The Adventure Begins

The much anticipated morning of February 10 began extremely early.  At 2am, just four short hours after falling in to bed, my alarm screamed at me to get out of bed.  Bryan and I finished throwing the last little things in the suitcases and the suitcases in the car and at 3:20 got the kids up and dressed and in to the car in the hopes that their sleep wouldn't be too interrupted.  It didn't work very well.  Sally came along with us to Seattle to drive our car back home.  Don was also on his way to Seattle, but he was flying out of Bellingham.  Pastor John was also flying out of Bellingham on the same flight so Don caught a ride to the airport with him. 



We met up with Don for breakfast in Seatac after going through security.  While visiting, we figured out our trip would take us (give or take) 34 hours door step to door step.



This wall in the food court of Seatac is so fun to photograph!



Same wall.  I love the way the blue sky accents the architecture.



The incredible sunrise over Mt. Baker was another reminder to praise God for this amazing opportunity we had and to pray once again that we might be a blessing.



Brandon's anticipation of going on a BIG airplane continued with fascination of watching all the BIG airplanes.



Whenever he could, he was glued to the windows watching everything going on.



We flew Delta out because of their direct flight from Atlanta to our destination.



A different perspective for Brandon.  Once again fascinated.



After a "short" 5 hour flight we arrived in Atlanta.  I almost didn't include this picture because:
1. the people are blurry in the background--but isn't that what airports are in reality?  People rushing...
2. Brandon is blurry--but again, he really didn't stop moving the whole trip unless he was watching CARS or sleeping.

 We were the first to arrive in Atlanta of our group.  (Aaron, his wife Stacey, and Rachel had all gone out close to two weeks earlier to go camping/fishing.)  We met Al (Rachel's husband) at his gate and then settled down to recharge batteries and get some lunch.  We then proceeded to meet up with brother Bryan at his gate.  And later, Al and I took Brandon and Micah to our departure gate and B2 (my Bryan) and Ibrahim (brother Bryan) went to meet Cal, Christel, and Kinsley at their gate.  Our group was complete and it hit me for the first time that our year + of planning was really going to be reality.  The Horlings family would be all together again in the place of our youth for the first time in 10 years.

Almost There...

Yes, I am in the final editing/sorting stages of the over 3000 pictures from our trip.  (For clarification, that is 3000 pictures from 4 cameras over a two week period--I did not take that many pictures!!)

For my family, my goal is to have CDs burned and in the mail for you this week.  If you need something specific before then, please let me know.

Until then, here is my favorite Brandon series.  It describes so well his time, attitude, and energy on our trip.

Have a fabulous day!

Morning Has Broken

Morning Has Broken

(A Traditional Song, Lyrics by *Eleanor Farjeon)

Morning has broken, like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken, like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for the springing fresh from the world

Sweet the rain's new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall, on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day

Smells

I love it!  Brandon's swimming suit still smells like Rayfield mud and our clothes still smell like warm sunshine.  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.....  :)  Maybe I won't unpack...just keep the smells captured for a while.