Embarkation

Sometimes life is like a log flume ride... feels like you are cruising along, slick and quick, but knowing the whole time a great big drop is coming up on you ~ fast. You know that many, many people have easily survived what you are about to do. You know the worst thing is the fear as the bottom drops out from under you for just that little bit. Like as not, you'll be fine at the end, just a little bit showered by the experience.. and yet... and yet...

That analogy came to me last week as we continued our peregrinations around Busch Gardens (havent worked in Water Country, USA yet). We're greatly enjoying ourselves over there, taking our time and doing things as we always wanted to do them. Current policy is to ride anything we really like several times before we move on, then concentrate on a new section. We finally finished the France/ New France section (NOW I remember why I grew up with such a rosy view of our Northern neighbors.) Currently we are concentrating on the German-themed sections of the park: Rhine, Germany, & Oktoberfest. We spent a good chunk of one afternoon riding the 'Rhine' riverboats up and down area waterways. Becka got some great pictures that day. Since I last posted we've seen street performers, a circus show, the Oktoberfest scene, a fairy tale skit, enjoyed some excellent treats, and realized we're gaining endurance & dramatically improving our physical conditioning with every day spent like this. Can't help but be happy about that, but then we come home and deal with the upcoming changes a bit more. We talk over plans yet again, pray, and try not to worry too much.

Tom's surgery date is now quite solid. No more last minute paper surprises or cold bugs are likely to intervene. Tom is definitely holding better again because he's been put on mondo antibiotics. He's been able to do most of the little maintenance jobs & bigger yardwork concerns here that were bugging him.

Once again I am expecting to be gone entirely for at least a few days after the 29th. The hospital's "Hospitality House" is making room for me to remain near Tom for a week, with reservations for more. Tom, however, doesn't think I'll need to stay that long this time. He felt for me spending the week in that chair in Williamsburg. Here I would get a whole room nearby for free, but that's at least partially because I'd be so much further away from home. Mom will be here, of course, and we have plenty of backup, but I will most likely at least make trips home to make sure everyone is ok. You can't do everything on the phone.

The latest good news is that we've also been cleared to be covered financially for the whole procedure & stay. This help has considerable eased Tom's mind & mine. All he has to do is concentrate on getting better. Praise God!

so... I may be gone the whole week and too busy afterwards for awhile to say much or I may be available in a few days with happy news about how well he's doing. We'll see how things go.

Please remember us in your prayers, those who pray.



Here's hoping for a nice, relaxed river cruise after the flume drop in real life.