Made a whirlwind trip to New York last week to see John's parents and so glad we did. We drove there and back over 4 very long days to have one day there. The kids were awesome and didn't complain at all. John's dad (Poppy) was literally waiting in the doorway at the nursing home when we arrived. I'm so glad we went. John's mom (Grammie) didn't fully know who I or the kids were. I think she knew that she knew us, but didn't know quite how. There were moments I think she knew, but most she did not. Aunt Susan, Grammie, and the girls sifted through Grammie's jewelry and the girls got to pick some out to keep. It meant a lot to all of them. The kids got to see the home John grew up in, the schools he went to as a child, and the place where Poppy worked. Utica is a beautiful, old, little city that at one time was proud. It's pretty run down now and not growing. The architecture of the buildings is something you don't see in today's modern buildings.
On the way up as we traveled through Arkansas and into Tennessee, we realized that there had been huge flooding going on. We didn't check for things like that before we started out(lesson learned!). As we neared Nashville, you could see just from the highway just how catastrophic things had gotten. We saw an eighteen-wheeler down in a ravine that had clearly been covered over with flowing muddy water, cars all over the sides of the highway, people with gloves on searching, gas stations running out of gas, buildings and houses under water, rivers still overflowing their banks, and debris everywhere. We had to stop for gas and the gas attendant told us the highway had opened only a few hours before we drove through after being closed for days. The Cumberland River crested after we made our way over it the first time. Wild. Last I heard, 33 people died in this flood. They can use a lot of prayer around there.
This was the same route my mom, sister-in-law Donna, and I made with Luke for his surgery in Cincinnati in August 2008. It was kind of nostalgic. The fact that we were driving through knowing Luke was healed and is a happy and healthy toddler now and that John has a job that he's so thrilled about waiting for him at home gave us a lot to be thankful for. We drove right past the Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the little place we stayed...very sweet. How different things are a year and 9 months later.
On the way back to Texas we stopped to see an old friend of John's in Ohio. He has a beautiful home on a huge piece of land with horses, chickens, and lots of rolling green hills. The kids LOVED it. We completely forgot about Danielle's severe allergies to every grass, hay, and outdoor everything--especially HORSES. She loved petting the horses. Yeah...oops. Thank God for Benadryl. Thank goodness for allergy shots. Despite a year and a half of allergy shots, there were still many hives, swollen face and eyes, etc. So the quick 15 minute stop turned into a longer stay complete with a shower, change of clothes, and Benadryl. Well, at least we know the shots are working as the reaction was way less severe than the last time we were around horses.
We arrived home late Friday night just before Mother's Day. We were all wiped out. Danielle had her end of the season swim team banquet Saturday. We girls got to do a little shopping together with friends for the first time in a very long time.
This week we're trying to wrap up some school work so we can have a small summer break. It's hard to get your head back into the swing after a week like last week.
Thank you, God, for the blessings of friends, family, health, jobs, and resources in our lives!!
