Houston's Birthday Party

Angels

As I recall last night's events, I'm finding myself pretty grateful. Not only because Keegan's temperature dropped down quickly from 106.7 to 104 to what it is today, 101. But because I have angels in my life like Briana Moss.

Briana, thank you again for being there for this panicked mother. Thank you for sleeping with your phone by your side "just in case". Thank you for never clocking out of your role as Nurse. But mostly, thank you for being such a prime example of what a true friend is. I am indebted and honored to know you.

I Know What Fire Tastes Like

I spent this last week in Orlando, FL for a Christian Retailers trade show. I was there to help promote get the WORD out clothing co. with my dear friends and company owners, Robb & Marie Jackson. It is ALWAYS a blast whenever we get together. We all have the same sense of humor, the same deep rooted faith and the same desires to see get the WORD out become everything that we believe it was meant to be.

The first opportunity that allowed us an evening of casual/no obligations dining was Wednesday night. Having previously been there, I recommended that we dine at Tijuana Flats, a local fast/casual restaurant whose claim to fame is their "hot bar".

The "hot bar" consists of about 12 different hot sauces varying in flavor and intensity. On the milder side, you will find "Sissy Sauces" including my personal favorite, "Slap My SWEET Ass And Call Me Sally Sweet". It is the perfect blend of spice and sweetness. It's yummy!

On the extreme opposite are "Death Wish Sauces". I've never ventured to that side of the hot bar, knowing full well that the intensity would be a little over the top for my comfort level.

Somehow in the middle of dinner, my brother in law, Justin, brought over the hottest sauce available. Looking back, I may have mentioned that "hot" doesn't bother me so much as "onion-ish" flavoring. And I may have inadvertently let the words, "Sure, I'll try it," pass through my lips.

As I grabbed a chip and began to thoroughly dip it in the sauce, I noticed that Marie also grabbed a chip and dipped it in the sauce as well. She didn't quite get the same amount on her chip as I did, but the fact that she was traveling down this road of stupidity with me says a lot about her character and loyalty. My sista wasn't going to let me do this alone. So we counted down and on "one", popped our sauce covered chips into our mouths.

Now, you'd think that common sense would have some sort of bearing in my life. I'd like to think that I'm somewhat intelligent. For Pete's sake, I use to write in programming code; I'm not an idiot... on most days, that is. On this particular day, all common sense and intelligence not only left my brain, but also wiped their fingerprints on the way out. You see, I figured that if I was going to truly experience this "Death Wish" sauce, I would need to roll the contents around in my mouth so as to insure complete coverage of the roof, cheeks and tongue before swallowing. So, that is just what I did.

The initial wave of intensity wasn't so bad. It was hot, spicy and intense...but tolerable. And just as I opened my mouth to say so, it hit me. Passing air through my mouth...the simple act of breathing intensified the sauce to an indescribable level. Ten seconds in, the insides of my mouth literally feel like they are ON FIRE. Beads of sweat formed not only on my upper lip and forehead, but also on my scalp. A white fog seemed to have settled around my eyes...could it be the smoke coming from my mouth? And as if they were in a tunnel, I hear Robb, Justin and Jessica laughing hysterically at both Marie and I. At this point, I look over to Marie only to see her sticking her tongue into a cup of ice water. Great idea!! I grab a cup myself and as I lower my head downward, streams of snot come gushing out of my nose.

Once I manage to mop up that lovely mess, I begin to alternate between dipping my tongue and lips into the cup of ice water and wiping the insides of my mouth with napkins. I could give a flying fart about how I look to others in the restaurant and the scene that we are making. The pain is FOR REAL. Unfortunately, neither the napkins nor ice water really help to alleviate the pain. It would seem that time would be the only antidote.

Justin coaches us through the traumatic event with giggles all the while. "Stay with it...enjoy the endorphin rush...stay with it." I'm thinking that I will strangle him when this is all said and done.

Within 5 minutes, I believe we were both able to regain our composure. The pain had subsided enough to allow us to act in a manner which wouldn't warrant a call to the psych ward.

I don't regret the experience. And the fact that Marie stepped up alongside made it even more of an experience. Hey, we bonded in a way that few will ever understand. Never mind the fact that the bonding occurred over a sauce in the same "Death Wish" category as "Ass Reaper" and "Colon Blow".

Ah...good times....good times, indeed.

Cyndi & Scott

Cyndi has been one of my best friends for the last 24 years. We met at Cherry Avenue Jr. High School. Through the years, our friendship has solidified into something more like a sisterhood. Although we don't see each other or talk to each other as often as either of us would like, I feel certain that we both would go to the ends of the earth for the other. I love her beyond words.

Earlier this year, I got the phone call that I didn't want from her. She informed me that her husband's cancer was back. And for the last several months, Scott has been fighting through. He has been victorious over the cancer for a second time. However, the damages the cancer left in the wake are serious to say the least. It has been debilitating physically and emotionally. At this point, it seems as if only God can fully restore him.

I decided a few weeks ago to fly out to Oakland where he was hospitalized so that I could sit with them both for day. They didn't know that I was coming; I just went with the conviction that I should have been there to love on them weeks prior.

The hug that I received from Cyndi when she opened the door was one that I will remember all the days of my life. There are a handful of hugs that have really impacted me. When my Grandfather died, my dad hugged me and cried. It was the first time I had seen him cry. A hug hello I received at the Nashville airport said more than any words could have. And Cyndi's hug as she fell onto my shoulder and wept said all that needed to be said.

We spent much of the time just chatting, the three of us. At times, we would read scripture. We prayed together. We laughed and cried. We talked about Scott's prognosis. And for a short period, Cyndi and I were able to escape the hospital walls for a bite to eat, where we laughed and cried some more. It was over that meal that she told me that she believed it would take a miracle for Scott to walk out of the hospital. Good thing that God is still in the miracle making business. They both went home this last Wednesday. And even though Scott's kidney's are extremely damaged and the doctor's have done everything that they can...at least they are home together.

While I sat in that hospital room with them both, I felt that it was such an honor to be there. It was raw, absolute, real. There was full transparency with them both. They didn't hide emtotions, fears, tears, doubts...anything. I watched Cyndi care for her husband...I saw her dedication to him...her allegience. I witnessed his complete dependency on her. It really is impossible to put into words what I witnessed. As Scott fought for his life and clung on to a strand of hope, it was Cyndi there encouraging him. They mourned and wept over what seems to be unattainable dreams; a life in Japan, a return to the life they had just 5 years ago. They celebrated a new found level of emotional intimacy.

Why do we, as a people, wait for such extreme life events to bare our souls?

Needless to say, they have been on my mind quite a bit lately. And as I was working the other day on my laptop, I had my iTunes playing when "Now Comes The Night" by Rob Thomas came through my speakers. The simplicity of the piano caused me to pause and take in the lyrics. Then I realized that this song is what I witnessed with Cyndi and Scott. She has sung this song to him every day through her actions and absolute dedication to him. He has been her everything for every waking second through this battle. She has stood in the gap for him. She has remembered him in everything.

Before I headed to the airport to return home, I stopped by the hospital to check in one last time. After a near medication blunder, we all settling down and decided to pray. Afterward, I rose up and went to give Scott a hug. It was time for me to leave. As we hugged, I felt him begin to cry and I realized that he was saying goodbye. Not, "I'll see you later", but "goodbye". I guess at that moment, it hit me that this may indeed be goodbye, at least for our life here on earth. I whispered in his ear words of encouragement and told him to fight through and never give up hope. The people praying for his recovery would continue to pray and he would just need to fight through one day at a time. As we broke our embrace, I turned to Cyndi to hug her and say my farewells. I couldn't help but fight back the tears knowing full well that I was returning home to a pretty normal life by most people's standards while she remained on the front lines here at her husband's side.

As I entered the halls, the tears began rolling down my face. I knew that I was just in the presence of absolute love...unadulterated, undiluted and completely transparent. That's what I love about my friendship with Cyndi. It's authentic and real. So, I celebrate Cyndi today and what she has done for her husband through these last 4 weeks. I love her dearly and am honored to call her friend, sister, and hero.

Now Comes The Night

When the hour is upon us
And our beauty surely gone
No, you will not be a forgotten and you will not be alone
No, you will not be alone

And when the day has all but ended
And our echo starts to fade
No, you will not be alone then and you will not be afraid
No, you will not be afraid

And when the fog has finally lifted
From our cold and tired brow
No, I will not leave you crying
No, I will not let you down
No, I will not let you down
I will not let you down

Now comes the night
Feel it fading away
And the soul underneath
Is it all that remains
So just slide over here
Leave your fear in the fray
Let us hold to each other
Until the end of our days

When the hour is upon us
And our beauty surely gone
No you will not be forgotten
And you will not be alone
No you will not be alone

Attacks

Lately, my very best friends have been coming under various attacks. One is dealing with her spouse's major health issues and another confronts the demons of a troubled child.

In times like these, many would say that God is not a good God. That He is absent from the every day struggles of man. That He doesn't care or won't get involved in His creation's problems. However, I can not accept this theory. I have seen what prayer can do. I have witnessed miracles. I have experienced transformation. I cling to the hope that is Jesus Christ.

I use to think that people who said things like this were just speaking "Christianese" and that it was just lipservice given to a bad situation. However, the more I grow and further my walk in Christ, I realize that the hope therein is more true and heavier in substance than I ever thought possible. All of life's answers are found in Christ...all of them. So during these troubling times, I turn to Him, I petition for my beloved, I trust in His authority and Word and sovereignty. It's all I can do.... and it's enough.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Random Thoughts

For the last week or so, I've had insomnia. A few times this week, I've taken a sleep pill to help out. Normally, one good night of sleep reboots my system and I'm back on track. But not this week. I'm sure it is stress/anxiety related. Note to self: up medication dosage. In the meantime, I figured that I'd better get back to my blogging and purge out some of the random thoughts that I've had over the last few weeks....

Thanksgiving has come and gone. I'm sure that I gained at least 2 pounds. Guess I'd better hit the gym a little harder this week. Anyway, I did reflect on the many blessings that are in my life throughout that day and the days since. I, like most, count my family, friends and health as a blessing and am extremely thankful to have each.

And with the passing of Thanksgiving comes the Christmas season. I could post on how consumer oriented it has become, and probably will do so in the near future. For now, I just want to vent my bitterness toward the Salvation Army for sending out those bell ringers 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. Now, I don't mean to sound bah-humbug....but Thanksgiving, the holiday, gets more and more lost every year. The one day that we can just count our blessings and be thankful is getting snuffed out between Halloween and Christmas. I just want a little separation. Can we please enjoy Thanksgiving without big business shoving their agenda down our throats? I'm all for supporting charity, but PLEASE....keep the bell ringers at bay until we've eaten our turkey! Is that so much to ask?!?

Ok....onto other things that are chapping my backside right now. Umm...I just watched "Sicko" and gave it 2 thumbs up. Very thought provoking and worth checking out. The part the chaps my backside is the greed of HMOs and the lack of dedication that our government has in the matter of taking care of the least of these in our country.

On another note, Kenny and I are shopping for a house. We actually put a bid in this evening on a house in our neighborhood. It's a foreclosed house...bank owned...and about $35k under market value. For that price, we're willing to sacrifice the big yard and spend 2 years living in it. After 2 years, we'll see about selling it along with the Reno house and then buying something a little more suitable...mostly, something with a larger yard. Well, I guess I shouldn't get too ahead of myself. The bank has to accept our offer first. If they do, I'll post progress pictures on the house. Right now, it needs a major clean job and new carpets. We'll probably add new counter tops in the kitchen as well. But like I said, I need not put the carriage before the horse.

I guess that's it for now. Just sitting here bored and AWAKE. I think I'll add some more songs to my myspace play list/jukebox. Either that, or maybe I'll go rearrange the pots and pans in the kitchen cabinets. Good Lord...please let me get drowsy soon!

Home Here In Texas

Following a long overdue date with my husband, I headed to the airport to pick up one of my best friends who has extended a leg of her business trip to come over here to Texas for a visit. I can't describe how great it feels just to be in her presence again. As she sleeps in, I decided to snag a few moments and blog on how much better my heart feels just to have her here.

It's a wonderful thing; friendship. It can be medicine for the heart. The pain and stress that I have been feeling due to our housing situation has seemed to vanish for the moment. Instead, I am thinking about the time that we'll have to spend together instead of worrying about who will come to either rent or purchase our house in Reno.

Just having her here to share in my daily life is a blessing that I can't measure or thank her for enough. I look forward to the simple activities that she will join me in over the next few days....grocery shopping, little league baseball games, dinner out. We really don't have much planned that includes "Texas". She's just here to see my family and to reconnect.

I wonder if she knows how much I needed her here.

What Qualifies?

Yesterday, I attended a luncheon/baby shower for a lovely friend who is due in December. Her and her husband are adding a baby girl to the two boys that they already have. She is incredibly small for the month that she is in and looks absolutely fabulous.

The shower was a small affair; only about 7 ladies attended. For the most part, the common denominator is baseball and our sons. With only an exception or two, most of our sons have at one time or another played on the same baseball team. Through those games, we have established a friendship of sorts and have on occasion gone out for drinks and dinner after a game.

Over the course of the shower was the expected casual talk. During one exchange, I mentioned that I stay at home. Two of the ladies showed a level of surprise accompanied by the response that I didn't strike them as the "stay at home" type. And that got me to wondering.... what exactly IS the "stay at home" type?

Thinking back on my treasured days with my fellow stay-at-home moms in Reno, I reviewed who they were and where they came from. Several had post-graduate degrees, most had at least a 4 year degree, and every single one of us left a promising career. Speaking for myself, there have been countless occasions where I have wondered how in the world I could be programming one day and wiping butt the next.

I then moved on to appearance. I wondered if maybe "stay at home moms" stereotypically let themselves go. Do we look unkept? Are we constantly frazzled? I guess I can understand that stereotype. There are only so many times you can get barfed on before your wardrobe starts to look a little drab. However, once again I thought back to the ladies I know and can very vividly recall physical and inward beauty beyond measure. They showered and put make up on daily and even ironed their clothes when needed.

Then the realization kicked in that maybe stay at home moms are more loving and prepared for their children. Do they have chilled sippy cups at any given moment? Are they constantly stocked with healthy snacks? Suddenly, flashbacks of the previous day hit me and I wonder how I must look to those around me.

You see, I could tell right away that Saturday was going to be "one of those days" with my youngest son, Keegan. Alone and at wits end, I still had to manage a 2 hour volunteer shift at the baseball concession stand with kids in tow. The only reinforcements that I had were the bribed eyes of Jason and the trusted enforcer of all that is good....my wooden spoon.

Yes, I admit it....I have a wooden spoon and I use it on my children's backside when needed. Believe me, I don't have to use it often. The mere sight of it causes their pucker reflex to kick in and miraculously, they change whatever behavior has prompted me to pull out the spoon in the first place. Anyway, I brought it to the baseball field as a visual reminder for Keegan. It sat in my side cargo pant pocket and caught the fearful eye of many children and the chuckle of many mothers. Mostly though, I preoccupied Keegan with about 7 slushies. Only a couple of times did I pull out the spoon to remind him that it was only a grab away.

So back to my curiosity....what qualifies me to not strike someone as a stay at home mom? I didn't take their comment as an insult, nor do I believe that they meant it as such. But as I sit here and try to break down the meaning of it, I admit that I am curious. Is it my appearance, my verbiage, my attitude, my lack of preparedness....I can only sit here and wonder.

Jr. High All Over Again

After a fun exchange of messages with a friend of mine, I jokingly promoted his placement in my "Top Friends" myspace area. And that got me to thinking and analyzing and wondering about this "Top Friends" myspace option and how many friendships have been effected by it.

Think about it, Myspace gives you the option to rank your friends; to put them in a placement of importance based on what your criteria is. That could be how close you are with them, how long you've known them, family relationship, age, the date that they were added to your friends list....the criteria options really are endless.

What's disturbing about this is that you can watch your own placement move around based on the new friends that are added to someone else's friends list. Yes, I am speaking from experience...I notice these things; not only with my placement but with others as well. Sometimes you're moved up...sometimes your moved down. Sometimes, you're moved entirely off the "Top Friends" page.

Now, as an adult...I can shrug these things off. Good gracious, there are sooo many more important things to worry about than where you are on your buddy's Myspace page. In fact, even typing that sentence makes me feel like I'm 13 again. Which is where I'm going with this. Seeing that Myspace is huge with the younger kids, I wonder how many relationships have been altered or effected by this public display of "I like you more than her, but not more than him." Talk about a self-esteem crusher! I remember what it was like to be young and to worry about nonsense like this. And that was back when your pecking order wasn't on display for the world to see!

I can't imagine being a young 13 year old girl today. For as cool as Myspace is as a tool to keep people connected, it's also just another way to proclaim whose click you belong to and the pecking order therein. I don't think I ever realized this until I moved my friend around and got to thinking about it all. And that really got me to realizing how damaging it could be to the self esteem of so many young ladies in this superficial country that we live in today.

Not that this theme of favoritism should be surprising, really. We live in country filled with people who cast their weekly vote for their favorite singer/dancer/comedian. We even have cell phones with a top 5 friends list. It just seems like more and more things are falling into the realm of rankings....and most of those for the public to see.

I admit, my top friends are there and ranked accordingly for a reason. I guess that makes me just as guilty as the next person for putting them in any order at all. And even though I based my top friends on who I check in with/on most often, it's still a very strange concept to embrace. I guess I just find it all a bit funny and sad and thought provoking at the same time.

So, for the record, I gathered my "top friends" and thought that I'd share a little about each of them....

• Planedoctor: That very ugly woman would happen to be my very handsome husband. He is the love of my life...even if he never logs in to his Myspace account. At the end of the day, he is all that I ever dreamed of in a husband and father.


• Raquel: This is my best friend of 22 years. She is so awesome. She has a contagious laugh and smile and a heart of gold. We have shared a lot through life...births, deaths and everything in between. And even though we don't get to see each other as often as we'd like to, I know that we'll be friends to the grave.


• Krissy: She is another friend that I will have for life. One of my very best buds. She has witnessed the birth of two of my boys and I love her dearly...probably more than she knows. Mostly, I miss her and all the fun stuff we use to do together, like painting and crafts and conversation over coffee and visiting new house models and watching our kids play and grow together.


• Alfredo: He's my hot online sancho. ;-) We match wits quite well.


• Justin: My dear brother in law whom I love deeply. He reminds me of a big teddy bear. He can look intimidating and put up a good front, but I know his heart...and it's a very sweet one.


• Dave: My other brother-in-law whom I also love to pieces. He is very outgoing and personable and very fun to hang out with. It's always a good time when we're together. Gotta love family.


• Caryn: This is my workout buddy....my Pflugerville friend...my margarita matey. She kicks my ass at the gym and keeps me laughing with her personality. Our boys are rock stars on the baseball diamond and get along really well together. I'm sure that they will be buds throughout their school years....and she'll still be kicking my ass at the gym.

Anyway, I was just pondering this subject and thought that it was interesting food for thought.

I Suck

So, one of my very best friend's birthday was July 17th...and I have yet to call or even send a belated birthday card. Man, I suck. And I can't shake the guilt that I feel for letting her birthday pass without even a phone call just to wish her well. As if that weren't bad enough, I have missed two of her three kid's birthdays as well. Man, I suck. What sort of friend does that? I don't know what my problem is....whether it be the travels that have kept me busy this summer or the house not selling that has kept me in a foul mood...or whatever. I just keep kicking myself for being such a crappy friend and letting longer lapses of time pass before I talk to her.

It's funny, we've been friends since right around the 8th grade. And our friendship has gone through many changes. We've shared broken hearts, marriages, births and deaths together. And even though I haven't physically seen her in a couple of years, I know that if I ever needed something, she would be there for me. I have always counted it a blessing to know that I have a small handful of friends that I can count on no matter what. And she is at the top of that list. However, I don't feel like I could say the same thing about myself regarding her needs...and I guess that's what really bothers me. I've always prided myself on being loyal and true. And it just seems like this last year, we have talked less and less....and that really scares me cause I love her like a sister. She is one of the nicest, purest-hearted people that I know. Many times, I have aspired to take on many of her characteristics because I do so admire her. And the thought of where our friendship could end up if I continue to be such a slacker...well, it scares me.

Anyway, I'm just sitting her feeling pretty bad about missing her birthday cause I guess it's forces me to face the fact that I haven't been so great at keeping in touch. I've already emailed her tonight to see how pissed off she is....and I'm sure I'll muster up the courage to call her this weekend. But in the meantime, I'm feeling pretty guilty about letting this much time go by without calling her to let her know how much she really does mean to me.

Summer Travels

Father's day weekend for the last three years has been pretty special. Three years ago, our small group in Reno decided to venture out for a father-son camping trip. To keep that tradition going, last Friday we packed up some clothes and the boys, boarded another flight back to Reno, and set off for the weekend.

Not long after we landed, Kenny gathered up the boys and wisked them off to the wilderness along with his closest friends and their sons. As much as I'd love to detail out what happened in their 48 hours, I can't. They never seem to come back with many details. The most I get out of my boys is that their favorite part is roasting marshmellows and eating s'mores.

However, marshmellows and s'mores barely scratch the surface of what is really happening out there. The purpose of these camping trips is to let each child know that the men have pledged to stand as father figures for them and will assist when needed in raising them up according to Christ's teachings. In fact, during one camping trip, each of the fathers gave their son(s) a compass with Proverbs 3:6 written atop it; "In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight".

What a blessing that my husband participates in something of such magnitude. He has bonded in friendship and brotherhood with a group of men who value their roles as fathers and are active participants in parenthood. In todays society, we see fathers portrayed as bumbling idiots, hen-pecked and inadequate. This is a far cry from what the truth is when describing the group of men who Kenny camps with every year. They are men of integrity and character. They are loving, intelligent and family supportive. Most importantly, they are God-honoring and God-fearing men intent on raising their boys up to walk in their footsteps.

So, even though I know that my three sons are out in the woods with not enough hand sanitizer and are most likely attempting to see who can burp the loudest, I trust that this is all part of raising boys. And that is just what Kenny is doing...actively raising our boys to be God-seeking men. What a blessing that is.

The Turning Of A Page

But those who wait on the Lord
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31


I feel like the winds have finally changed. I feel as though we are getting over the hump of our hardships. Thanks to some encouraging words and nudging (thanks Fred), I finally stopped participating in my own pity party.


The first thing that I did was look up another MOPS group. At this time of year, MOPS is coming to an end, but I figured that I could still register for next fall and have something to look forward to. Most importantly, I wanted to find a church that hosted it where my family could worship and fellowship again. Up until a couple of weeks ago, our family continued to feel as though we had not yet found our home church. We had visited many in our area, but had yet to find that one.


Once I found Cross Timbers Church via the MOPS web locator, I knew I found a place worth trying. And one after one visit, I knew we were finally home. Everyone was casual, welcoming, and most importantly, real. There was no stuffiness or rehearsed feeling about anyone or anything. So, I signed us up for a small group knowing full well that we needed to jump right in and begin to finding our place.


Our first small group meeting was this last Sunday and to say the least, it was awesome. In fact, I know that we are exactly where God intends us to be. Our conversations went something like this.... (note that this church is about a 15 minute drive from our house.)


Gail (Small Group Leader): So, where do you guys live?
Me: We're in the Villages of Woodland Springs community.
Gail: Oh, we are too! We're around the food streets...we're off of Macaroon.
Me: You're kidding me?!? We live on Macaroon!
Gail: Oh my gosh...we're on the corner of Macaroon and Rum! Where do you live?
Me: On the corner of Macaroon and Angel Food.
Gail: You're the house with the big blue truck. I see you all the time. Your boys are constantly outside playing baseball. I drive the red Sunfire convertible.
Me: Oh my...I'm constantly pulling out in front of you as I take Jason to school.
Gail: Yes, that's right....I see you too and think, "Oh good, at least I'm not the only one running late!" [insert laughter]. Well, most of our small group actually lives on Macaroon too. In fact, here are Don and Terry-Jo.
Me, upon recognizing Terry Jo's face: I know you! I met you at the pool last summer. You were pregnant with your third child...you have two girls and I think one of them shares the same birthday with my oldest son. I remember being so excited to meet a potential friend, but then we never saw each other at the pool again. I was so bummed.
Terry Jo: You live by us?!? Oh how weird is that?
Gail: These are the big blue truck people on the corner.
Terry Jo: Ok...you're the ones with the boys who are always outside playing baseball.
Don (Terry Jo's Husband): Oh yeah, you guys are the ones with the two dogs. They got out one time and I called you but you were out of town. I talked with your husband about how they got out and how I was going to fix the fence for you cause you were in Arizona or someplace like that.
Kenny: That was you? Oh man, I've been wanting to personally thank you for that but never knew where you lived....how weird is this.
Me: This is a bit beyond coincidental, don't you think?
Don, to Kenny: So what do you do, man?
Kenny: I work over for American Airlines...I'm a mechanic.
Don: Ok, so you know (forgot his name) across the street from you?
Kenny: Yeah, I do...but he works out of DFW and I'm at AFW.
Don: Alright....yeah, I know someone who works out of AFW, but they work back in the corner by the test cells. (AFW base area is similar to 20 city blocks.)
Kenny: Yeah, that's where I work. [insert more boring conversation about aviation]
Don: I'm actually in the Navy with about 2 years left before retirement. I'm almost done with my degree in Professional Aeronautics from Embry Riddle.
Kenny: I was in the Navy for 8 years, but got out when Heather and I got married. I went to Embry Riddle too...in fact I have the same degree that you're going for...but mine is an Associates.
Gail: Hey Chris (another Macaroon resident), this is Kenny and Heather. They live on Macaroon too. They're the big blue truck house. They're joining our small group.
Chris: Oh yeah, you guys are the ones with the boys who play baseball outside all the time and they're always running around in their underwear.
Me: Yes, that would be us. (Make mental note to check for clothes before children run outside in the future.)


And so went the evening. More puzzle pieces were connected and all in all, the evening was too perfectly orchestrated to be chalked up as coincidence.


As we left, I felt as though an elephant had finally been lifted off of my chest. All I can do is praise God for a crystal clear answer to my many heart-cried prayers.