Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

Laura loaded up the kids and headed to Dallas to pick up Jake at Love Field. I armed her with a map to the airport and assured her she would miss the bulk of the afternoon traffic. I kissed the babies and my sis and they were on their way. She called about an hour later, the car engine light had come on and it was slipping out of gear. She called our friend who had fixed her car and he immediately got on the road to get pick up the car and his wife followed behind in her SUV to bring Laura and the kids back to my house. Laura was blown away at that kind of service. She said, "I don't think the Ford dealership would have taken care of us like that." Jake rented a car at the airport and headed for our house too. When everyone was back at my house, we had an all out laughfest. This story just was too incredible.

Friday afternoon the car was ready. As it turns out, a transmission line had come loose during the radiator repair. Just one of those strange things. I had lunch with Laura, Jake and the kids one last time before they headed home. They both commented on the kindness of our little community. It made me proud to be a part of this community. Everyone treats each other like neighbors and family and that doesn't go unnoticed by people accustomed to "city life". God has blessed us richly with the relationships we have built here.

You will all be glad to know that Laura and the family MADE IT HOME SATURDAY! I was so glad to see her home number on my caller ID. She said she almost cried when she saw her house. I told her she needed to rent Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. She would see it in a whole new light now.

I LOVED my time with my sister and her kids. The circumstances were INSANE but we were truly blessed. We even managed to get Jake here for one night. I know God's hand was on every minute of this crazy sequence of events. When we went to church last Sunday, I had chills because I know our pastor was speaking directly to us. He was saying how Joseph had plans for his marriage and future. He did not plan for his future wife to be pregnant (he wanted to leave her quietly) and to have to trek her across the country to a place where they had nowhere to stay except a BARN. Oh, and have the baby there! God kept telling Joseph to have faith in Him, He had a plan. Boy were we learning what that meant this past couple of weeks!

I know you are wondering where the train come into this story? Well, Mark and I are taking the boys to the East Texas Historic Train Depot to ride the Polar Express tonight! We will wear our pajamas, drink hot cocoa and head to the North Pole. They have been looking forward to this soooo much. It is the kickoff to our Christmas week.