Today was a taekwondo day, which means a 40 minute drive to the next town.
The kiddos and I left early to hopefully do some shopping before time for class. When Greg got out of school he gave me a call to check where we were.
"H e l l o o ow?" I answered the phone with a quavery voice at least an octave higher than my usual.
"Are you ok?" Greg asked.
"Yes," I managed to squeak out, this time on the losing end of holding back full-on crying.
You may be asking the same question Greg did. "What happened?!"
This is what happened:
When Greg called, we had moments before been directed around an accident that had occurred in the middle of the highway. My children and I, along with the 7 or 8 cars ahead of us were among the first to come upon it. There were no police or rescue vehicles on scene.
That was unnerving enough, but what really brought on the tears was that about the same moment I was processing all this and about to answer Greg's call I remembered:
Less than a mile before the accident a pickup truck in front of me turned off the highway onto another road. The same pickup truck that I had been following for 6-7 miles. A pickup truck that went the entire 6-7 miles going fifty-two miles per hour in a 70mph zone. A pickup truck that held us up just long enough to be out of harm's way when two vehicles collided in our path.
The relief and the thankfulness for God's protection via a white Dodge dualy driven by a man in a baseball cap flowed freely, and still do. It was the best 52 mph I've ever driven.
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Brrr.
One week ago today we were sitting on a sunny beach.
Today it rained all day, after raining all night.
One week ago today it was warm enough to swim.
Today I am contemplating a jacket.
One week ago today was our first full day of our first 'real' vacation.
Today is our first full day back home. Home to 'real' life.
The biggest thing missing is Daddy. The biggest blessing is I still get to spend all day each day with my four favorite kids!
Rain or shine, it's good to be home.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Oh say, can you see?
The sun was out, the waves were big, and the wind was just right. Greg was out in the water with Dale, while I sat playing in the sand with the other 3. We were nearing the end of our second (and last) beach run of the day before heading back to the beach house for supper and baths.
Alan looked out toward the water and announced quite nonchalantly, "Daddy lost his glasses."
My head snapped up to see Greg on his knees in the water, his face empty of the glasses he wears from the moment he wakes up in the morning until the moment he lays down at night.
I sprinted down to the water, frantically joining the search, but knowing already how powerful the waves were and how quickly things disappeared within them.
Greg, helpless in the search for his glasses without his glasses, went back to sit with the littles while Dale and I kept wading and looking and pacing and praying for his one and only pair to wash up on shore.
Finally we admitted defeat and went to gather our things and see what could be done about getting some replacements.
It was now 5:15 on Friday afternoon.
As we drove back to the house, we called my mom for the phone number of the nearest walmart vision center. Greg and I ran in to grab clothes and my wallet, since I was now our driver and raced back to the van. The optometrist was open until 6 and we were almost 30 minutes away.
Once rolling in the right direction we called the optometrist office for the second time, this time to make sure they would wait for us. This was when we found out she was with her last patient and wouldn't be seeing any more after that.
Um... really? The man can't see and his glasses are in the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
The woman on the phone offered a Monday appointment.
Greg: That won't work. Is there anything available tomorrow?
Woman on phone: The dr. doesn't see patients on Sunday.
Greg: Tomorrow is Saturday.
Woman: Saturday... I can offer you an 11:30.
Greg: That will work.
So we U-turned at the nearest turnaround and somberly headed back to the house. Greg did his best through supper and getting the boys to bed and we went to bed shortly after.
To realize the magnitude of this loss it helps to realize the strength of Greg's prescription. Back in the old days of his childhood his lenses were what you would call 'coke bottle'. Thanks to newer technology, his lenses are no longer as thick, although the prescription remains as strong, or stronger. He does nothing without his glasses. Nothing.
We carried on Saturday morning with our original plan of a sunrise low-tide walk on the beach, enjoying the morning and searching for seashells.
And yes, in spite of the odds, searching the sand and seaweed for a pair of glasses. Which we did not find. But we did encounter another family out doing exactly the same thing. Their 11 year old girl had lost her glasses the afternoon before also. See? Those waves were strong!
From here our day carried on without a hitch. Greg saw the optometrist, was fitted for contacts, and given two starter pair. Back in the land of the seeing again, he resumed his driving duties and we enjoyed the aquarium, afternoon naps, and later, a walk out on the jetty.
We marveled at the fact that we didn't pack a spare pair of glasses, or put a strap on his own. Even though we have both been extra careful in the past, losing his glasses this time never crossed our mind. And although we briefly wondered if he had been careless wearing them into the water, I had only to remember noticing what a close watch he kept on our boys in the water to decide, no. Beyond not being careless, it would have been foolish for him to have been out there without them.
I have to admit I continued to look for those glasses each trip back to the beach, and was a little disappointed God didn't WOW us with them washing up on shore. Or on a dolphin's nose. ;)
The whole episode was a reminder for me that faith is not believing that God will do what you want him to, but that God will do what is best. Sometimes that is a hard reality to face. For better or worse this incident had me playing the 'what-ifs'. What if it had been one of our boys that washed away in the Gulf? Even the thought is too much to face, and even more so in light of the whole "faith that God will do what is best" concept.
But, morbid thoughts aside, we are extremely thankful for how it all worked out. Greg is enjoying wearing contacts again for the first time in 15 years. God has blessed and taken care of every detail. So even though it isn't the way I would have scripted it, it does feel better to just let it go, and trust God for his best. Truly, " 'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus."
My head snapped up to see Greg on his knees in the water, his face empty of the glasses he wears from the moment he wakes up in the morning until the moment he lays down at night.
I sprinted down to the water, frantically joining the search, but knowing already how powerful the waves were and how quickly things disappeared within them.
Greg, helpless in the search for his glasses without his glasses, went back to sit with the littles while Dale and I kept wading and looking and pacing and praying for his one and only pair to wash up on shore.
Finally we admitted defeat and went to gather our things and see what could be done about getting some replacements.
It was now 5:15 on Friday afternoon.
As we drove back to the house, we called my mom for the phone number of the nearest walmart vision center. Greg and I ran in to grab clothes and my wallet, since I was now our driver and raced back to the van. The optometrist was open until 6 and we were almost 30 minutes away.
Once rolling in the right direction we called the optometrist office for the second time, this time to make sure they would wait for us. This was when we found out she was with her last patient and wouldn't be seeing any more after that.
Um... really? The man can't see and his glasses are in the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico.
The woman on the phone offered a Monday appointment.
Greg: That won't work. Is there anything available tomorrow?
Woman on phone: The dr. doesn't see patients on Sunday.
Greg: Tomorrow is Saturday.
Woman: Saturday... I can offer you an 11:30.
Greg: That will work.
So we U-turned at the nearest turnaround and somberly headed back to the house. Greg did his best through supper and getting the boys to bed and we went to bed shortly after.
To realize the magnitude of this loss it helps to realize the strength of Greg's prescription. Back in the old days of his childhood his lenses were what you would call 'coke bottle'. Thanks to newer technology, his lenses are no longer as thick, although the prescription remains as strong, or stronger. He does nothing without his glasses. Nothing.
We carried on Saturday morning with our original plan of a sunrise low-tide walk on the beach, enjoying the morning and searching for seashells.
From here our day carried on without a hitch. Greg saw the optometrist, was fitted for contacts, and given two starter pair. Back in the land of the seeing again, he resumed his driving duties and we enjoyed the aquarium, afternoon naps, and later, a walk out on the jetty.
I have to admit I continued to look for those glasses each trip back to the beach, and was a little disappointed God didn't WOW us with them washing up on shore. Or on a dolphin's nose. ;)
The whole episode was a reminder for me that faith is not believing that God will do what you want him to, but that God will do what is best. Sometimes that is a hard reality to face. For better or worse this incident had me playing the 'what-ifs'. What if it had been one of our boys that washed away in the Gulf? Even the thought is too much to face, and even more so in light of the whole "faith that God will do what is best" concept.
But, morbid thoughts aside, we are extremely thankful for how it all worked out. Greg is enjoying wearing contacts again for the first time in 15 years. God has blessed and taken care of every detail. So even though it isn't the way I would have scripted it, it does feel better to just let it go, and trust God for his best. Truly, " 'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus."
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Praiseworthy
Let the heaven and earth praise him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein. Psalm 69:34
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
Kids Say Funny Stuff...
...even on vacation!
This morning, for no particular reason, I sang, "raindrops keep falling on my head...". I don't think Dale knows the song, but he jumped right in with a second line (and tune) all his own: "And I say that's better tha-an hail!" Good point there, buddy.
Yesterday we had a conversation that included the Bible verse from Genesis that says God said "It is not good for man to be alone." Today, the whole family was supposed to be having rest/nap time, but one by one the boys slipped out of their room. Finally, with Dale and Tyler playing in the living room and Greg out for a run, Alan appeared next to my bed where I was laying with Brooklyn. He launched into a typical Alan-rambling run-on sentence that went something like this:
"We are supposed to be having rest time but Dale left our room and Tyler left our room and even though I was trying to go to sleep I was all by myself in our room so I got up because God says it isn't good for man to be alone."
I couldn't argue with that one.
And finally, yesterday, in the tight quarters of a dining car at the railroad museum, Greg turned around to navigate to another section of the car and lost track of Tyler, who was basically right behind him. But it was crowded and Tyler does only stand 2.5 feet tall. "Where is Tyler?" he asked.
Tyler immediately piped up, "Here I am! I found me!"
This morning, for no particular reason, I sang, "raindrops keep falling on my head...". I don't think Dale knows the song, but he jumped right in with a second line (and tune) all his own: "And I say that's better tha-an hail!" Good point there, buddy.
"We are supposed to be having rest time but Dale left our room and Tyler left our room and even though I was trying to go to sleep I was all by myself in our room so I got up because God says it isn't good for man to be alone."
I couldn't argue with that one.
 |
| Kite-flying from the roof level deck... in pj's! |
Tyler immediately piped up, "Here I am! I found me!"
Thursday, March 15, 2012
When Plans Get Derailed
Today we traded our swimsuits for bluejeans, our flip-flops for tennis shoes and headed to Galveston for a day out.
We very much enjoyed the scenery of an almost hour-long drive along the coast.
Once in Galveston we headed for the Galveston Railroad Museum.
I have an entire other post to devote to a section of this museum, but that is for later. Today we're talking about... today.
Look at my manly man carrying my bag. Since I was carrying his baby and all. Even with a sling (yay for baby-wearing!) Mama's arms can get tired.
Tyler can make anything funny. Here he stepped in a hole in the flooring of an engine. Without any drama or tears he announced "I stuck in the train! My foot stuck in the train!!" No harm done to Tyler, his shoe, or the train.
One of my favorite pictures from the day. It's HUGE!
From here we continued on with our agenda and headed for the tip-top end of Galveston Island for a ride on the ferry.
Out of the van and to the front of the boat:
We very much enjoyed the scenery of an almost hour-long drive along the coast.
Once in Galveston we headed for the Galveston Railroad Museum.
I have an entire other post to devote to a section of this museum, but that is for later. Today we're talking about... today.
From here we continued on with our agenda and headed for the tip-top end of Galveston Island for a ride on the ferry.
Brooklyn, along for the ride, as always:
As we approached the docking site I heard a dad next to us tell his kids we'd be seeing the dolphins soon. I thought he was just teasing with his little girls, but no! Just a few moments later... there they were! So glad I had the video camera in hand to grab that right quick.
After the dolphins we all scurried back to our cars and exited the ferry. Here is where things took a sudden departure from planned.
We were supposed to drive less than a mile up the beach and picnic at a totally cool and interesting historic park and playground area. Seaside.
We drove right to it, alright, only to be met with orange cones, a dump truck, and a "Closed Until March 2012 for Road Construction" sign. What!? Ummm... this is March 2012 so... can we come in? Please?
We did all we knew to do and took an about face.... back to the ferry.
Here's the catch: the line to get on the ferry going TO Galveston is a lot longer than the line OUT of Galveston. We sat. And waited. And sat.
Once we finally got to the ferry station area, we were quite dismayed to be pointed off to the side, out of the line of cars.
We had just been randomly selected for a homeland security inspection. We watched the driver and passenger in the vehicle in front of us get out and stand near their vehicle while two officials looked under it with a mirror, under the hood, and all around.
Brooklyn started to cry. I was already laughing and the thought of all 6 of us piling out and rebuckling.
The inspectors were super nice, Brooklyn behaved, and only Greg had to get out. (And we passed with flying colors... Whew!) ;)
And this is my absolute favoritist part of the day: you don't get delayed when you get randomly inspected. Oh no. Once you pass your inspection you are ushered to the front of the line. My car-cranky kids whose lunch was delayed and playground under construction got to pass alllll those other cars in that long,long line and get right on the ferry. We were one of the last cars on board.
See how God did that? Love it.
And although it was a little bit more of a delay, we circled around to another park.
One we had seen from the ferry. And finally, at 2:30 in the afternoon, sat down in the shade for our picnic.
It even had a playground. Can you spot all 4 of my guys in this picture?
Meanwhile, Brooklyn and I enjoyed the shade a bit more:
It was a long day out, but another fun day full of God's blessings and provisions. So thankful!
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