… there’s no place like home.The J2A Pilgrims arrived safely at Dulles Airport at 9:30 last night. Youth and adults were collected by loving family and friends. We thanks all who prayed for and with us during our adventure.
The Journey to Adulthood is ongoing for all of us and we thank our fellow travelers for they make the trip worthwhile. Peace and love to all.
Christina and I were up early and got her to the airport so she can go to camp tomorrow.
I’m in a coffee shop waiting for the others to come across on the ferry and we’re headed for Gas Works Park for a great view of the city. Then we are headed for the Seattle Center, Space Needle and stuff around there.
We are coming back to Vashon Island to see fireworks tonight – trafiic and ferries have scared us back to the island so we don’t get stuck. All of the locals I’ve talked to say that is a very good idea!
Since we live in a place where TV stations from around the country come to televise our fireworks across the nation – we’ll stick with a “small town 4th celebration” this year.
We head back home tomorrow. We’ll off island and to the airport not quite as early as today. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!!
Well, there’s a rooster crowing, crickets, birds and numerous mosquitos. I finally put my earplugs in last night to block out the deafening quiet (oh how I long for the sounds of car alarms and constant street traffic).
We are back on the wet side of the mountains so different allegies are popping up for different folks. A couple of the kids were sneezing on the east side so they should stop since we are back here. I, on the other hand, was fine on the east side – no claritin – but the sneezing has begun so claritiin it is!
We all appear to have survived the night. I did not sleep in the van – I just didn’t sleep.
We are getting the kids up so we can have breakfast before leaving the island. They have pancake batter here, but that’s just not enough. We’ll get some food then on the ferry to make our 10 o’clock tour at the cathedral. They are closed today but the Office Mgr has agreed to come in just for us! The northwest Episcopalians are something else. Then we’ll spend the afternoon at Pike Place Market.
You may or may not see photos the last couple of days – while there is internet it is not completely convenient. I’m in a room thta says “Jail” on the door – and there’s a wide open double door to the outside and bugs (lots of bugs).
I hope you are all very amused by our current situation – well, mine anyhow. We are having fun – we will have fun – these kids are great together. I am not letting the van keys out of my hand in case I need to escape.
Peace and love to all! On of us will come home tomorrow and the rest will be home on Sunday – hard to believe.
Keeping in mind that this is being written by a grup – we have arrived on Vashon Island and are staying at a hostel that is tee-pees on concrete slabs and the sides barely reach the ground, thus – WE ARE SLEEPING OUTSIDE! WE ARE CAMPING! You all may find me (A) at the Ritz for the rest of the weekend. Actually, I’ll be sleeping in the van.
“B” asked if I was a Girl Scout, to which I responded “Yes, and then I got a GOLD Card!”
Anyhow, its just more adventure – and they (and I) will surely remember this trip – for ever and ever and ever and, well, you know.
Hugs and love to all at home. Give each other an extra hug today – okay?!?
Spent a part of the day with a retired Bishop from DE and his family. In the afternoon we hung out “downtown” in Winthrop. It was a great day – lots of fresh air. Time to sleep now.
Today we took at river raft trip down the Methow River using Osprey River Adventures. Class 2 & 3 rapids – very much fun.
Then we had s’mores tonight – Ashley started the fire, everyone toasted marshmallows and stuffed their faces with chocolate and graham crackers.
Today was spent in the car. We saw much of the beauty of the North Cascades Highway on our way to Winthrop.
The service began as it normally would – then came the Sermon. The priest talked about miracles and prayers and healing and why prayers are answered and how they sometimes aren’t. With some of the things our youth and parish are dealing with in their lives and the lives of their friends – this had a profound impact on the kids. The emotion was evident and during the Peace, many parishioners came over to offer comfort and hugs for the kids and sponsors.
During the Prayers of the People, they ask folks to come forward to the rail – those celebrating anniversaries, birthdays and those traveling. Our entire group went forward and the priest touched each of the kids as she and the congregation read the prayer.
Finally, after Communion they do a laying on of hands for special prayers. Two of the youth came forward with me and then the rest of the group followed (I think). I’m not sure who was there because as I was standing behind the kids, the entire group of regular parishioners who’d been praying for one of their own came over to us and surrounded us. I think the rest of our group came up behind them, so I’m not sure how many people were there… After the priest listened to the prayer requests she anointed the two and then we all slowly returned to our seats. Parishioners stopped and parted the way for us to go first.
After church we were invited to coffee hour where we were offered donuts and coffee (in real cups!) and were again surrounded and welcomed and just loved for being there.
Me being me, I wonder why this church, why this timing, why now (on so many levels). Maybe it’s because “the population of Sequim is comprised of retirees and their parents,” according to the locals? Maybe it’s because these folks don’t live near their grandchildren and this was an opportunity to have contact with that age group in a way that they could offer comfort and caring? Maybe it was because the message of the Sermon was needed at this time and this was a very safe place for that message to be received?
Later in the day, we climbed to a high place (a “thin” place perhaps) where we handed out yellow LiveStrong bracelets. We gave them to the kids as outward and visible signs/reminders of the folks we had at home praying for us and for whom we were praying. When you see the kids and sponsors wearing them upon our return you’ll know that we were praying for you and we know that you were praying for us.
What I do know is that we were meant to be in that church, on that morning, on this trip. For me there is no doubt that God was holding us up on this day. Please give a prayer of thanks for the 8 o’clock congregation at St. Luke’s in Sequim, for they truly welcomed us into their family on Sunday morning.
*minor edits done since my typing is less than stellar 
Not sure what happened yesterday – thought I’d posted Day 3, but I guess not.
We went to the Hoh Rain Forest and hiked to the river – approx 2 miles each way. Then we drove from Forks to Sequim – via the Straits of Juan de Fuca.
On Sunday we went to church in Sequim, a nice little town described by the parishoners as “a place where the population is made up of retirees and their parents.” We drove to Hurricane Ridge, 17 mile road with a 5,200+ foot elevation gain. We hiked around a bit and there’s still snow up there – it is an amazing place. I hope you get a small sense from these photos.
We drove almost 300 miles – saw the world’s largest totem pole in Tacoma, a story pole on the grounds of the state capital, drove across the lower peninsula and up the west coast – stopped at Ruby Beach and then Forks! and we ate dinner in La Push. Here are a few photos…
