Day 13-14 Returning home from NC

Day 13 Sarah I attended church with Sarah's new coworker at the Southern Pine Presbyterian Church.  Certainly a more ceremonial church and they sprinkle infants and adults instead of immersion, but other than that the sermon was very doctrinally sound and Biblcal.  The pastor preached on repentance and it was a challenging message.  The people were so friendly there.  The pastor actually is from Othello, WA!  He was happy to find someone who knew where that was. 

After church, Sarah's coworker graciously fed us lunch and then Sarah and I left for the airport.  i drove to help conserve her energy since she still wasn't feeling fully up to par after being so sick when we arrived.  The airport was a madhouse.  We missed the turn to the terminal first time around, but thankfully they built it in a circle so we could start over again and make another stop at it.  Got it the second round but couldn't find a place to park so I just got out and walked the rest of the way.  It was hard to kiss and hug Sarah good-bye so quickly and run like that.

The airport was confusing, but I finally found where I needed to be and got in line behind a man who was making jokes about the TSA process and making everyone around him more at ease as we waited for our turns.  I like those kinds of people.

My first flight was not a problem to find and get on.  It left on time.  It was a turbulent flight and then when we got near Salt Lake they said they might have to take us back to Denver because of the fog.  Everyone cheered when the pilot managed to set us down in Salt Lake.  A rather rough landing, but safe.

Then I found out the bad news.  My connecting flight was cancelled and I had no plan to Lewiston waiting for me.  I was so upset I sat down and cried.  I gathered my wits about me and found a row of telephones that said "Help" on them, so I picked on up.  The man rescheduled me on an Alaska flight at no additional cost, but it would not leave until Monday morning at 6:30 am.  He said I could go to a Delta desk and ask for Hotel accommodations, but I figured I wouodn't sleep anyway, knowing I would have to get up at some ungodly hour to catch a ride back to the airport and do TSA and find my gate all over again.  I elected to stay put.

So I spent the night at the terminal gate. I bought a Jamba Juice as a consultation prize.  I visited with a lady through Google Translate & she entertained me with her family photos and life story.  I laid on the floor and tried to sleep, I walked. It was a long night.  CNN pounded into my head all night long how bad our president is, repeating the same stories over and over and over again until I had them memorized. 

Finally we got to board at 6:30am.  We taxied out to the tarmac and sat for another 30 minutes while they had to de-ice the plane twice due to freezing fog.  Then we took off.  Another bumpy ride.  The lady across the aisle entertainme me with her photos and life story.  I tried to catch a cat nap.

Arrived in Seattle and was suppose to board at 9am.  We didn't board until 9:40, the time we were supposed to depart.  This flight was not full like the other.  It was a prop jet and set up such a vibration, I felt like I was getting a full body massage at times.  It was very loud too.  

I have never flown into Lewiston before.  What a welcome site to see the naked hills of Clarkston!  So fun to see all the familiar landmarks.  I tried to find my house but was unsuccessful.  What a welcome relief to be home at last!  Rick met me at the airport and took me out for a late lunch.  I had not had a real meal since yesterday at noon.  That was nice.

I'm grateful for all that God has brought us through the past two weeks.  We had a rough start when Sarah bumped into the guy ahead of her and put a hole in her bumper and then when the gadget had to be replaced in her engine that made the engine light come on.  We had fog that first day that was scary and had to switch our motel reservations, but God lead us to a wonderful mechanic the next day who installed the gadget for a reasonable price and we were on our way.  

I'm thankful God opened a safe path for us to drive all the way across the United States.  We had perfect weather all the way after Idaho.  We didn't get a snow storm until after we arrived at Sarah's apartment.  I'm thankful that since she got so sick it happened after we arrived instead of in a motel and that I was able to go buy necessities before the snow storm so we could just sit it out for a couple of days.  I'm thankful we arrived with enough time we could do that.

Even though this trip back home was tough, I'm thankful I arrived safe and sound and that I met some really nice people along the way.  I miss Sarah, but I'm thankful she has this opportunity.  And I am thankful to be back home again.

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