Day 227 North, to Alaska - West, on I-90

Dear friends,

So Joseph is off to Alaska with his friend Chris and his family, and I was charged with getting them to the airport. This simple trip followed Murphy’s law to a tee. I had to be to work by 3:30 (which didn’t happen – my first time late to this job ever), and we left the house a bit later than planned in Steve and Jackie’s car. They have a brand spankin’ new van, handicapped accessible for Gretchen and with all the bells and whistles. I don’t really like bells and whistles. I liked the old Dodge Dart we had years ago that had windshield wipers, a transmission and brakes. I was turning on lights when I wanted to swish off the rain, and I was pushing buttons for the GPS when I wanted to turn off the radio. Anyway, after I got them to the airport I realized the gas tank was on E, I mean really on E. (Jackie later apologized profusely for this from Chicago. She can’t see the gas gage through the steering wheel – likely story…). I now have about ½ hour to get to Albany Med, and I’m thinking maybe I can make it on fumes, when I realize in my distraction with figuring out the car, I am driving on 90 West instead of East. Now I know I have to stop for gas. I wind up in Schenectady, and somehow I went through the ezpass lane. I had to stop and explain, and then pay the 30 cent toll. On the way back east, I got off at the Empire Plaza exit, except I wound up going over the bridge to Rensselaer. There were some fairly foul thoughts in my head if not on my lips, and finally I got to work with an ER full of people needing me to get them beds lickety split.

Such is life.

The little aggravations are…aggravating. I just remind myself of what it was like when I was hopping between Albany Med and Sunnyview with coffee cups strewn about the car and overages previously unknown on my cell phone. The Great One uses these kinds of days to let us see what’s on the inside. Do I still need patience? Yes. Do I still need self control? Yes. Do I still need to grow in gratitude? Yes. I’m so happy to have a Savior who is invested in the life of my soul, in the big troubles and the little ones.

So here’s a picture of our new 7 week old kitty. David came up with a name we all like, Domino. He built a little fort for Miss Domi on the couch, since she is a bit skittish yet about her new home. Cosette is in a bit of a snit. These felines will have to adjust to change. God knows we humans do, all the time.

And here’s my baby boy, off to Alaska, bags packed. As I type this he’s on his way from Chicago to Seattle. Tomorrow he turns 17. I could cry with joy remembering him looking around with his big brown eyes as if to say, “Here I am, world!” More about him tomorrow.

Katarina, my Russian friend at work brought in Cinnamon Buns tonite. All the aggravation of the day was redressed. There are trials. And then there are pastries.

Your friend on the pilgrim road,

Loriann