It's An Awfully Big Country

Well, we have managed to spend the night in each state that we have passed through (except OR). The states in the west are quite large when driving from side to side. Tonight we are in Urbana, IL and are done with I-80. We are nearly through with the long trip. We spent Sunday night in Sidney, NE the home of Cabela's. For those not trained in "outdoors" - that is a hunting, fishing, camping, outdoors-y type store that is a lot of fun to roam through. It is full of "Stuffed" animals and often has an aquarium in it. We did spend a little time roaming before hitting the road for the day. We also mananged to pass the mother store of JC Penney in Kemmerer WY while looking for lodging one night. Last night we stopped right on the NE - Iowa border in Council Bluffs. I wanted to make it to a new state for the night and we were still able to stop early enough for a workout and a nice meal and still got to bed in order to get a good jump on the day and make it to IL tonight.

We crossed the Mississippi today and both looked at each other and said "We're home!" We both have such a love of the east coast. We stopped at a rest area with a play ground which I just had to play on and as we returned to the truck Chris asked if we could just lay in the grass for a minute. Yes, the west has grass - but it is just not the same.

Tonight I am doing laundry and we can have a little later start in the morning because we are only going into IN tomorrow to stop and see Donald and his family for church and then for the day on Thursday.

We are eager to get to our new home. We will probably stop just shy of "home" on Friday and then get into Shelby before noon on Saturday and be able to unload the truck.

The trip is going well. We have managed to make fairly wise choices for eating and have taken a walk each night along with some workouts in the hotels. We are trying to avoid the weight gain that we had when going from east to west four years ago. Tomorrow morning we can use the hotels fitness center. The truck rides well (better than a compact car) and is doing fairly well towing the car. The high winds of the plain states have made things interesting sometimes but we have had no incidents.

We are reading the autobiography of John Bunyan as we travel "Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners" It is a profitable reminder of our weaknesses and God's amazing grace on our behalf.

We are almost there and ready to start new things. I am ready to be settled again.

Until IN, KY, TN, or NC ... TTFN (Ta Ta For Now)

Proverbs 21:31 The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

On Our Way!

Well, today I blog from Rock Springs, WY along the I-80 corridor. We have many miles on 80 to go. We got an earlier start than we planned - we were just too excited. We picked up the truck on the morning of September 24. The loading started around 9:30 and by 2:30 the truck was loaded. I still had a lot of cleaning, but by about 6 pm we were on the road. We got to Ellensberg, WA on the first night cutting about 100 miles off the 3000 mile trip.

On the 25th, we started to the Boise, ID area. We arrived at 5:30 to stay with Chris' sister and brother-in-law for a few days. We were also able to visit with his oldest brother on our last afternoon and morning there.

Yesterday was a long day with about 530 miles. We planned to stop earlier, but there just were not real great accomodations along the way and the exits are few and far between.

Now on through WY and Nebraska the next few days. We are planning to be "home" in Shelby, NC on Friday night or Saturday morning. We do have a trailer waiting for us in a park owned and managed by Ambassador staff. It is nice to know we can unload when we get there.

Got to get ready to get on the road again. Just wanted to update those following us and praying.

Psalm 126:3 The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Columbia River Gorge and a Shy Volcano

Our last trip from the Seattle area was a trip that I had planned each year for four years - a trip to the Columbia River Gorge. I finally got to use those plans.

We headed out for Mt St Helens first which is in the Southern portion of Washington state. It is a little drive from the highway, but both Chris and I had longed to see it. We drove to the lookout point, but the fog at the top of the mountain was so thick, we could not even see each other when we got out of the car. So we left sad, but promised to hit the mountain again on the way home.

Next stop - Columbia River Gorge - the border of Washington and Oregon and home of many, many waterfalls. We followed the Historic Columbia River Highway which is a quaint two lane road through a rain forest and the road is lined with white picket fences and stone work. It was a gorgeous drive. Then we hiked to 5 or 6 waterfalls. Chris was enjoying the opportunity to use our "fancy" camera including "stitching" pictures together to make panoramic shots of the falls. I had planned the trip for the fall hoping for a little "leaf peeping," but it was still a little too early. It was beautiful weather though. Even though it was raining, we hiked without getting soaked because the forest was so thick. There really is nothing like an "old growth" forest. Absolutely breathtaking.

After 2 days in the gorge it was time to head back to Mukilteo. We planned to arrive at St Helens around 3:30 hoping all of the fog would be burned off. Alas, the mountain proved shy again. Our drive was clear, but a cloud sat just on the top of the volcano. We did see the base of the mountain and the powerful destruction that is still evident almost 30 years later. The power of 1000's of atomic bombs displayed by our awesome God. It is amazing to me that anyway living through that could deny a powerful God.

It was a wonderful end to our stay in the west. We were both sad to miss the volcano, but glad that it did not "make any noise" while we were there either.

Psalm 115:3 Our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.

Glacier National Park

Well, with all of the miracles surrounding us, we were given extra time together in the west and an opprotunity to share some of the magnificent sites around us. We needed to get together with the western family before the move east. Originally they were going to come to the Seattle area, but since Chris was granted all of his terminal leave, we did the majority of driving. We met up in Hungry Horse, MT and decided to see Glacier National Park. Chris' folks stayed in their motor home and we rented a "rustic" cabin. Rustic means rustic. Just a bed and four walls. No electricity. Yes, it did get quite cool at night. We did enjoy some beautiful days and some wonderful evenings around a campfire. It was nice to have the motor home to cook in and just to warm up in in the morning. I am still getting used to the whole camping thing, but am improving each time.

The most hilarious part of the whole trip was when Chris and I got up at 6:30 one morning to shower before hitting the park. We heard the alarm, got up and headed to the shower house. When we got back to the cabin, Chris looked at his watch and asked me what time it was. We checked all the watches and cell phones to discover that it was 4:30. The last time Chris had used his alarm clock was in Norfolk, VA on the way home and now we were in Mountain time ... not eastern time! We returned to our sleeping bags for the next 2 hours!!!

We were able to drive the "Going to the Sun Road." It is a twisty, turny, cliff like drive ... but very beautiful. We saw half one day and the other half the next. Yes, we saw the glacier, but I must admit that it was smaller than I expected. Chris and his family had driven around the park many, many times in their trips to and from the Arctic, but had never actually driven through ... so it was new for all of us.

Psalm 121:1 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Be Still, My Soul

Just another 4 days until we begin terminal leave (it was moved from Wednesday 9/10to Friday 9/12). The excitement mounts and I think that my sailor is finally relaxing. He said that in the beginning of his time home his body would just tense up because he "knew" there was SOMETHING that needed to be stressed about. Then when he realized that the pressures of the ship were truly in the past he would relax.

So - change is on the horizon. Change is good, right? In the process, I realize that I - a person who loves planning and mapping things out - am struggling with uncertainty. Imagine that? Am I ready for the new life? Yes, I am excited, don't doubt that - but the change? All I have known in the last 6 years is the life of a military wife and the predictable unpredictability of the life. Imagine taking comfort in that?

So my dear hubby gets home and senses the commotion within me and recommends that I memorize the song "Be Still, My Soul." I break out the hymn book (yes, there was one still unpacked) and read the words. I asked him if he knew what the second verse said. "No" he did not. So I will share these words that have reminded me about where my trust lies.

Be still, My Soul! Thy God doth undertake
To guide thy future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my Soul! the waves and winds still know
His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.
-Katharina von Schlegel

So I don't know where you are today or if the sin of worry and anxiety ever claim your time needlessly, but this song and the verse the song is based on have been a rebuke and comfort to us in these days.

Psalm 46:10 Be still and know that I am God:...
Matthew 6:34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. ...

An error in our favor

Sounds a little bit like playing Monopoly, doesn't it? Well, Chris headed back to Naval Station Everett this week prepared to teach students through the month of September. When he reported to duty, he found out that his orders had been written incorrectly - he had been sent to TPU, which is the department that processes people out of the military - usually in ten days or less. He did not mind that! The personnel in that department are allowing him to use all of his unused leave days as "terminal leave" which means that instead of leaving the military on September 29, he will be finished here on September 10. The ship was only going to allow him to use 30 days of leave for terminal leave and he would have had to "sell back" the extra 20 days that he had saved up. So we are still flying high and thanking God for His gracious provisions in our lives.

We will still be in WA for most of September but will be able to visit some western family members before we leave this side of the country for at least 4 years and also take a trip to see the Red Woods in California, the Oregon coast, and Mount St Helens in southern WA before we load up and head across the country. I had thought that I might have to leave before seeing some of these spectacular sites due to time constraints.

So this week, life is imitating a game. The error was in our favor. Of course, we don't see it as an error at all - our God is in control of everything.

Psalm 40:5 Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.

Back to Work

Yes, my dear husband is home and back to work, but I really refer to myself. I have the best job in the whole world and I am glad to be back to it full-time after a nearly 6 month "vacation." I love being a "keeper at home." Titus 2 speaks of the young women learning to be "keepers at home ... that the word of God be not blasphemed." That keeper is a guard, protecting the home from worldly influences.

As Chris gets out of the military and away from the schedule that it has provided, I am often asked if I will go back to teaching so that he can be a full time student. I can gladly answer "no" because I feel that God has set my place in the home. I am so thankful that Chris appreciates the home that can be created when I am there full-time. There is great joy in taking care of my husband, my home, and hopefully one day our children. I am glad that I can provide a peaceful sanctuary for my husband when the world swirls violently around us. I love being free to minister to fellow believers and the community by teaching children, teens, and other women any skill that can be a service to them now and in the future. I love being available to provide a meal with little notice to those in needs.

Without children in the home, I do look outside the home to fill my days. I primarily look for ministry opportunities so that I can "teach the younger." I may continue to give music lessons in NC, may teach sewing lessons, or may make modest dresses for families searching for that option. I was thrilled the other day when one of my students asked me about her dress standards and I could share with her what I saw in her life and also support her parents' views. This opportunity came because of the time I had spent with her over the past 4 years - she knew that I cared about her. Chris and I have found that strong relationships with people forged with quality and quantity of time provide the best opportunities to meet their needs and open doors to ministry. My flexible schedule allows us the opportunities to reach out that we have not found when I am teaching a lot of lessons, substitute teaching, "running" all over the place, or juggling 2 work schedules.

The Proverbs 31 woman was VERY busy and was praised for the steps that she took to care for her home. She researched; she considered; she saved; she created goods to sell; she met the needs of her home and husband. I am challenged by this mighty woman and strive to model my life after her example. I have much to learn to become this woman who receives the praise of her family and of God. How I pray that I can learn to be so virtuous and be an example to those young women around me!

Proverbs 31:30 "Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised."

The Blessings Pile Up

So all of the excitement of this week also led to a lot of uncertainty. The biggest problem was that we had terminated our lease and needed a place for the month of September. I headed to the leasing office this morning and was told that our place was already rented and due to be occupied on September 6. So I left and headed back to the apartment to research other options. Before I reached my apartment, my cell phone rang and it was the leasing agent asking why I had asked the question. When I explained the situation, she said that current residents had preference and we could stay. So my thought ran to "What will the month to month rent be?" Last year our lease agreement had listed rent at about $1300 for a month to month arrangement, so I expected higher this year. When I talked to the property manager this afternoon, she said we were good for September for just an additional $100 per month. I just stared at her and clarified it every way that I could and she held to it. Praise the Lord! I am relieved not to have to "move" an extra time, no need for storage ...

Another blessing of the temporary duty is that we will actually get to leave on September 30. The ship was not going to let Chris leave until September 30 and then he would have had 10 days of "work" here in WA to "process out." No he can process out before September 30 and we can be on our way!

Chris also confirmed today that had he not removed himself from the chief induction this month, he never would have had this opportunity either. WOW!

Psalm 93:4 The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

That's A Lot of Soda!

So what keeps the wife of a deployed sailor busy? Good question. Usually I learn a new skill during a long deployment ... sewing was a big one last deployment. This year, another sailor wife filled my long evenings with a homecoming project. This wife wanted to greet the 3,000 sailors returning with the USS Abraham Lincoln with Pop Tab Leis. So as of this writing, I have made about 130 leis and will have about 150 done by the time we move. No, I have not collected the tabs due to the fact that the carbonation and sugar would kill me. But process this ... 110 tabs per lei and 3000 leis. That's a Lot of Soda! I am not sure that the director of the project will meet the goal, but may be close. I did have some uncompleted kits here at home, so I will meet Chris at the airport with his own lei (he will probably turn it in so it can be "reused" at the official homecoming).

Belated Anniversary Present from the Navy?

So Sunday, August 17 was our sixth Anniversary. Chris and I celebrated it as we have about 1/2 of our other anniversaries - in different locations. We did connect with a phone call which is always special. Then last night, I receive an e-mail from Chris that says he is coming home ... this week!!!! It seems that he was pretty much a lame duck on the ship since he was turning over his responsibilities, so they decided to send him home to teach students on the base in Everett (similar to his job in NY when we were married). So he will fly off the ship sometime tomorrow and arrive in Seattle sometime this week - we have no confirmation of flight times from the middle east or layovers between here and there.

Have you ever been on cloud 9? From up above it, it looks like a nice place :)

So it looks like I will have help to move. Now we just need a place to live for a month since our lease has expired here and we already gave our notice ... We know that God will provide and are thankful for this special blessing.

I was thinking the other day that this was definitely the longest we had ever been apart and feeling bad that I had not jumped on my one opportunity to join Chris in Dubai for a port call. God has always given us relief during the long stretches. During the first deployment, we met up in Hawaii to shorten the time apart. During the second deployment, he came home early for school in Virginia. What a blessing that we only had to endure 5 1/2 months of separation on this our LAST DEPLOYMENT! God is good.

Rejoice with us as we finish this final stretch in WA together and look forward to a new saga in NC.

Proverbs 21:1 The King's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will.