautiful chord that said "walk on.....you are never alone."  Or something to that affect.  More tears...that's just what I do.  Thank you Lord for answering my heart with the simple, beautiful words that were sung.  It was for me and I just wanted to thank Him for that gift.  I will walk on...

Vacation - week 1

I was going to update our blog more frequently so I didn't forget anything...but I forgot!  We've been home almost a week already.  I think I have finally caught up on sleep and am starting to feel normal again.  So, what did we do on vacation?  I'm glad you asked!  Here's a recap of week 1.

Sat. Oct 1st - drove and flew all day (see previous post about the crazy flight)

 Sun. Oct 2nd 

• the boys picked some watermelon out of grandpa's garden - they were huge!

• went to church at Chestnut St. Baptist (where I went as a youth/young adult and where Casey and I married!)

• enjoyed lunch with my extended family (aunts, uncles, cousin, brother, etc.) at my parents house.  In the afternoon we picked pears off the tree.

 
Mon. Oct 3rd

• lazy morning at my parents house and then Casey went on a mountain bike ride with good friend Jeremy in the afternoon.
• Dinner with Jeremy and Janelle Johnson and their kiddos.  Great time of catching up and fellowship!  

Tues. Oct. 4th

• lunch at Pastor Frank and Jeannie Johnson's home.  Their daughter (and my good friend) Melissa was there too!  Love the whole Johnson family!  Their family has blessed me/us so much over the years we've known them.  
• packed up and headed to Wenatchee, WA to stay with our good friend Laisa and visit friends.

Crossing the Columbia River

A view from the Columbia River Bridge in Vantage, WA

A view from the lookout point on the East side.

Another view of the Columbia River and bridge.

Wed. Oct. 5th

John & LauVonne (photo by Josiah)

• started off with breakfast with John and LauVonne Melton (love them!).  It makes my heart happy just thinking of them.  
• stopped for a quick visit with Ann at Wenatchee Valley Baptist Church - then went on to visit a few more people for a quick hug and hello before going back to Laisa's for lunch.
• We picked up Ethan's bff Dylan, after school got out (they hadn't seen each other in over 2 years, but it was like they've never parted!) and took the boys to Cashmere for some bowling and french fries.  Such a sweet time for the boys.



Ethan & Dylan (and Josiah)

• Had dinner with our good friends Todd and Margie Reno and their kiddos.  Great time of fellowship with them as well.  The kids really loved seeing each other again too.  Their two youngest are Ethan and Josiah's ages.  

Thur. Oct 6th

• packed up and headed over Blewett Pass and then Snoqualmie Pass on our way to Seattle to visit my grandma.  We made it to her place in the afternoon and had a short visit with her and my great-aunt Betty.  
• Went to the water front which is right near my grandma's place.  I made a wrong turn and ended up going up to the overlook instead of down to the waterfront beach.  Unfortunately for me there was a trail going down to the water so we hiked down.  It wouldn't have been bad if I had been wearing something other than heeled boots.  I might as well have been wearing high heels!  Anyway, it was a steep trail down and back up and my legs (and knees) were feeling it!  
• Drove north from Seattle to Casey's parents house in Granite Falls (about an 1.5 hours with the traffic).  

Fri. Oct. 7th

• went down to Mulkiteo to ride the ferry with Casey's mom.  We had lunch first at Ivar's and then walked onto the ferry.  It was very cold!  We got off the ferry and walked a little and picked out some shells from the water.  We caught the next ferry back and thankfully it was much warmer.  It had warmed up enough for an ice cream cone at the outside Ivar's booth.  
• After dinner back at the McCarthy's the boys enjoyed feeding the goats.  The goats really love corn husks.  It was fun to watch Josiah feed a goat and then giggle and laugh at it.

Sat. Oct. 8th

me and Kim

• sad that it is time for Casey to come back home!  The boys and I drove him down to the airport and dropped him off in the morning and then made our way to Pike Place Market in Seattle to meet my friend Kim and her son Josiah.  We had a nice visit, although it was way too short!
• Drove up farther to the Ballard Locks in the afternoon.  It is basically a lock between a fresh water bay and the saltwater ocean where they let the ships come in and out by raising and releasing the water.  Make sense?  Probably not! lol

That was just the first week!  Phew!

Flying

I hate flying.  I'll just be honest and get that out of the way.  So, with that in mind, let me tell you about our flight to from Dallas to Seattle.  First, we arrived at Love Field.  Everything went smoothly.  Made it through security with no problems, found our gate, got some lunch, etc.  When it was time to board we got in our line.  They were boarding families with young children.  Technically, our children aren't considered "young" anymore, but the boarding guy waved us forward to board before our group.  Cool!  Still, everything is going great.  Josiah and I sit on one side of the plane, with Josiah at the window, me in the middle and Casey and Ethan sit right across from us, Ethan by the window, Casey in the middle.  It's going to be a full flight, so I know someone is going to be sitting next to me....so I'm watching to see who it's going to be.  A lady in super high heels walks up, she looks at me and then smiles really sweet and speaks to the people right behind me.  In a super sweet voice to the people behind me she says, "May I sit there."  She takes the middle seat right behind me.  Soon a rather large guy, not huge, but not smallish either takes the seat next to me.  Josiah begins introducing us, of course.  His name is Bert.  He's a pilot for Southwest.  He's flying to Seattle to pick up a new plane and fly it back to Dallas.  He lives in Maryland.  See, we got to know Bert pretty well!  I tell him right up front that I'm a little nervous when it comes to flying.  Fair warning.
Take off.  Or blast off, as my boys call it.  It was a little bumpy, but Bert explained to my why, because of heat off the ground from the sun and such.  So, we're good.  If the pilot next to me isn't concerned I guess I shouldn't be either.  We are headed to Alberquerque (is that how it's spelled), it's only about an hour and twenty minute flight.  About twenty minutes into the flight a lady (probably in her late 20's) starts to have a panic attack or something like that.  I don't know exactly, but the flight attendants finally asked if there was a doctor or nurse on board.  Somebody came back and helped with the situation.  I got up to use the bathroom and just saw the poor girl hunched over and crying.  I felt  bad for the poor thing.  She was at least under control.
Then about 40 minutes into the flight we start hearing this stuff very loudly, "Land this **** -**** plane right now!"  Bert and I look at each other and I thought, wow, that's not good.  Then my seat starts shaking.  Yep, the lady behind me, remember the one who almost sat beside me, is FREAKING OUT!  Great.  When we finally landed she had passed out, but before then she had shook my seat a little, yelled out lot's of the F-word, and kicked at a stewardess.  Bert told me she was getting off in Alb. even if her ticket was for Seattle.  That made me feel better.  And, thankfully, Josiah seemed oblivious to the whole thing and never seemed to notice the outbursts.
So, we start the descent and boy, is it a rough one.  My stomach was not feeling well at all.  Bert said it was normal because of the mountains and blah, blah, blah.  Have I mentioned how grateful I was that Bert was sitting with us?  It was great!    We land and everyone is asked to wait for the paramedics to come on board.  Yep, the lady in the very back is off first.  Then, everyone else got off (at least 2/3 of the plane).  Then, the police come on to escort the lady behind me off the plane.  She is totally passed out by now, so it takes a few minutes.
Only a few more people join us for the flight to Seattle, so Bert moved up to the seat in front of us but told Josiah if he had any questions he could still ask.  We are ready to go, but the bags in Alb. can't get loaded because the ambulance and firetruck and police vehicles in the way.  So we wait awhile.  Finally, we take off, and it is rather smooth.  The flight was quiet, the landing was great. NO DRAMA!
We say goodbye to Bert.  Josiah tells him that he is a really nice man.  Bert says that he enjoyed getting to know Josiah too.  He even had shown Josiah pictures from the cockpit and what they see from the "front" of the plane.  It was pretty cool!  The important part is that we made it!