Home for Four Days

Kara and I were booked to fly to Winnipeg on the 27th, but we decided to stay in New York another day. We were flying with United Air, with a stop at O’Hare. Alayna had gone home on the 26th, but she only got home on the 27th just barely making it on time for work. She missed the connecting flight in Chicago, on account of the flight leaving LGA too late. They put her up at the Hyatt for the night. She thought that had been pretty cool!

On the 28th, it was snowing in Chicago and almost half of the flights were cancelled, including the one Kara and I were supposed to be on. We managed to get on the next flight to Winnipeg. That meant that Alayna could not pick us up. My friend Martha, from McGregor and I had made plans to go out for dinner. I called her from the Chicago, to see if she could just leave a bit earlier, to pickus up at the airport. The flight was delayed so many times and then when we got to Winnipeg we realized that our luggage had not arrived. By the time we had filled out the delayed luggage reports, Martha had already waited for quite a while. There would have been no need for her to leave work early! That's how it goes!

It was so special to be able to spent time with Martha. We have so much in common, having experienced so many similar things. Martha and Henry were in New York with their son, Justin, at the same time we were there with our daughter, Kara. We had an apartment in the same building as they did 19 years ago, and it is the same building we are in now! Sad to say, their son ended up with a fatal viral infection.

Kara and I had to go shopping the next morning, since our luggage had not arrived and the cat needed food. We missed the turkey lunch at the Dueck family gathering, but we got there just in time for the program where I shared the story of Ray and Renee’s God moment. (see his blog for the story) Ray called me just when Kara and I were almost ready to leave, a one hour drive from where we live. (Alayna and Justin came after Alayna was done work.) I had been feeling kind of overwhelmed and stressed about a lot of things. This story came at just the right time to put my focus back on things that really matter…that God loves us so much. When he told me the story, I got kind of emotional and started singing, “I stand amazed in the presence of Jesus, the Nazarene and wonder how he could love me, a sinner condemned, unclean.”

The Reimer family gathering was at the Morrow Gospel Church. We had our bags delivered to the church. I was happy that I could give my family the Chocolove bars I brought along from New York. It was so special that Meritt could be there. He is Arden and Twylla’s little guy. He just had his first birthday, although he should have only been born in March. He is doing very well.

Kara appreciated having me at “home” and I would have loved to stay longer. I had not been home for two months, but I felt that I needed to spend more time with Ray, that I should go back sooner. Ray is going through some very difficult things with his business right now. I am not sorry that we had four days to be together, instead of just two.

That's why I came back to New York on the 2nd. I had a good flight with only a slight delay! Only about two hours late leaving O’Hare, but that is better than flying in circles over New York and my luggage arrived only half an hour after I did! I just stayed and waited and finished reading my book. That's why it is a good idea to always have a granola bar with you when you travel! It was after 10:00 by the time I finally got to the apartment and could enjoy the delicious curry dish Renee had made.