Wedding Week Part 1

Jon and Christine’s wedding was 7 days away. There was much to pack into just a few days. First, we got to spend a little time with Bekah and her roommate, Kim. It was so good to go to church with Bekah and see her “on the job.” Then, we had the delightful blessing of a meal together with all 3 kids, plus Christine and Kim. We celebrated our anniversary and Joel’s birthday, then, drove out to Long Island where we would spend the week. Christine’s family made us feel very welcome, and we had the wonderful opportunity of staying with her grandparents for the week. Our suitcases arrived, too, which was a relief, as I only had one extra set of clothes to wear. It was fun spending time with the soon to be married couple. We made ourselves available to run errands and help out in any way we could. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of preparations, we even got to go to the beach with them. It was beautiful. (See the picture of Fire Island Lighthouse above.) Another special activity was celebrating our 33rd anniversary and dinner by the harbor in North Port Village. The time was passing so quickly. Soon, many friends and family would be converging for the big event.

Traveling Travesties Part 2

I never thought it would take me this long to recap our summer trip. Ever hear the saying “Life is what happens while you are making other plans.” There are so many things going on in addition to daily routines. Another saying is “Expect the unexpected.” Well, enough clichés. I shared previously about our awesome time with Joel and family in Missouri. "All good things must come to an end." (Oops, another cliche.) Back to the airport. What an unusual day for the Potters with Joel traveling on one airline, Jon traveling on another one, and us a third one, all converging on NY. For the second time in a month, we found out that Saturday is a bad time to travel to or from JFK. Why isn't that information published somewhere? Our trip looked to be more challenging than Joel’s as we were changing planes twice –first in Chicago and second in Washington, D.C. The first and second flight were on schedule.Then, we got to Reagan International Airport. It is a really neat airport with lots of interesting architecture and art work, as you can see in the picture. We were on a low budget Delta flight where you had to walk out on the tarmac to board the plane. I thought that only happened in places like Guyana. Well, we boarded that plane, then sat and sat, while they waited for their turn “in line” for an open runway. Finally, they announced that JFK was experiencing its usual Saturday night “air jam.” The sky over NY was too busy, and we would be delayed. These flights do not offer food, but they did give us some water and little snacks. Finally, about 2 hours later we took off for JFK. This is only a 45 minute flight. The airline, Delta, is so low budget that you have to get out on the tarmac and walk a good distance in the heat to what looked like the back alley of JFK. It wasn’t very nice to see. Anyhow, our dear Bekah was right at the baggage claim area waiting patiently. After a long wait, some luggage appeared, but half of ours was missing. “Welcome to Saturday night life at JFK!” Thankfully, I had put my dress for the wedding in my carry on. I just had this bad feeling, you know. Bekah also gave us mixed news - Jon arrived safe and sound in Long Island – smart guy didn’t have to go JFK. However, Joel had multiple delays and was not due for 2 more hours. So, we submitted our claim for missing baggage, got some supper and waited for Joel. Finally, he arrived, and, joy of joys, all his luggage made it, too. What a relief to be done traveling for two weeks. Now, on to the pre-wedding preparations!! (Hope that luggage shows up soon – most of my clothes were in it.)

Special Tribute

I was blessed to grow up in a large extended family. Both of my parents had many brothers and sisters, so I had more aunts, uncles and cousins than I could count. Most of you know that my mom died suddenly quite a few years ago. (1976) She was blessed to have 4 sisters who have continued to live in the same town where they were born and raised, Newton, NJ. We have always kept in touch and visited them as often as possible. Two of the sisters are twins, Anna and Virginia, then, there is Aunt Irene, and the eldest, Aunt Jeanne. In August, we had the joy of visiting these 4 great ladies. Although it was a very busy time for us, we felt a strong urge to go. You never know what can happen or when we would get that way again. It was amazing to see them and hear all that they are doing, even in these later years of life. The twins' 80th birthday will be next year and Aunt Jeanne will turn 90. Very suddenly, Aunt Anna was taken from us last week. We were all shocked and saddened by her death. I am so grateful for the many years we had with her. She had such a great attitude about life and was always an encouragement. She will be greatly missed. Please keep all of the family in your prayers.

Missouri, Here We Come

As our time at World View drew to a close, I found it harder to stay focused. I was grateful for new concepts and tools to use in ministry, but my thoughts were constantly drawn to the kids, especially to the newest members of the family, Jack and Owen. So, we finished up our classes and said our good byes. The trip to Missouri was scenic, timely and uneventful. What a blessing! Again, we were able to see Mt. Hood from the plane and other mountain ranges. It was fun to arrive in Springfield, Missouri and be greeted by the whole family, Joel, Bethany, Jack and Owen. Jack was a little shy initially but warmed up fast. He impressed us with his vocabulary and ability to identify vehicles, like the brand new Hummer on display. It promised to be an enjoyable week. Jack absolutely loves baseball, but we were able to introduce him to cricket and he caught on fast. Owen was a bubbly, cooing bundle of joy. There weren’t enough hours in the day to be with these little guys. Of course, we enjoyed time with their mom and dad and other grandmother, Lynn Stroud. All too soon the week ended. We are so grateful for those few days to bond with our precious grandsons. There won’t be many more moments with them for some time to come. “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Proverbs 17:6