Traveling

Traveling

Over the next couple of days we worked to get things together for the trip to Seattle.  Albert was able to make arrangements for a ticket for me through our local Lions Club.  After that, it was a matter of arranging the flights.  We decided to fly out of Anchorage, since Natasha would be staying with Tim and Kandi.  It would be too much for Barbara to handle so soon after her own surgery.  The doctors seemed to think we would be gone for two weeks if Erik had to have surgery.

It was my turn to work that Saturday at the post office.  I called my boss to let her know what was going on and we would be leaving on Monday.  She began to cry, our two boys were close friends.   We still wanted to take over the contract for the post office, but that would have to come later.

Micah and Albert had gone to get the voucher for my plane ticket while I was working.  I was just stepping outside to check the exterior mail box and I saw Albert’s suburban sitting in the middle of the street with the back on fire.  The fire truck was pulling up to help put it out, while Micah and Albert were trying to pull things out of the vehicle.  I ran back inside and called Barbara.  I locked up everything and headed back outside.  Micah came running up to the car.  I just had nothing to say.

God, this is too much!  I don’t know what is going on, but we need You now more than ever.  You brought us here to reach this community, but how will we reach them if they think we are cursed?

I know it was foolish to think that.  I knew immediately I should have never prayed that way.  I headed over to get the children and see how Barbara was doing.  As I walked into the house Barbara met me with a smile.

“I sure hope God knows what He’s doing because this town is going to think we’re cursed.”

“My feelings exactly,” I laughed.

Our moods lightened up.  All we could do is shake our heads and laugh at it all.  We were at the point of ridiculous.  Trusting God was all we had left.  The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful as we finished getting ready to leave.

Finally, Monday came and we loaded up in the cars to head to Anchorage.  Micah and Albert’s friend, Warren, headed north to Fairbanks to pick up the vouchers for his and Erik’s tickets, while the rest of us headed south.  Albert and Barbara’s friends would be flying home a few days after us, so we had two cars heading to Anchorage.  What should have been a 5½-hour drive felt like a ten-hour drive.  Time just seemed to slow down.

We were about an hour from Anchorage when we stopped for ice cream.  Warren called to let us know Micah would be in Anchorage waiting for us.  They had gone ahead and flew him from Fairbanks.  Warren would drive our car to Anchorage, so we would have it waiting for us when we returned.  I almost panicked thinking we would not make our flight, and kept checking the clock to see how long we had.  The children finished up their ice cream and we were on our way again.

Just as Warren had said, Micah was waiting at the airport with our entire luggage.  We had about an hour to visit with Tim and Kandi, and to make sure Natasha was settled in.  She was looking forward to spending time with her aunt and cousins.  We started to say our good-byes to everyone.  Emotions started to flow, as fear of what we faced seemed to overtake everyone.

“God told me it would get worse before it gets better, and I’m so scared for you,” Kandi had whispered to me as we hugged.

“We’ll be all right,” I tried to reassure her, “I have such a peace about this.  I know God will take care of Erik.”

“I love you, Louie.”

“I love you, too.”

“We’ll keep praying.”

With that Micah, Erik, and I left for the airport.  Tim dropped us off at the curb and we headed in to the ticket counter.  Everything went pretty smooth.  We had to carry the MRI scans with us, so they would not get damaged.  As we started to get into the line for security the unknown began to weigh heavy on Micah and I.  We were standing quietly when all of the suddenly we heard Erik’s name being called out.  Erik’s cousins Brandi and Erin Lynn were standing at the back of the line with a gift bag for Erik.  We stepped out of line so they could say their good-byes.

We finally made it through security.  Now all we had to do was wait for our flight to board.  As we waited, a tourist group from New York happened to be sitting next to us.  Erik kept staring at the three ladies because they were wearing hats with moose antlers on them.  One of the ladies asked us how old Erik was.  We told them seven.  A few minutes later another one of the ladies asked where we were heading.  Micah told them we were going to Seattle to the Children’s Hospital.  She had noticed Erik’s eye and made further inquiries of the situation.  As Micah started to talk I watched as the three women were filled with tears in their eyes.  The first lady had an angel pin she was wearing and took it off to give to me to wear.  She then offered Erik her moose hat, but he refused it.  I think he thought it was too silly.  

Our flight was announced.  We ended our conversation to get in line to board the plane.  After further security checks we finally made it onto the plane and found our seats.  This would be Erik’s first time on a plane.  He was pretty excited and nervous at the same time.  Micah and I both wished this experience could have been for different reasons.  I personally do not like to fly.  Erik seemed to find this amusing during our take-off as I sat there with my eyes closed.

Everything about the flight was a new experience.  He was in awe as our drinks were served to us.  Erik was curious about how the bathroom worked.  Within an hour he soon would get to see for himself.  Soon the thrill of flying turned to boredom, and like all children, Erik started to ask if we were almost there.  Micah and I told him to relax.  The flight from Anchorage to Seattle was 2½- hours, so Erik worked on his coloring book his cousins had given him.

We were all excited to be going to Seattle.  Erik loved Seattle.  He remembered our time spent there when Albert and Barbara had moved to Alaska, and we helped them get their things on the shipping container to move up there.  We had stayed with my Uncle Bill at that time also.  Erik was looking forward to seeing his cousin, Jessica again.  Micah and I decided we would treat this as a mini vacation and try to keep the atmosphere light and fun.

My Uncle Bill met us at the airport in Seattle.  As usual, it was overcast and raining.  Normally I would love this weather, but this time it seemed too dreary.  Uncle Bill gave us huge hugs and a cheerful grin.  After we got our luggage we headed to where he parked.  Micah filled my uncle in with all that the doctors had told us.  My uncle would ask us some questions, since my cousin Jessica had also gone through a similar surgery, and we realized we probably had not been told everything.  I began to get a little anxious as the conversation continued.

Once we were settled in at the house in Woodinville, Uncle Bill informed us that my parents and sister were on their way over from Idaho.  Uncle Bill was my mom’s youngest brother, and they were pretty close.  I was a little irritated at this news.  I had told my mom not to come up until after we had a chance to meet with the doctors.  We still were not for sure what was going to happen.  My mother can be pretty determined once she’s made up her mind, and I knew my dad would never hear the end of it if they did not come right away.  Of course, since my parents were coming, there was no stopping my sister either.  I could not blame my family, since I would have done the same thing.

That evening we went out to eat with Uncle Bill and his family.  We caught up on all the old and new family gossip as we waited for our food.  We covered all the normal conversation starters like: “Where are you working?” and “How was the flight?” and “Wow! The children have gotten so big!”  Then as our food arrived our conversation turned towards the real reason we were there.  Micah and I realized we knew very little.  We began to ask my uncle and his wife about their experience when Jessica went through her surgery to remove a brain stem tumor.  We felt hopeful as we talked about things.  It was good to have someone who understood what we were going through.

I remember all the prayers we said for Jessica.  It was a very risky surgery.  When the doctors went to remove the tumor, located on the outside of the stem, they found it was full of water.  We all praised God for the miracle.  Jessica’s follow-up MRI showed no signs of there ever being a tumor.  I just knew that God would take care of Erik, as He had for Jessica.  Erik was in the best hands a person could rely on.  There was no reason for us not to home in two weeks.