Over the Rainbow

As it had been in the past, Spring break trips are usually not planned by me. This left me with the advantage of having the passengers seat...with a longer scenic route ahead due to unusual circumstances.

 An historic and very bizarre occurrence took place in the city of Atlanta where I live that week before. These days, startling headlines on the news is not unheard of. However, when live coverage of a raging inferno is being reported it is far more subject to rouse undivided attention. After a fire mysteriously started under a bridge below the most traveled interstate in the Southeast, becoming fully engulfed within minutes, then finally leading to the collapse of the entire section of the bridge, a new course to our destination had to be planned. Though we would be among many inconvenienced travelers and I will likely not be able to go to IKEA and time soon for a while, no one was injured and the whole thing was quite spectacular!

While the idea of traveling anywhere always gives me a rush, the usual excitement, travel preparations from the night before and life right now in general left me exhausted. I woke up with an unusually diminished amount of excitement that following spring morning. The fatigue coupled with dreary weather left me in a dismal mood before the excursion were to begin. I had hoped a detour through the back country roads would turn things around.

 The girls guzzled through to the last juice box while mom and I visited as we passed the many roadside produce stands, antique flea markets and every species of donkey, cattle and goat known to man throughout the many farmlands on that road less traveled. We passed through small towns never heard of some of which had no traffic lights. In exchange for gridlock on the highway, our only loss was about one hour of additional time on the road.

After settling into the hotel, sifting through the travel bags for hair ties, locating the tops and or bottoms of the swimsuits before swimming in the pool, a glass of Merlot would finish off the evening. However, routine would the next day be forgotten.

Out on the road the next day, city streets with images of town houses, Home Depots and Taco Bells gradually faded only to become open lands of grass covered marshes, seagulls and palm trees. Bridges and shipyards were now visible and the sun glowed against the waters which we crossed over. We drove for miles and no sign of any buildings, traffic jams or reminders of routine obligation. The dreary clouds of yesterday had blown away with the wind.



Where the land ends and the mystery of the infinite takes over.




Though my responsibilities are many, I find my self here alone.

 As I want it to be.

Even if not for long.

The ocean stirs the senses.

Here I create my world.

The sharp edges of broken shells feel good against my feet as I walk along the shore.

Each a different color, shape size and story.

A cargo carrier is but a blur off in the distance. It's grandiose image would appear more clearly as it reaches the inlet.

A seagull visits me only for long enough for me to get a good glimpse of him.

As I walk, the wet sand sucks in my feet like a child with a lollipop.

I see and admire an abandoned sand castle only to later feel angry after I see that someone had kicked it over.

The surf was high and majestic and the water was cold. My hair was sticky from the salt.

The sun left a red spot where the sunscreen would not reach, but a pleasant reminder of where I had been.

Then I was hungry.

I think I will!

 

Place visited: Tybee Island, GA
Date visited: April 4th, 2017      

Original art work was created in place of photography.                 



                                          "Over The Rainbow" By Israel Kamakawiwoʻole

                                            

Big Rock Candy Mountain

There was a time when I would hear stories among co-workers, family members and friends of the many outings and excursions to beer festivals, Chili cook offs, and afternoons spent at the man-made snow parks here in the south. There are many more to list but regardless, from the stories they told, nothing ever sparked my interest when I would hear them. Maybe it was because they just didn't have a whole lot to say,  they were bad story tellers, or maybe perhaps, they really were of very little interest to me at the time. Or quite possibly, I was subconsciously jealous in the fact that most of my outings included trips to Target, the elementary school cupcake distributions, then the inevitable trip to the dentist office for a crown.
  While I still find these things necessary every now and then, I decided to break the boundaries of these limitations a few years back. Upon the loss of a family member who was taken by cancer at a young age, I realized how  of how precious life really is. So with this, after years of commitment to diapers, Spaghettios and Clifford the Big Red Dog, I finally made my great escape and got on a plane and flew 5000 miles away from home. I came back of course, but this decision would forever change my perspective on life.
   Though I am not able to jump a plane any time I feel, I would never quite look at everything the same way. Grassy fields would always look more picturesque, waterfalls seemed more lively and a cup of coffee in a bistro would seem just a bit more flavorful. At this point I had decided that I would never wait around for adventure to come and find me. The only thing I needed to do was to stop wondering about things and just go.
   So here we are today on a winter Saturday afternoon. The decision had been made for me and my significant other to take a drive. It had been raining that day and the clouds were beginning to break as the hills before us became visible off in the distance. We had become among the nestled in these hills along with smoking chimneys of country homes, old wood sheds and confederate flags proudly flying. The visible signs to where were wanted to go were helpful but it was actually nice to have the feeling of being lost.   

  After a quiet, uncongested drive through the countryside, we came upon what seemed like something that should be a best-kept secret. The gravel road led the way to a very welcoming oasis where the vines could be seen in full view from behind. We were among many visitors, some of which were regulars in this lovely establishment. The decor was trendy and rustic. It was warm inside and comforting with sofas, board games, a vintage cocktail Pacman arcade game, and most importantly-wine!


 
  Though my good times had been limited in years past, I always enjoyed a nice glass of Merlot or Chardonnay at the end of a long day. However, I was ready to sweeten that up a little. This winery is unique in that it's main specialty is fruit wine. I'll take my antioxidants anyway I can! We were handed our wine tasting menu and made our selection of five:


Dry Blueberry- Sweet but yet dry and smooth. 
Very sophisticated and rich in color without the bitter bite of dry wine.

Dry Strawberry- Same as the blueberry but sweet with authentic strawberry flavor.

Medium Red Muscadine- I personally had never tried a muscadine or even heard of such a thing. It is a type of large grape I with a strong, pastoral aroma and less sweetness. Very unique!

Sweet Blueberry-Would drink this one by the full 16 oz glass if I did not know it was wine.

Lemon Strawberry: A bit more light-hearted and fun. Probably would enjoy this embellished with a small umbrella while lounging at the pool this summer.

All of the wines were 10%-16% none of which could be detected.

If only they came in the form if a juice box. The wines tasted about as good as the finest juice box I could ever give to my kids. We were even provided with Goldfish crackers in between each to clear our palates. I would have liked to have tried all of them.

This adorable red tractor was on display.

It doesn't look like there is a whole lot going on in the vineyard as it is winter. It is long past harvest time and we are far from berry season.

It was once again that time.

We all get hungry and we were in the North Georgia countryside. Not necessarily a bad when it is time to eat.
 We thought it would be best to order a family plate with a variety of items since it was a new BBQ place we had never been to.

We ransacked pork ribs, one half chicken, sausage, spicy baked beans, pulled chicken, coleslaw and corn bread.

No, I did not, but it makes a whole lot of sense.

When all was said and done, there was one fry left that neither of us would take.


Place visited:

The only thing I ever really knew about Alto Georgia was that it was home to a prison. For this reason, I had never really though of this area to be a point of interest for an outing. Some things are best when discovered by accident.

Sweet Acres Winery, Alto, Georgia

Provisions:

Mickey Pigs, Alto Georgia



Date visited: February 18th, 2017



                           Please enjoy this hilarious little ditty by Harry McClintock-1928
                                                         "Big Rock Candy Mountain"

Wanderlust...On Top of the World-Happy New Year!



Music Pedagogy has been my whole world since 1998. However, it has ebbed and flowed as far as business goes and there have been slower times than others. This as well as the quietness of an empty house during the day after my youngest went off school has made me consider exploring other vocations-perhaps maybe becoming a flight attendant. I was actually brave enough to send off an application to an airline called ExpressJet and astonishment far surpassed my bravery when I received an invitation to interview (a blog for another day).

Since God pulls my strings, he tugged pretty hard when I was to be sent either to Detroit or Dallas. Though I had opportunity for endless travel, I declined and my pedagogy business has since taken off. It has now grown to the point to where I am working on Saturdays and my weekend wanders are not as possible as they used to be.

Throughout my work week, many interactions that I often hear
among the people I am in contact  with are "We'll be out of town this week." That can mean more than one thing: I either get a little break from the music lesson that week or it is simply time for me to become flat out jealous. Though I have had my share of travels this year, not all of which I have written about, they were are all of great value (for me, even something as menial as a trip to Walmart can be an experience worth writing about. Therefore, I seize adventure any chance I get). Though sometimes travel plans are made on my behalf, there are just times when the decision has to be made on my own.

My luck turned when I realized that New Years Eve was on a Saturday this year. I had a reason not to work and the decision to travel was a must. Not only did I get to travel, I didn't have to drive.

While I was taking care of money matters that day I would leave as I did not want to be troubled with this after I left, my mom and my three youngest kids were already in the car waiting. My mom has a bigger and newer car and Hilton points to offer. Dad was thrilled that we were leaving a more quiet house behind.

Time and time again I have always been fortunate to leave the driveway under clear skies. It was a mad rush to the car as I was ready to get lost. There are times when you just have to let yourself be spoiled rotten and not feel guilty about it.

Hilton points were built up enough to cover us for two room. I would take which ever one had the wine and tried to persuade at least one of the kids to sleep with grandma. The first night traveling with kids is usually the hardest. They are out of their element and don't go to sleep very quickly. The room is crowded, hair is tangled, mom is frazzled and everyone is just out of place. All would be forgotten the next day.

I am very fortunate to have been brought up in a family that was never really concerned about how soon we have to make it from point A to point B in X amount of time during our travels. When I was a kid we would be on our way home from one of these weekend excursions before my parents would take a last minute detour to the outlet mall or the Corvette museum. Though I was just a kid then and all I wanted to do was go home, that sense of spontaneity was passed down to me. We had absolutely no plans for the day what so ever.

That next morning, we drove about 26 miles from our hotel and did nothing more than just followed signs to points of interest. Some led to high rent districts and some to places that often attract attention with trendy boutiques and overpriced eateries. These are places I typically avoid. Then there were other places with more of a different sort of appeal. Those with rustic industrial buildings turned into art studios as the mountains with homes imbedded in them stood in the background. I like houses inbedded in mountains behind the view of rustic industrial buildings. I want a house inbedded in a mountain behind the view of rustic industrial buildings.

We discovered that this town was an artist's reverie. As we went further into the community, we saw brick walls embellished with art deko, stray cats that were fed by the locals, and people with backpacks walking around that made you wonder what their story was.

Old industrial buildings had been transformed into art galleries where local artist had not only displayed and sold their work but also housed their workshops.

Praying Mantis made of scrap metal. Appears as thought it is comprised of a propane tank as well as iron rods. It was located in the "square" of the art studios.

I'm not really a cat person but my daughter is and this piece made by a local artist will never be used to serve coffee or placed in the dishwasher.

As I marveled at all these things my mom said "Sam, you are a hippie!" "I replied "Yes I guess I am."

I was hungry.

It was indeed that time again. My worst fear is that we would be stuck with only places like Applebee's or Steak N Shake and I would never find that best kept secret dive.

Instead we found an old diner. The type with the retro printed carpet, waitresses with coffee pots and syrup on the table. It was like back in the good old days when it took a while for the food to arrive and senior couples once again returning after having dined there their whole lives.
I found a club sandwich to be comforting that day. The surrounding mountain views on a cool, brisk, overcast day was visible through the window by our table.

My lunch was also my dinner that night. The sandwich was so huge I had to eat it as though it were a kabob (since my photograhy sucks and I don't typically take pictures of food on my plate, I'm afraid you'll have to use your imagination for this one). It was so good. It was New Years Eve. I drank wine.

Fog draped the mountain pass the next morning on our way home. The car was filled with conversation, sticky faces and the noise from the DVD. It was after Christmas and very little money was spent but as I said goodbye to North Carolina and 2016 I knew I had started the new year having gained the actual truth about how I live that of a superior life.

 Places visited: Ashville, North Carolina (Stayed in Hendersonville, NC)

Provision: Cornerstone Cafe, Ashville NC





                                              "On Top of the World"-Imagination Dragons

Workday Wander

   It was about 1:30 in the afternoon as I enjoyed the sweet sound of Ode to Joy from the little fingers of my 7-year-old student. She smiled and grinned as her performance was as sharp as her tailored school uniform. Since little instruction was necessary, my mind began to wander about my upcoming break which put me in an even better mood. I had a plan...but do I dare carry it out?

 I left as soon as the lesson was over. I gathered my things and had two and a half hours before my next stop elsewhere. There had been many times when I had seen something interesting that I had always wondered about but never gave it a second thought. But I think it is now time to stop letting that happen.

 I saw the signs and arrows pointing in that direction. Fearlessly, I turned. The road winded up a hill and I passed a police car on the way. Since this work-day adventure idea is all new to me, I felt as though I was somewhere I was not supposed to be but somehow I did not care.

 The area was quiet and my car was the only car in the lot where I parked. I approached an information board that included a map and tourist guide. I saw names such as Wildflower Trail, Gold Mine, Overlook, and....monkeys? I was very curious.

  I took an initial walk through my surroundings and the view was scenic and colorful. Flowers were in bloom adorned by butterflies, the water poured out into a small pool from the mill and I wanted to steal a pear from the pear tree. I would return later. My drive to be courageous was taking over. I was ready to go hiking.

 I had no clue what I was doing or where I was going. I was ill-prepared with sandals on and I was

Wildflower Trail

hopeful that if there were snakes, that they were more afraid of me than I was of them that day. I wanted to see every land mark, work up a sweat and hoped I would be sore the next day.

 The sign read "Millers Trail." There were many pine cones along the way and the ground was rugged with some exposed tree roots. The trail was short but quiet and enclosed by the tall trees and vines.  I could hear a distance siren from the outside world. I had found the mysterious old goldmine. The shaft was enclosed with wire and the new fall leaves covered the edges.

 My path then crossed with another leading down a different trail. It was here where I saw many pieces of history including an uncovered wigwam and Native American cooking supplies. It was also where I would find my monkeys-except it was really only a memory of them. They were killed by farmers when discovered in the area after a circus train crashed.

  I was able to find the "Wildflower Trail." There were not a lot of wild flowers this time of year but it was more open and a little less rugged than the others. I followed it for a nice long distance. I could hear a siren off in the distance from the outside world. I had come a long way and wondered if I should turn back. I decided against it. As I walked a little further, I could hear the sound of rushing waters. Just what I had hoped. The creek flowed across the rocks and the sun's reflection glistened as the waters danced.
                                                                                                         
   I walked through almost every trail at probably the distance of a mile or so. I still had plenty of time left and I was not ready to leave. I knew there was more to see but had no idea of the surprises I was
unaware that I would find. I passed by an old country store and the farm museum and around the back of the mill where the welcome center was. I had planned to stop in for literature but kept becoming distracted with more things to see. I once again saw the calming waters at the mill but had missed the ducks. And what next? Could it be for real? Chickens? Clucking chickens? It only got better after that.

   I entered the welcome center to finally collect my literature and sign the guest book. I expected  nothing more. It was like walking into a surprise party and being welcomed by unexpected guests. Snakes and different varieties of turtles greeted me from their tanks as well as many small fish and a giant bull frog. In addition to scenic trails and historic artifacts, there was a small zoo. I was delighted.

   Though I had been to places like this many times before as I had chaperoned field trips, attended birthday parties with the kids on my Saturdays or maybe had visited with my Brownie Scout troop once upon a time I can honestly say that this was probably the first time I elected to go somewhere like this on my own. So for a short time that day, I was able to set aside worries over where I would buy my gas before I ran out (there was a shortage in Georgia at this time), whether or not bill due dates would align with pay days or if I bought enough spaghetti for dinner that night. I was able to go on a little vacation in the middle of the work day in which I had invited a little bit of a Saturday to enter.

                                     Please enjoy this little slide show from my adventures.

                                       


 Place Visited: Autry Mill Nature Preserve and Heritage Center,
                       Johns Creek, GA

 Date Visited: Tuesday, September 20th, 2016 


 

                                             

I Ran!

    I was hungry. Something about a road trip always makes me hungry. I don't eat much the rest of the time. Only when I'm on the road. Hot, spicy, greasy fried shrimp overstuffed my po-boy. I quietly snuck away into my mom's hotel room while the kids watched TV in my room. It was a greasy saucy mess with many left over shrimp which fell out of the po-boy and made for enough for breakfast the next morning. Then I realized the kids hadn't eaten. Though I was in no way willing to share any left over shrimp with them, they had to eat something. Not being from the area, I was not up to speed with the local pizza deals. I called a place that offered more of a bargain for the more you ordered. I was too full for pizza, kids were not as hungry as I thought so we had pizza. Lots of it!
    As we made our way back out on the road again the next day, I was sure the left over pizza stayed cool and that some got eaten along the way. (I am very money conscious and am usually the only one who eats the left overs in our house as I refuse to not waste food so I made sure that this principle was maintained with regards to the pizza.) It was a long drive and not much to see for about an hour until the first sign of the coast became evident-seagulls. The air grew warmer, the casinos grew, well, taller as we got closer to the city and soon we would see the white sandy coast.  Mossy trees draped over the road as well as surrounding houses and the hurricane devastated empty lots where southern mansions once stood haunted us.
    After a visit to the Dollar Tree for pails and shovels, we returned to the coast in our bathing suits and found a quiet spot on the shore. We weren't sure if the tide was ebbing or flowing but there were many pools of water surrounding the beach for us to explore. There was no one b
ut us in the area. The water was pleasant and not too warm and we began a hunt for hermit crabs. We found 3 and lined them for a crab crawl race rally. They were too afraid to come out of there shells as their little eye above their heads could see us. We filled one of our pails with sand and a little bit of water and build a habitat for our little critters and took them back with us to our hotel. Though I someday hope to Kayak across Greenland, having an appreciation for little things like this is very important for a mother of five and I always wanted a hermit crab when I was a kid but my mom said no.
   Do you see that lone palm tree in that picture? Doesn't it look it look calm and peaceful? However, just a short distance from that tree, the view is much different. We noticed that this beach houses an unusually large habitat of seagulls. Thousands. Of. Seagulls.They were content grazing among the waters if they should find anything and they would occasionally shift in flocks to  different locations. Then I remembered. I still had pizza left. Time to make some new friends
   I went to the car and grabbed the Ziploc bag and came back with the provision with the idea in mind that seagulls would be appreciative and somewhat comparable to the ducks in the duck pond when given leftover hot dog buns. The zip was still locked on the bag before I had forgotten about that scene in Finding Nemo where the seagulls all had one thought in mind-"Mine!"
   I slowly tried to move away but they slowely followed me everywhere I went. I stopped, they stopped. They hovered around me like jet fighters ready to attack but afraid enough of me to keep their distance. However, I was determined not to let this pizza go to waste. I thought to my brave stupid myself "I had better make this quick." Pandemonium struck as the first slice hit the ground. They fought, they sqwaked and made noises I never though a seagull was capable of. They knew there was more than just one slice and they persisted. There was only one thing for me to do. I dropped the bag and-I Ran! It was a miracle I was not pooped on.

We returned the hermit crabs to their home two days later.

Places visited: Mobile, Alabama, Gulfport, Mississippi
Date visited: April 4th
Provisions: The Boiling Pot, Hungry Howies (Mobile) and Whataburger

For your enjoyment:

*Please note. This song has nothing to do with pizza or seagulls. 

"I Ran" By Flock of Seagulls

    

Wanderlust:Roundabout-Round Two

I left the house on that sunny spring day. No plans in particular. I had a place in mind that I wanted to go to that day and thought it might be a good idea to map it on Google but I didn't. I knew it was there if I needed it. After 20 minutes in the car going north I only imagined where I would be in an hour. No matter where I would go that day, I knew I would there was a possibility I would see water. I had my daughter Emma with me, who out of the five, has the sense of adventure. Whatever I did, I knew I had to make it good.
  While hoping to get as many unknown number of miles I had left on my 10 year old minivan, the main road led me about 70 miles outside of town then to smaller road I had been down before. The cool mountain breeze met us as we made our way to an old country store. Emma's says "I don't like old." Well I guess I struck out there but might be able to make it right with a package of Starbursts. A scenic view was also a part of the package while visiting this general store. We opened the door to the patio which overlooked the view. What I saw reminded me of a particular day never to forget which led to a conversation I had with Emma about the day I almost met Jesus. In person!
   It was mid-July in 1991 and I had been invited to go on this adventurous date to a place I had never heard of. Apparently the person who invited me (we'll call him Sam.) assumed that I was some sort of experienced hiker which I was not. So Sam as well as a few more of his friends arrived to this very spot and he asked me if I brought my hiking shoes. Hiking shoes? Just then, I realized my little white slip-ons were likely not going to be suitable but we proceeded anyway. As daring as I can be, if only I had known. It is a story I tell often but my own mother still has never heard.
   Slowly we walked down a stairway of about 600 feet to the bottom of an abyss surrounded by trees and rock cliffs in 90 degree weather. The river at the bottom was refreshing and ended where it flowed down a dome shaped rock into the pool below. The water level was dense enough for us to slide easily down the rock for some fun filled outdoor water play. The problem was, unlike the typical water park, there is no where else to go once you slide down. There's you, the water and the steep rock you just slid down. That is it. So I made the difficult climb up the slippery rock and somehow managed to conjure up the courage to slide down a second time.
    Luckily a nearby camper wearing a Speedo was set up near the rock and had a first aid kit. He told me that the dressing on my chin would only hold for now until I returned home for stitches. I had to forget about my pain as I had to venture on with the group.
   Amazingly, my flimsy shoes held up pretty well as we climbed over rocks, around bushes, through spider webs.... and along the edges of cliffs. I was fine as long as I wasn't thinking too hard about what I was actually doing. After the two mile hike, we finally reached our oasis with a cascading 500 ft water fall in full view. I rested on the rocks while the rest of the group went swimming in the pool where the waters fell. I was in awe of the view and tried not to think about my exhaustion and how we had to hike back the two miles we had come.
   I don't remember a whole lot about the journey back except I learned that exhaustion in 90 degree heat can mess with your concentration. I realized this after I got spooked while crawling along a very narrow edge of a sheet of rock on which there was room for only me and nothing else. I didn't know how many feet the drop was below but I was aware that there was a drop and that I was going to die if I didn't make it across to the other side. I slowly inched my way across and maintained balance with supernatural strength. That same strength also carried me through when we finally reached the end of the hike the where the 600-foot stairs which were at one point descending now a long ascend awaited. I believed all my angels were real that day. Even the ones who wore Speedos. 
   
It was a quiet ride home in the car with Sam. He never called me again after that day.

  The scar on my chin faded away over the years. Today as I stared at the view below and remembered how proud I was to have my day that I got to follow Indiana Jones. I also remembered the archeologist from Raiders of the Lost Arc who stood at the entrance of the snake pit informing Jones that "We are way more comfortable up here." As terrified as I was that day, I was in awe of that view of the falls but was way more comfortable with that alone and did feel like I needed to be some kind of a hero where it had to be so strenuous.     
   About 20 miles or so back in the direction we came would take us to a place we had not yet ever gone. We turned down a nine mile country road which can at times seem very long when you are somewhere you've never been and the scenery is minimal. We turned when we saw the sign. As spontaneous as I was that day, Emma never once questioned my judgement and seemed oblivious to the fact that I did not know what I was doing some of the time. We pulled in to the parking lot of the welcome center where there was a small gift shop and visitor information. All Emma really wanted to do that day was to buy a sketchpad notebook at Walmart or something. We found one in the gift shop then checked in at the visitors desk to pay admission. We conversed with polite young men who were the attendants that day. They had asked us if we had ever visited or if we lived in the area. We told them that we were from out of town and that we did not have any actual plans for the day and that our visit was rather spontaneous. He replied by telling us that those are the best adventures you can have.
   We exited out the back door which led us to a short white gravel trail. We could hear the rushing waters off in the distance but we knew we were close. After just a short bend in the river, the falls were now visible to us. They fell 186 feet leaving a gentle mist as they hit the water below. Many others who were there took pictures on the large rocks around the waters edge, some walked leisurely about and explored their surroundings while some were there for hours just basking in the therapy of just gazing at the beauty. Without a hike.

Emma's Sketchpad put to good use.

Places Visited:

The Tallullah Gorge was formed by the Tallulah river which flows through the geological dome rock formation. It became a national state park which was initiated by Georgia governor Zell Miller and Georgia Power. It has been known to be a location for a tight rope act featuring Karl Wallenda and the waters within the gorge are raised a few times a year for kayaking and whitewater rafting. A permit is now required for hikers who wish to explore the floor of the gorge and regulations have since been established for proper hiking gear.

Toccoa Falls is located in Toccoa Georgia. Tragically, the falls were formed when a dam broke over the city on November 6th, 1977 killing 33 people. As sad as it may seem, the victims of this disaster would be proud that a beautiful memorial for them was formed in it's wake and continues to flow in their honor today. 
  




                                                              "Roundabout"-Yes, 1971

                                                      

Mission Trip 2016-The Launch

    The Launch

                                                                                                                                                                                    

I could not get there fast enough.
I only live a mile or so away from where the

meeting was. However, there are two very long
red lights and a very short green arrow for the left turn. Additionally they were serving dinner and I was hungry. I just missed the green arrow so I turned right instead and made a U turn in the hopes that the other light at the cross road was shorter. I think I may have accidentally cut someone off but I hoped not. As I waited at the red light, I could see the other line cars from were I was. The light had turned green and they all turned left as I sadly watched them. I've heard many stories about things going awry before and during mission trips even though this was a fail of my own doing.
     I enjoyed braised beef, roasted veggies and hummus in a large room filled with hundreds of other prospective missionaries. Some may have been there just wanting information while some had already gone and were returning. And then, some may have been like me who had never been but the decision had already been made regardless of funding, life circumstances or whether or not I got to eat braised beef....but still, I was hungry. 
     I arrived that night with positively no plans as I did not know yet what country I would be led to or what type of work I would do. I was very eager to know what was out there. After dinner we heard many stories to include a day in the life with a family in Kenya where the missionary would become a part of a Kenyan family. If it were a 3 mile walk to retrieve water, we go with them. If it takes 3 hours to see a doctor we wait with them. We were told that natives of Kenya are so grateful to be able to see a doctor, none of them complained about a 3 hour wait. Other projects included a medical team to Cambodia, building relationships in the Haitian communities, even providing pedicures to women in Jericho. After I went home it was time to make this very precious decision.
     On August 12th of 2015, I went back to work full time. Life has been very crazy but I knew that after being home and working independently part-time for 10 years and my youngest little daughter starting school, it was time. For months I spent hours on-line filling out applications, waiting for emails or phone calls and going to interviews. I even wasted a whole entire morning with a group of other hopeful applicants as efforts were made to recruit us into selling insurance.
As I knew I would be enrolling my baby into preschool soon, I had planned to make a call to the little school where her older sisters went. One morning while in prayer on the same spot where my knees have worn down the carpet, I thought about that little school. I made the phone call. After many mornings of being served and warmly greeted at the carpool line, it would now be my job. Mission trips require preparation, and this new job of mine would play a role in the work of introducing the English Language to children of Gori in the Republic of Georgia. (I have to say "The Republic of" since I live in Georgia. If I just tell someone "I'm going on a mission trip to Georgia" They will be confused and wondering why it's necessary for me to "go" anywhere.)
      My application has been sent, my first initial fees paid, the first meeting team is scheduled and I am guarding my passport with my life.
    
      My song begins. It's time to dance.


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