Archive for June, 2012

Why Are We In A Place Called Venlo?

Friday, June 29th, 2012

Venlo is the location for the once-a-decade flower show in the Netherlands. It’s a really big deal! It is very close to the German border and over two hours by train from Amsterdam. I am very glad I don’t have to understand flowers and their language to enjoy the Floriade, but for everything else, well it’s Dutch (and greek) to me.  We are enjoying the show, but finding the language hard to decipher.

When I am in a foreign country I like to visit their “grocery” store and see what is on their shelves and prices etc (Nothing can compare to our produce!).  Well I picked up a great water bottle last night. Got back to the room and quickly poured a cup of replica rolex the refreshing…vinegar!! It was even  near the bottled watered. I guess getting on the right bus is more important than understanding all the labels. It looked like water, really!

Better On The Ground

Friday, June 29th, 2012

Fuel DumpSan Diego to Houston, Houston to Amsterdam. How did Newark get in there? Nothing like having the pilot come on over the intercom an hour out of Houston and tell us we have lost our navigation system and we have to land. Oh yeah, and dump fuel because we’re too heavy to land so soon!

This is our plane jettisoning a LOT of gas over Kentucky. Then we head to the coast and follow it up to Newark, New Jersey, where they think they can give us a new part or a new plane. We never flew higher then 13,000 feet or faster than 300mph. That is low and slow for a plane holding over 300 passengers. And we all got to stay in the plane while they gave us a new system.

Obviously we made it to Amsterdam and we had no further connections. We got train tickets to Venlo, ND and then a bus ride to our hotel and that’s all the stress I want for this whole trip!

Leaving Behind

Tuesday, June 26th, 2012

I remember all those years when Steve had weekend Navy duty as well as two week stints each year. He would miss birthdays, ballgames and other events in our kids’ lives.  And he never failed to notice how much they had changed in his absence. Couldn’t be helped, but it was always the wrong time to miss out.

That’s the way with this longer travel. We would rather link destinations rather than make separate trips, and it really takes several weeks to serve a ministry, or even just unwind. But you always sacrifice something by being gone.

These are the kiddoes I will miss; their cherubic faces and cheerful personalities. And they grow like weeds. Can’t you tell that they are missing “Mimi” and “Poppi” already?

A New Chapter

Tuesday, June 19th, 2012

Front Desk At Focus On The FamilyThe experience at Focus on the Family was PERFECT; just what the doctor ordered. It forced me to get my stamina back with the schedule we kept, we made some great new friends, and enriched old friendships. It was a wonderful April!

Now we look forward to a whole bunch of anticipation to our “Rivers of Europe” river boat cruise.  From Amsterdam to Vienna on a ship that holds 150! I am trying to learn about the area, mostly Germany — Castles, middle ages, war trials etc. It’s kind of my “Jubilee” and victory trip over the trials of 8 months of Chemo and Radiation.

From Vienna we head to Barnoldswick,  England to see friends and family and from there to a family reunion in New Jersey.

So hold on to your hats, here we go again.  God is so good, and it is sooooo awesome to have my health back and that dark chapter of cancer behind me. The prayers, cards, books, and meals were so much appreciated. They got me through.  Amazing!

Cross At Focus On The Family