Hello, friends. I’m sure you’ve all been on the edges of your collective seats, waiting for an update on my adventures. Well, today is your lucky day! It’s also my second-to-last day here in the wet but oh-so-lovely northwest. For your viewing pleasure, here’s what I’ve been doing:
Wednesday, November 4: Seattle skyline at sunset while driving to Renton to speak at Beit Tikvah. No color alteration on this photo!
Thursday, November 5: Rainy morning coffee at Vivace with Curtis, Grace, and Baby Rommy.
The next shots are JUBILEE band practice at Gypsy Cottage. Emily and her heart-melting cello. Amazing Grace.
Curtis, Jonny, Emily, and Grace making musical magic. Steven (the drummer) was home sick with Swine Flu. 🙁
Jonny + guitar = perfect.
Friday, November 6: Day trip to Vancouver to see Luke. Curtis, Luke, and Grace perusing the lunch menu at Burgoo.
Across the street: fall color and Vancouver architecture.
Grace and Curtis
Luke’s beverage choice: Mead
My lunch: butternut squash soup and spinach salad. Yummm.
God’s artwork. Beauty that creates an ache.
Vancouver aquarium. Macaws. (They’re beautiful but very loud.)
Sea turtle
Sea horse
Starfish.
Octopus tentacle
Jellyfish
Baby beluga!
Frog
Saturday, November 7: A full and wonderful day. It started at 9:00 AM with a brunch at Sonlight Community Church, speaking to 80+ women, including a few beloved Droullards and Robinses. Here’s Ruth, Carrie, and one-month-old Karen Poppy sporting a plaid dress and red cape. Sweet, sleeping fashion baby!
Proof that I really did speak during the speakathon. Here I’m apparently explaining the difference between a capital C and a lower case c. Inspirational!
Signing books. The lady in the blue shirt buying a stack of copies is Colleen. Her newborn grandbaby, Olive Hope, is fighting for her life in Thailand. The prognosis is severe brain damage. Please pray for Olive Hope and her missionary parents. All things are possible with God.
After the brunch I attended a book club discussion of Parting the Waters with these lovely ladies. Marilyn Stremler, far left back row, is the dear soul who lined up five of the seven Great Northwest Speakathon events. She’s a hoot and a treasure.
After book club we went to a charming downtown bookstore, Homespun Mercantile, for a signing. Here’s Lorraine, the owner, Marilyn, and Linda.
Loved this store! I bought the adorable apron for Grace, because I just had to.
After the signing we jumped in the car and headed back to Seattle because JUBILEE had a gig at the Fremont Abbey that night. We swung by Gypsy Cottage, loaded the band gear, hauled it to the Abbey, set up, did a sound check, then headed to Dad Watson’s for dinner. Here’s a shot of ceiling detail at Dad Watson’s.
The gig was a benefit concert for Med25, a non-profit created to provide access to quality health care for the world’s poor and needy. They’re currently raising funds for a project in Kenya. Beautiful cause, awesome concert, great crowd! Fun night. Here are some shots of JUBILEE rocking out. Curtis, Jonny, Grace, Emily, and Steven.
My son-in-law is a hot rock star. 🙂
Last song was Moonlight Riders–a mostly instrumental jam that’s always a hit with the crowd.
We left the Abbey after midnight, rushed back to Gypsy Cottage, swapped out band gear for luggage, and barely caught the 12:40 AM ferry for Bainbridge Island where Grace and Curtis lead worship at CrossSound Church on Sunday mornings. None of us got enough sleep, but I still enjoyed playing piano and singing harmony with their praise band during the service. What a wonderful church and community. I always love visiting there.
After church we ate yummy Indian food then caught the ferry back to Seattle for a quiet evening at Gypsy Cottage. This morning we all slept late. In a couple of hours I’ll drive back to Lynden for dinner with the Droullards, Stremlers, and Luke who is coming down from Vancouver to join us. Tuesday morning I speak at Lynden Christian High School’s chapel, then that evening at the Cascade Christian Services Staff & Donor Appreciation Gala. Wednesday I catch a flight back to Texas. That thought would make me sad if I didn’t look forward to reuniting with George and Jacob on the other end. This has been such a precious time with people I love so much, I sometimes wonder if my heart will explode.
Thanks for sharing my adventures. Life is good. God is good. It’s all so very good. I hope you’re enjoying the goodness on your end, too.
sounds like a great trip, love the pictures! We just don’t have the trees that look like that in this part of the world. Hope to see you soon!
You are a joy to read!
Looks like you had a wonderful trip! Oh–and thank you so much for clearing up the capital/lowercase Ccontroversy. I’ve been wrestling with that for years now.
Awesome pictures. Dang! You made jellyfish look gorgeous!
I always love seeing your photos! I seriously am in love with the photo of the trees (just above the macaws). Wow. So very gorgeous.
These photos and words were like a freebie book! Seriously.
And I’m glad your life is good.
I’ve also received, read and been awed by you, gifting of your beautiful son and family in Parting the Waters.
I’ll post about it in the next few days.
Safe travels.
Thanks so much, Deb! I’m honored and look forward to reading your thoughts on Parting the Waters!
Love, Jeanne