July has come and gone. It is my favourite month out of the year, for many reasons, and although I am sad it is over, I do find joy in the memories I have of this past July. My husband, Ray, and I set out on a plane to New York on the 12th. As far as flights are concerned, it went smoothly and without delay or too much turbulance. The sun perpetually shone, allowing some good cheer to enter my heart, rather than it simply being occupied by my seemingly unceasing worries. Flying, as you may have read prior, makes me quite nervous. I know I am not alone in this. So, the fact that things went well, helped my nerves somewhat. Knowing God was by my side, helped even more so.
As the plane rolled up to the airport, it was a much different experience than at Christmas. There was still a noticable difference in the cool air, compared to the tropical climate of Florida, but it was not just that. This time the sun was pouring through the windows but my family was not waiting for us at baggage claim. They were to meet us outside…And outside is where we stood for a good half hour. Alright, so things seemed to be off to a slow start.
Do not despair! They did eventually get through traffic. Ahh, family. I missed them! We would only be in New York a shorttime before continuing on to Canada with my parents and brother, so Ray and I set out to do some of the things we remembered enjoying while living in NY. Unfortunately, we were several miles from our little Paseo, parked snuggly in a field with several other temporarily abandoned vehicles. Thus, we were at the mercy of my parents driving us to and fro. Fortunately, my little brother had to be in town for a meeting with his fellow Navy recruits. We all agreed to go to the mall while he was occupied. Yes, the mall. Silly, I know, but it is where Ray and I used to go on many of our dates, for lack of wheels in the past and minimal funds. This plan fell through fast. Due to a water main break, much of the mall’s stores were closed. Hoping it was not a sign of how things would go that week and disappointed, Ray and I met back with my parents and we left the mall.
I am pleased to report, our entire visit , as a whole, was great. The next day Ray’s dad held a big BBQ at his place and we got to see friends we had not seen in quite awhile and meet some new ones as well. The several hour drives to and from Ontario in a mini van full of people, a fairly large dog and a restless cat were nauseating, but I survived. My uncle was happy to take us in for the week and we enjoyed his company as well. It was my dad’s and brother’s first time in Canada in over three years, so they experienced some of the culture shock and such that my mom and I experienced at Christmas. We visited all the grandparents, saw some more sites. Ray finally got to try Harvey’s poutine and I turned 21.
Time went by at a decent pace. It wasn’t too fast and it wasn’t too slow either. However, when it came time to say good-bye, I couldn’t hold back the tears. They just streamed on down my face, as I sat there in an airport restaurant, waiting with my family for Ray to grab a bite to eat. My nerves were winding up again, so my body was shaking from head to toe. After we made it through security, I gave one last glance over my shoulder and blew a kiss to my family. From there on I could not bear to think about them, or else the tears started to swell.
It was quite a let down to arrive home from NY. All the build up and fan fare of our arrival had been deflated. It was done. No one was eagerly waiting for us to come down the escalator on the other end. There was no one to help us carry our luggage. Instead, there was an overwhelming swarm of people to greet us, and a three dollar rented cart to transport our baggage. It took us too long to get out of the airport, between waiting for our checked baggage and then the shuttle to take us to our car. Our plane landed around 5PM. It was eight something when we got in and I was able to call my parents, who were understandably starting to worry.
Just as July is over, so is that trip and I miss my family immensely. I will cherish the memories though. I certainly have enough pictures chronicling each day to look through as well. August holds its own opportunities for merriment. Ray and I will be married two years this month. Besides, each day is a day that the Lord has made and holds a world of opportunity and the access to the same joy that is available to me every other day. I just gotta tap into it! Hope you too are having a smile-worthy summer 🙂
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