My dad always says that we are two steps away from any person's situation. Two steps in one direction and we are a sitting on a yacht in the Caribbean. Two steps in another direction and we are looking at life through a jail cell. And two steps in yet another direction leads us to yet another scenario. This perspective has helped me befriend people of all walks of life.
One can certainly try to precipitate certain steps. Occasionally, though, life has this ability to shanghai our best intentions and take two large unwanted steps leaving us in unknown territory. Such a change of direction happened to our friends while we were on vacation this month.
Step One:John and I have wanted to expand our family, but with my ridiculous back/hips issues, we haven't wanted to get pregnant just yet. So we were tentatively discussing adoption. We decided to think and pray about it while vacationing with John's family. We heard between our outgoing flight connections that my sister's family had been selected by a birth mother for adoption of her almost-due baby! We were excited and amazed that life could change so fast for them. We spent a relaxing, long family reunion/vacation in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was fabulous visiting, collecting seashells, watching dolphins and just soaking up the sun. The cousins were adorable together.
We heard while vacationing that our neighbors had to give up their adoptive baby daughter. We had no words for such trauma and our heart went out to them. There was also news that another couple who are my long time friends were at Primary Children's hospital with their adoptive daughter due to a rare devastating genetic disease. Needless to say, these two happenings with adoption have made waiting to get pregnant seem more palatable.
Step Two:After our lovely vacation, we arrived at the airport relaxed, well-rested and ready to go home. By then, PeaPod started asking to go home. We loaded ourselves into the plane. It started taking off. It turned around and taxied right back! We had a flat tire! I didn't even know that airplanes could have a flat tire! So we unloaded on the tarmac (try doing that staircase with a carry-on and a toddler in wedges and a skirt! We waited and waited. Tempers of our fellow passengers were flaring loudly with the airport personnel. I was singing every toddler and Primary song I could think of trying to entertain PeaPod and other young passengers. (Thank goodness I had that stint as the worst Primary accompanist in history and for the years in nursery!) I talked with fellow passengers. John read (remember this fact for later!). At 6pm, eight hours since we came to the airport, we literally ran back out onto the tarmac to make a connecting flight. The connecting flight was canceled and so were most flights due to storms. We were told there was no hotel vouchers for us and that we could wait on stand-by (we were supposed to be first class!) for a flight that left at 10pm. At least we met up with John's parents at the airport and could commiserate with them. May I say, at this point, that PeaPod was the most congenial and happy critter during this whole crazy experience?! She giggled and laughed and played. She wore squeaker shoes and everyone waiting at the gate loved her. They said they knew that they were at the new gate number because they could hear her! We loaded onto the plane at 1AM after the gate number had changed 4 times! That was a total of 14 hours of traveling without even leaving the East Coast yet!
We arrived home at 4am, picked up by my wonderful morning bird mom.
While traveling, we heard of another unexpected life step for our friends: their home had been lost in a devastating fire. Two very tragic steps and life has brought them to an unexpected place.
We came home to find that our house had been hit by lightening. Our garage door, computers, phones, and in-house vacuum were fried. But, we were thankful.
I came down with Swine Flu just few days later and was quarantined for a week. Incubation times suggest I was exposed at the airport. I definitely won't chat with many people at the airport from now on! My mom was a saint, helping me home from work (yes, I did go to work thinking it was just a cold. They sent me home, after a swab test confirmed flu.) and disinfecting along the way. I just feel bad that we were not able to assist our friends in their time of need. I don't think adding swine flu to their trials would be appreciated, so we'll have to wait to help later in other ways.
Two steps. A million different directions. A perspective guided by faith is a beautiful thing. I look around with love and appreciation at my family. The rest is just superfluous.
There is nothing like a little all-American fun on Independence Day! We have had huge 4th of July already! We watched the city parade last night (I was slightly disappointed there was not a face painting booth!). We made it through about half of the parade with Peapod. She loved waving to everyone, especially the horses and the princesses. She had a concerned look on once the firetrucks came with sirens blaring that soon turned to tears. She said,"I scared" and we tried to make it seem fun. She was consoled with a fireman waving at her and sitting on Daddy's shoulders.
