Day 4 - Off to Denver - September 30th

Today we took it easy. Started the day late, slept in to 7am, leisurely breakfast in room - provided by Super 8's free breakfast in the lobby. Waffles, fruit, coffee. There is a laundry across the street, so we did our laundry. A neat little community grocery store was next door to the motel. We picked up a yummy lunch for a picnic on the road. Stuart Iowa to Lexington, Nebraska. 321 miles. The most road construction of our journey - seems the mid west roads are cement and replacing/repairing is a different venture than with asphalt. Lots of dust with cutting up the old and replacing/repairing. And when the process is in the making with ridges in the cement travel lanes...the "music" made by our tires, humming and whining varying pitch and volume was quite the experience. Long stretches of single lane travel...of course this was off set with the 75mph speed limit. We did not go that fast - eats up too much gas.

In Stuart, Iowa were power windmills. They lined the ridges all around the little town. We wondered if there was a factory nearby and this was a testing ground, because there were so many of them. At least 30, possibly more. Some were actively rotating, others were dormant. They are H U G E ! Really huge. I tried to get a picture to show perspective, but didn't capture the "essence". The country side from Iowa to Nebraska awesome. Iowa with the rolling hills and cornfields to flat Nebraska with cornfields that go on and on and on. We crossed the Missouri River separating Iowa and Nebraska, that was fun. We passed Omaha and Lincoln - big cities at the right times and no heavy traffic. Tomorrow we finish the trip and drive all the way to Denver. It will also be the shortest leg of our travels so far. Nice. Our plan is to go directly to the church. We would like to meet up with some of the members there and ask about a good place to stay until the Travel Company apartment is available, then attend Wednesday night Bible Study.

There may be a tad of a snafu. Last Friday I spoke with my Nurse Manager at the Travel Company and all seemed to be in order at that time. All medical tests in, all paperwork completed and NO further testing indicated. Today, in Iowa, travelling down I80, I received a phone call - more blood tests needed, a PPD questionnaire to fill out and questions about the license verification in Colorado. Go online and get the information updated asap. Seems Presbyterian St. Luke's is very strict about certificates, tests and licensing. My nurse manager was out today - due in tomorrow and her replacement was alarmed at my "incomplete portfolio". My hope is that my permanent Nurse Manager has all the information needed and is just a bit behind in the paperwork. In the mean time I will do what I can to remedy the missing links. I called my Nurse Recruiter who is a wonderful support person - though has nothing to do the the actual medical/professional aspect of the job. She was out today as well. I am not worried. I know the information was there on Friday when I spoke with the Nurse manager at that time. But, Eeeeee Gaaaadddd! Not much I can do while driving down the highway in the middle of Iowa!

A nice dinner tonight with Nebraska steak, tasty but a very different texture than we are accustomed to. We watched Americas Biggest Loser - Family Edition and got inspired.

Tomorrow is a big day and we are looking forward to seeing Denver for the first time.

Good night and sleep well - we will.

Grace and Peace

Grammie BT

DAY 3 - Monday Sept 29th - Off to Denver

Now THIS has been a long long day! We got up at 3:30 this morning and were on the road at 4am to avoid construction delays and Monday morning rush hour traffic in Chicago. From Elkhart to Chicago is approx two hours. The time changes ahead once one crosses into Illinois, giving us an hour advantage. My trusty notebook missing I am feeling at a big loss. A quick cup of coffee from the front desk dispenser and we are off. Through the morning fog and haze. Down damp streets and into rain. Dark and rain and highway greeted us this am. Jack did the Chicago driving with our GPS TomTom voicing commands right and left. Whizzing between trucks and cars and pilons set up ready to redirect traffic once the constructions workers arrived the 2 1/2 hour stint was exhausting. We stopped at an Arby's at one of the Truck Stop places, fortunately they had a breakfast sandwich and coffee. Switching drivers and back on the road we encountered a whopping thunderstorm....and I mean whopping! Huge rain drops, wind, lightening, thunder! Yikes.... we stopped at the first Rest Area we could find and slept from 7:30am to 9:45am. Before drifting off to sleep, Jack commented on the "relaxing sound of the rain on the roof of the car", on that positive note we slept. After a visit to the Rest Stop and a walk around outside we felt refreshed and continued on our journey. The thunder shower having long moved on and sunshine abounding. In a little while we crossed the Mississippi River into Iowa. Jack just seemed to relax and breathe easier once we were in Iowa. Note the picture of the flowing fields of corn in Iowa. He just loves this state. We decided not to go to South Dakota, rather go straight to Denver so I will have a chance to get used to the altitude before working...next week!!! Yikes! My agent from the Travel company called today. She has my first day and week assignment ready and will have our address as soon as it is released. We just might be able to move in early! Yahoo!

Today we traveled through Chicago and Des Moines for big cities. Cool. We didn't see any of Chicago, what with the rain and fog. Des Moines was lovely and a 2pm a good traffic time for us.

We have stopped in Stuart, Iowa for the night. We are one hour ahead of VT right now...but feel like we are 100 hours behind! Pooped is a good word. A nap and some dinner later on, and a dip in the very nice indoor pool seem to be in order.

Tomorrow we will cross the Missouri River into Nebraska...we are about an hour from Omaha. Then to Colorado.

Will keep you posted.

Love to all

Grace and Peace

Grammie

NIAGRA FALLS!! Sunday Sept 28 th DAY 2 - Off to Denver

One of the trips I had hoped to do this summer was a camping trip to Niagra Falls. It is something that I have wanted to see for a long time. Once we arrived in Buffalo and we saw how close the Falls were, there was no way we couldn't go...so we did! Up early Sunday. A time of devotion (Psalm 33), prayer and meditation. Breakfast (free, provided by our hosts...)waffles and coffee and we were off to the Falls. Awesome! I love God's handiwork. Definately worth the side trip. Many people there at 8am along with us. Many on tours and many speaking in languages other than English. How wonderful to share our country and our beauty with others. We asked a Japanese man to take our picture by the falls and he happily obliged...all in sign language, smiles and bows of course. Then on our way. New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. We intended to stop just outside Toledo, but did not realize there is nothing after Toledo until one gets to Indiana. We passed the factory that makes our little Fun Finder. That was fun. (tee hee). Past the RV and MH Museum, but alas it was closed. Then found a nicespot in Elkhart to rest our weary bones. The clerk at the front desk warned us of construction and Monday morning traffic going into Chicago. She had been there 3 weeks ago, her drive through wasn't too bad at 3am! Yikes. It was 8:30pm and we certainly didn't want to get up at 1am for the 2 hour drive to Chicago to get there for 3am. We opted to sleep in until 3:30. Be on the road at 4am. Lets see how it goes. Today it had been pretty foggy and cloudy much of the morning, with the sun peeking out around Columbus, OH.

I had been keeping a journal of our trip, but have lost it. I am bummed. Maybe it will show up somewhere in the luggage, but I think I took it into an eating establishment and forgot it there. Very bummed. (notice how I avoided advertising for a well known food chain). Will try to be a better caretaker of such valuable things. Fortunatley we had a backup note book.

On to Day 3 in the next blog.

OFF TO DENVER

Saturday September 27, 2008 10:45 am. Hylander packed. Bicycles on. TomTom programmed! Farewell to Peter. We are off to Denver.
Decided to take the Grand Isle Ferry to I87 south. Great idea! The fall foliage in the Adorondacks was beautiful. Traffic relatively light. I90 to Buffalo. We decided to go as far west as we could the first day. Stopped briefly in Saratoga Springs for a light lunch...nothing fancy, then on to I90. Switching drivers every 2 hours paid off and neither of us got fatigued. As we neared Buffalo, Jack asked Julie what she had programmed into TomTom. Well now...I know it was a Best Western...but not sure where... somewhere in Buffalo, NY. There were lots of choices. As the sun was setting and TomTom leading us further and further west we pondered if it might be a good idea to stop at a place just off I90. But Jack felt confident that Julie knew what she was doing when she programmed the GPS. We were lead off I90 onto Rte 33 and into downtown Buffalo! Yep...a quite swanky and $$ BestWestern in the heart of the city of Buffalo. Our presunset goal of stopping long past, we decided to stay the night rather than find our way back out after dark and will make up the $$ difference by staying at much less expensive places from now on. Still, for our first night on the road and first day of our great adventure, this turned out to be a not too bad thing....and for the first time since August 7th... we are sleeping in a real bed...a luxury one at that!
Tomorrow a big surprise. Follow the blog as we go forth on our adventure!

Love Grammie Betimes

"Delay Does Not Mean Denial"

The quote is taken from a blog at a time when I was feeling quite discouraged. We had prayed and sought the Lord. It seemed the perfect match was about to happen. Everything seemed according to the will of God, and we felt His will had been confirmed.

We were searching for a place to go during Vermont winters. A place of healing and of new opportunities. Then, seemingly, it wasn't to be. A victory snatched away.
I went to the Lord. Honest and humble, I didn't understand and I was disappointed. I told the Lord I will go where He knows we should go, where He wants us to go...and I will be content where ever that may be. At that moment the disappointment was real.
We thought we were going to Denver. Reuniting Jack and his sister,completeing his schooling on campus with his instructor. New job opportunity and experience for Julie. Near to family we don't often get to see and be with...Terry and Colleen, Belinda and Nori and all their families.
Denver sunshine and moderate temperatures. Southern US is too hot for Jack. Denver looked good! Then the phone call, Julie received at work.. The opportunity to go to Denver gone. The job for Julie filled and no loner available. RN Travel Agency recruiter knew all hopes were for Denver and tried to ease the blow, offer other areas with lots of opportunity and interesting destinations. I couldn't think. told her I would call her back. I called Jack. His attitude was good, though I knew he was disappointed. "We will go where the Lord sends us". I hung up - then had my little time of prayer with Jesus. Still unsettled, I want to read scripture - went to the web and was lead to a blog...the title "Delay does not mean denial." Peace encircled me. I called my nurse recruiter back and accepted the idea to try another place. That evening we had dinner with Peter, I had worked so hard to pass that ACLS test...and just did that very morning!!
We left Peter to return home...to our travel trailer at Apple Island...the phone rang. It was the nurse manager from the Denver hospital. She offered me the position! I told her I was confused, I had been told earlier that day the position had been filled and was no loner available. The nurse manager said, yes it was filled .... with you!
Delay is NOT Denial! And some delays don't last long!

F O O T B A L L !!!

We had the wonderful pleasure of watching our grand children participate in their respective sports activities last week.
Nick is center for the football team and a real take charge kind of guy...note the picture! Nick is really into the game and all that means. He is a true blooded American boy, and his dad's favorite team - the Red Skins - has been whooped up often in their household during the season. Nick's team is so good the opposing team (for the game we went to watch) never showed...they followed the old schedule and went to the wrong field, in the wrong city! Meghan is playing soccer and loving it. She is adhearant to her position on the field. She knows where she needs to stand, and it took a bit to convince her that following the ball is key - blocking it from getting to her net and charging like crazy toward making a goal. She did a great job!
Mike also plays soccer, unfortunately we haven't seen him in action yet, but plan to do so soon.
Adam does the biker/scooter thing at the skate park. We will be going to watch him as well. Adam is active in Moo Gong Doo and by the time he is in high school should be going for his black belt.
Again the pictures won't upload...I will try later, usually works way late at night.

OK, Lord, I'm Waiting

I just love the way the Lord works. He opens doors. Whispers in that still small voice. Let's us know He is up to something, then has us wait.
Getting ready? Focusing on Him. Was it the first opportunity that was the open door we were to go through? Did we miss it? Or is He having us wait til that just in time, on the edge, hair raising, near the end of the rope moment - the one where all our trust and faith can be only and completely in Him, because He truly is the only one who can pull it off....time. Then again, time is nothing to our sweet Saviour. Except the eternity of time He so desires to spend with His called and chosen. His royal priesthood of peculiar peoples, who said Yes, when He asked... and followed when He beckoned. Who are so overwhelmingly grateful for His sacrifice for our sins and in love with Him that nothing He askes is too much or too hard or any other petty reason we use to not follow Him and His word completely.
So here we wait for the opportunity... Lots of possibilities has been paraded before our eyes. Maybe it isn't an opportunity He is presenting to us, maybe it is the sure thing He has called us out to do, that place to go.
Still, I just love the way He does things. Last nights Bible Study made what we are doing right now solid rock standing ground. So on this rock we stand until The Lord says go. And I will say " Here am I Lord...send me"