Monday, April 21, 2015:

I’m back on Nancy Lu after a 5 day hiatus.  My friends, the Addisons, picked me up here at the marina in Salinas, Puerto Rico early Tuesday morning and gave me a ride to the airport in San Juan.  It seems almost miraculous that at the end of that day, I was being picked up at DFW airport by my son, expecting father, Ethan!  Before I was settled into my hotel that night, even before sharing dinner together,

or a stop by the house to see the dogs, Lexi and Yetti, and the baby’s freshly painted room, Ethan had already taken me by Babies ‘R’ Us to show me the crib that he and Kristin have picked out for little Ava!

 

YES!  That’s her name!  Ava Elizabeth! 

I spent all of the next day with Ethan; Kristin was working all day.

 

He had some important business to to which he had to attend.  I was along to offer motherly advice, and I was happy to share in the excitement!  Before we got to that, he was nice enough to take me to Target to get a sweater—it’s much cooler in North Texas than in Puerto Rico!  He also got himself what he calls some “dad shorts”, and I couldn’t resist getting a little something for Ava (a bib just like her daddy used and one of his favorite picture-books, Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson.

Ethan also took me to get a much needed haircut!  I enjoyed answering all of my hairdresser, Gabby’s, questions about the sailing life.  It is a hard lifestyle to describe, but I enjoyed trying.  I gave her my blog address, so maybe she’ll check it out—in case she does—Thanks for the great haircut, Gabby!

The next day, Ethan and Kristin both had the day off.  For Kristin, it’s not really a day off since she is going to graduate school online to get her master’s degree to become a nurse practitioner.  She had obligations with that in the afternoon, but we all got to spend the morning together over a yummy breakfast of eggs benedict that Ethan made.  Kristin and I had a special time together, getting to know one another better while being pampered with a mani/pedi!

 

When we got back, I watched as the mommy and daddy-to-be unpackaged Ava’s dresser that had been delivered earlier.  While Kristin took care of school business,

 

I went with Ethan to Dallas as he wrapped up the important business from the day before.  After dinner with Kristin and Ethan, It was back to the hotel for me.

 

On Friday, the hard-working nurses, Ethan and Kristin, both worked a 12 hour shift, but I was not alone!

 

Kenny, Bob and Karen made a special trip over from Cedar Creek Lake just to see me!!  We spent all morning together, had lunch, and did some more visiting in the afternoon before they had to leave!  It was nourishment to the soul to spend time with these friends.  To Kenny, Karen and me, it felt like we were chilling in the hotel room on one of the many mission trips we’ve been on together during free time—that is minus the responsibility of teens and the always ongoing project of making fishy pendants out of plastic string to give the kids.  But once I got under the covers due to the chilly room, it felt more like they were on a hospital visit to one of their ailing church members, Kenny kept asking if he could get me ice chips or anything else—always the jokester!

 

After my BFFs left,

I only had to wait an hour before my youngest daughter and her boyfriend filled my “happy-cup” to overflowing with their visit from Waco!  It was nice to finally meet Nathan!  I have to say that besides being a very nice guy, I think he just might be able to match Claire silly for silly!  It was a joy to be around them, but even though they spent the night with me, our time together was too short!  Claire and Nathan got to see Ethan and Kristin just for a little while when we went to their house to pick up a few things that Mark had shipped there for me to pick up and bring back to Nancy Lu.  Of course, Claire was smitten with the doggies,

 

and Yetti was nice enough to show her how the baby carrier for Ava works.

I had been looking forward to making the trip to Texas so that I could embrace Kristin and Ethan literally as well as metaphorically!  The trip was all that I had hoped it would be, and it whetted my appetite to spend much more time with these two (and eventually 3)!  They have my love and are in my prayers daily.  I am continually making the decision to trust God with their lives, and am thankful for His faithfulness!  That goes for those other two “kids” of mine!  The only thing that could have made this trip more complete would have been to see the #1 daughter, Amy (you know I’m feeling sentimental when I use her full name)!

By 7:30 Saturday night, I was back in San Juan, Puerto Rico in a rental car with my husband/captain and geriatric dog, Timmy!  I have to confess that I was a little on the grumpy side due to too-warm clothes, too-tired body, and too-anxious old dog whining in my lap, but I was very happy to see Captain Mark.  We finally ate at a fast food restaurant in Puerto Rico (Taco Bell) which is one of the things that I was looking forward to doing since we made landfall in this American territory.  It was anti-climactic to say the least.  The Puerto Rican Taco Bell menu is a fraction of its U.S. counterpart!  Plus, I’d already gotten my U.S.A. restaurant-fix while I was in Texas!  Here’s a chronological list of the restaurants I enjoyed while away from Nancy Lu—this is a big deal!

Airport Manchu Wok

Airport Haggan Daas Ice Cream

Multiple stops at Sonic Drive In for DIET DR. PEPPERS!!!!

In-n-Out Burger

Torchy’s Taco

A Pho place—new experience for me thanks to Ethan (I really liked it)

Subway

Cracker Barrel

Five Guys Burgers—Bob paid, but Kenny prayed (Kenny wanted me to be sure I put that in the blog)

A really good mom and pop Italian restaurant that Claire, Nathan, and I discovered

and last, but not least……Airport McDonald’s