Going home

The week was winding down.  Thursday evening, the temperature had RISEN to -6 with a wind chill of -24!  We decided to go to Arby's for supper.  We had been cooped up long enough,.  Claire got her Arby's!  

 Would you believe we actually saw people out WITHOUT coats?  Are they CRAZY!!??

There was school on Friday and after school, Hannah had play practice.  Hannah is going to be such a very cool Genie in the Aladdin play they are putting on!

She ate supper at play practice.  Sophia wanted us to go to her favorite restaurant.

I took them back roads with GPS.  The girls were sure Nana was NOT going the right way.  Claire said she did not like this adventure.  I told her adventure is FUN!!!   How I love to go places I have never been before!  I assured her we wouldn't get lost.

Adam and Jill made it back to Milwaukee.  They had to dig out their car.  Luckily they had a shovel in the trunk and their car started!  

The next day I said my goodbyes to my sweet granddaughters.

Jill drove me to Appleton.  The airport there is a smaller one.
They had to de-ice our plane.

I had to laugh.  The person driving the truck was the same lady who gave me my boarding pass, and also the lady who scanned our tickets as we got on the plane and now she was driving the truck!  I guess in small airports, you have to be a jack of all trades!

 My seatmate was a young fellow who had been in Kuwait, serving our country.  We had such a good conversation.  This day was Ground Hog Day and my morning devotions happened to be on learning lessons in the shadow.  Isaiah 49:2  There are lessons that can only be learned "in the shadow of God's hand".  This man had been in the shadow of war.   Some face the shadow of illness, mourning or financial fears.  To be in someone's shadow, you must be close by.  Stay close to Jesus' side, in His shadow, where He will cover you.

Lord, be with this young man and help him to heal from the flashbacks he experiences and some of the struggles he shared with me.

The lady in front of me was absolutely terrified of flying.  She had closed her window and was just stressing.  I put my hand on her shoulder.  "It will be alright.  You'll be fine." I spoke to her.  I silently prayed for her.  At the end of the flight, she said, "I slept the whole way!"  Thank You, Father for your care over her!

In contrast to Appleton airport, when I landed in Chicago, I think I had to walk 2 miles to my next gate.  I got a good workout!

The plane ride was fun as I interacted with a young mother and her 3 year old.  When she came on board, she panicked when she saw she was sitting across the aisle from her child.  I offered to let her take my seat so they could sit together.   A family from the Netherlands with their children was sitting behind me. They had been on planes for 21 hours!  The kids, perhaps 2 and 4, were so well behaved.  When the flight attendant passed out water, I had a good chuckle as all the children had to blow bubbles in their water.

Al met me in Wichita.   It was a balmy 62 degrees!  And I was wearing fur!  Ha!

Al said the fridge was bare, so we went to Rib Crib.

Good to be home - for awhile, anyway.  Another trip on the horizon!