Constant Vigilance

Hey friends!  Thank you to anyone who has sincerely prayed for Mom and/or our family lately.  It has been an INTENSE week with a lot of major highs and lows.  The responsibility I feel as Mom's main caregiver is heavy, and I was reminded at LifeGroup this morning that God is with me, leading me beside still waters and restoring my soul.  In the effort to take better care of myself, I took a walk outside tonight, took multiple friends up on offers to help, and I am finally slowing down for a minute to update here with part two of our six-night OU Hospital stay!

After football practice Monday night (around 8:30), Rachael brought Kyndal, Jace, and TJ for a visit!  Mom was super tired and irritated that she was struggling to hold her eyes open, but still very glad to see them!!

Mother/daughter pic

Rachael popping Jace's back

Glove balloons + Kyndal judging them! lol

Jaceman reminding me not to take pics! lol

One of my main thoughts throughout our hospital stay was the incredible difference it makes to have nurses who care enough to be kind, compassionate, and empathetic!!  We had a few whose apathy and indifference were palpable - I could tell they were annoyed by any question I asked and by the mere fact that I was there with Mom and in their way (smallest hospital room I've ever seen).  Then we had a few who remembered my name, got to know our family, and went so above and beyond with kindness.  Little things MATTER, especially after a big and traumatic event like this.  We are all feeling some stress and overwhelm and dealing with it in different ways, but basic kindness truly goes a long way!!

Questions I wrote out for Hilary, Mom's PA... she talked about them with Mom and was also kind enough to call me that afternoon to discuss all of this, which was greatly appreciated!

I went to work Monday, Tuesday, and Friday this week.  I had a Zoom meeting with Dr. Burkhart set for Wednesday afternoon, and he sent a message needing to reschedule it (rare).  That intensified my strong feeling that I needed to be at the hospital that day, so I called Andrea that morning to have someone else cover for me at work.  She was incredibly supportive and kind and said I should've let them know earlier - very thankful for that - the main reason I didn't was having just taken off for Alaska recently.  Anyway, Mom got pretty sick that morning and needed to get up and down quickly several times, and it was a very good day for me to be there to help her out... that afternoon, she had her second wound-vac dressing change.  Excruciatingly painful, and she describes it as torture - I've been searching hard for better pain management options and mostly coming up short - it's a deep and large open wound, and they have to change the sponge covering it and the tape surrounding it twice a week for up to two months - it was brutal to watch, and I'm sure much worse to experience, and it is surprising and absurd and unfair to me that we are able to numb a tooth for a dental procedure, yet no one can manage to deaden her knee when several raw nerves are exposed - it's rough and honestly our main source of stress right now, so any pain management ideas and Spirit-led prayers are appreciated).

A rare makeup-free pic of Mom and I on what we thought was our last night in the hospital on Tuesday - we said lots of prayers together throughout the week, and I took this pic after one of them!

Even with Mom getting sick that morning (so nervous anticipating the pain that she was nauseous and threw up) - then having her wound dressing changed, they were still planning to discharge her Wednesday afternoon.  She and I walked around the hallway a couple times and she was generally doing well.  All week, she's been complaining of pain in her right shoulder (exacerbated when she uses the walker), and they finally ran X-rays about 30 minutes before we were set to leave.  I had literally packed up everything in our little hospital room (not a small amount of stuff after five nights).  Then the X-rays showed a shoulder dislocation, so they told us we would definitely be there at least one more night.  They came back in later and ran another X-ray, then a third set after that - I was very concerned by the multiple returns for more X-rays.  That all happened before 6:07 PM, and we didn't hear anything official about it until 10:15AM the next day... not okay.  The lack of clear communication and/or a clear person in charge of Mom's case was definitely a recurring frustration.  Gracious, if the Trauma Team and the Wound Care Team and the Ortho Team and the PT Team and the Occupational Therapy Team and the General Surgery Team, etc. could all please coordinate, it would've made our lives much easier!  I had to be much more assertive than usual in my advocating for Mom throughout the week, and between that and the hypervigilant state I go into in situations like this, I am fairly wrung out and exhausted on all levels.  At the same time, praying more regularly and reminding myself to lean into the daily grace of God that is enough day by day.

This = one of our nightly Facetime calls with the Miss K, always a source of joy!  She's been feeling the constant vigilance thing too lately, extra-concerned for Mamaw since seeing her bleeding and carried away via ambulance at the crash scene, and she told us on Wednesday night (8-12) that her birthday wish was for Mom to come home the next day!

We had a dramatic and relatively sleepless night where I found myself thankful that we were there surrounded by medical professionals.  When they asked about her pain level, Mom complained of minor chest pains.  She had a good and thorough nurse that took that very seriously.  So from 2:00-3:30AM, a team of nurses and doctors came in to run an EKG and take X-rays (I always had to leave the room during X-rays, and I got very familiar with the route to the 7th floor vending machines).  They finally confirmed that everything checked out normally, which we were very grateful to hear!  Anyway, around 10AM the next morning, Emily (the new PA) and Dr. Wood let us know that what they initially read as a dislocation was actually a pseudodislocation on her right shoulder - not a thing I knew existed, but it makes the shoulder look dislocated on the X-ray due to major swelling or blood accumulation caused by a traumatic event.  It still causes a tremendous amount of pain, but should heal on its own in a couple weeks without medical interference (thanks to ChatGPT for educating me on any number of things the medical staff failed to communicate clearly about through the week).  Because it was a pseudodislocation, no further procedures were needed, and we were cleared for discharge.  I asked for a consult with their Acute Pain Management team (after ChatGPT suggested their help with the wound care)... so at 10:30AM, they told us someone would come by soon to discuss that with us, and then we would be discharged.

Bill and Jill came by to see us after having lunch at Hideaway downtown.  And by 2PM, we were still waiting on the pain management or any news about discharge.  Emily came in and changed their bigger wound vac out for an at-home wound vac rental.  The tubing did not match, and there was a minor threat of them having to change the entire dressing again.  Hiiiigh alert as they changed all of that out, but they were able to completely replace the tubing without losing suction on the wound vac - thank God!!  The wound care team came to change the dressing on her two arm wounds - one of which was reopened because the nurse before used the wrong type of gauze - it bled quite a bit and made me wonder if I'd jinxed us yet again by packing up before we had official discharge papers.  Mom's nurse finally removed the IV in the back of her hand that had been bothering her all week - hallelujah!

Then, much to the Mini Miss K's delight, we were finally cleared to go home!!

Alas, the drama wasn't quite over.  I had rushed to the hospital on Tuesday night planning to go in to work on Wednesday.  Mom got sick, I called in for coverage, then we had to stay another night because of the misread X-rays, and Andrea told me not to worry about logging in for work on Thursday.  No shower or change of clothes, and no one ever changed the hospital bedding (Mom and I switched back and forth between the recliner chair and hospital bed).  Anyway, I felt gross and in need of a shower.  After parking in the P1 parking garage multiple times throughout the week, for the life of me, I could not remember where I'd parked, and it took me literally 15-20 minutes to find my car... while Mom was sitting in a wheelchair with a slightly moronic new employee who kept her out in the 100+ degree heat instead of watching for me from inside.  No other family members or friends were with us, and the hospital staff couldn't find a cart to help us out with transport (seriously!?), so I had several bags, my purse and backpack, Mom's crystal light, both of our phones, etc.  I was already worried about how Mom would do on the car ride and physically getting into the car and being moved in a wheelchair.  I had padding and a vomit bag and as much as I could think of ready for her, but I could NOT find my car.  It was a far walk with heavy stuff - I had no way to reach them, and I was stressed to the absolute max in that moment.  Should've used the panic button sooner.  Finally found the car, picked Mom up, helped each other freaking calm down, then returned a few calls and texts from people wondering whether we were coming home.

**That all should've been a really happy moment where we felt supported rather than rushed and flustered, and a little extra care from the hospital staff would have gone a very long way that day. At minimum, they might consider adding a Discharge Team to their absurdly long list of discoordinated teams there.**

So many little things like that throughout the week.  There was a moment during the 7PM shift change where a pretty large group of nurses were all gathered in the hallway chatting.  I came out to run upstairs and grab a water bottle from the vending machine.  Jason (one of our favorite early nurses - not assigned to us that night, but had already seen us and checked in on why we were still there and very impressively remembered my name) - he stepped out of the crowd that was full-tilt ignoring me and said, "What do you need, girlfriend!?" then went into their staff room and grabbed two water bottles for me.  It took him about 7 seconds, but the kindness and just feeling seen and cared for mattered in that moment!  Some of the nurses and nurse techs talked about me being a great caretaker for Mom and how important it is to have someone who cares about you that much; others treated me like a nuisance and put in very minimal effort in caring for Mom.  I know burnout is real, so speaking grace over all of it.  I also know most people in hospitals are hyper-alert, and they're feeling it all for better or worse.

Details matter.  Kindness matters.

And remembering where you park matters! ;-)

Well, my quiet moment for blogging was interrupted about 5x for various little things that are far more important than blogging (I'm staying at Mom and Dad's to help out for a while, doing my best to lean into Jesus and calm the hypervigilance whilst continuing to provide excellent care).  It's been a journey, and I will share more on being back home tomorrow!

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Wreck & Recovery Weekend Recap

In this particular case, let's start from today and then move back to the beginning.

This = Mom this morning at precisely 7:07AM (happy coincidence/God nod) just before I left the hospital to come home for work (my first remote-court workday since 7-23, thanks to the cruise and desk week!  God worked it out to be a shorter day than I'd expected, and no protest hearings for this week, which is AMAZINGLY good news for me with all that's happening outside of work!)  Okay, back to the pic - Mom's tray is all set up for her biscuits and gravy breakfast (ordered and on the way at the time), complete with her crystal light, cell phone, water, Carmex, Kleenex, and nurse call button in easy grabbing distance!!  I wanted her to be set up for success when I had to leave. ❤

Mmkay, back to the beginning.  On Friday afternoon, Kyndal Faith had her first CHA volleyball scrimmage at CCS in Norman... Heidi, who was in the CHA class of 2003 between me and Rach, is her coach for this year - fun!

Her 7th grade team has several great players, and the Mini Miss Kyndal Faith had 3 great hits in a row - she was thrilled, and we were all very proud and happy for her!!

CCS Lions - love this verse, and seeing this outside their gym made me happy.

UPDATE - (I was never at the scene, and everyone who was remembers things a little differently, but Dad got the official police report today, so I’ve updated the details here.). It was pouring rain as we left the gym, but it calmed down a bit by the time of the accident.  Mom was headed home on Douglas, going north.  There's typically a southbound traffic jam for people leaving work at Tinker Air Force Base on Douglas at that hour.  It was a bit of a blur to Mom (understandably), but a man driving a black SUV took his eyes off the road, then hit his brakes hard when he realized the car ahead of him was stopped.  The rainy weather and abrupt braking caused him to hydroplane and cut across traffic into the driver’s side doors of Mom’s car - they both ended up in the tall grass off the side of the road.

Ironically, this was her second high-impact crash in a Lexus SUV that resulted in a major cut to her knee (she evened things out, as it cut the left knee this time and the right in 2011).  She was alone in the car (just her and Jesus and the angels protecting her), but every airbag in the car deployed - front to back, driver and passenger side!!  Between the crash adrenaline and breaking one rib, she was struggling for breath in the beginning, and the airbag smoke and smell made her panic thinking the car might be on fire.  (I was heading to my house and never made it to the actual crash scene - just straight to the hospital.)  The LexusConnect SOS thing detected the airbags, and a woman came on over the speaker asking Mom if she was okay and helping keep her calm.  They alerted Rachael and dispatched the police and paramedics to the scene - thankful for all of that!  Also thankful that Rachael (driving Jace and Kyndal home) was just a few miles behind Mom and able to get to the scene pretty quickly - (Kyndal encouraged her to answer a call from an unknown number, and that was Lexus with Mom calling to say she'd been in the wreck)!  I'm glad they were there and able to get some details and photos we wouldn't otherwise have.

Rach, reaching in to comfort her when they arrived:  "Mom, I'm here!"

Mom:  "Where's Jace and Kyndal!?" lolol

Kyndal called Dad and Triston whilst Jaceman called me and Bill and Jill.  Reminiscent of 2011, the Lemieuxs arrived very quickly, and we were grateful to see them whilst we all waited as they ran x-rays and scans before we could see Mom!  They told us that no one under 18 could enter the Trauma Ward, so Rach decided to take J&K home.  (Side note: The kind nurse who walked me and Jill back said that's the rule because of the various high-level catastrophes and graphic things people might see walking through that area - which indeed was the case a little later - which made that rule make far more sense to me than any concerns over their behavior in Mom's room at their current ages!)

Mom was shivering and struggling to get warm (the fun combo of low blood pressure and shock), but otherwise in good spirits while talking with me and Jill.  ❤

At the scene, Mom walked from her car to the ambulance.  Rach thought it was a cut on her leg that would require some stiches and she might go home that night.  When Jill and I got back after the scans, they informed us that she had a small fracture on her neck/spine (C7 transverse process), along with one broken rib and a complex laceration on her leg that would require surgical debridement (very similar to her 2011 situation).  

Triston arrived just after Rach left, and he came back and talked with Mom and I for a bit.  Dad had been on a Dallas trip with his siblings that day, but he still made it to the hospital before nightfall and was there for a while in the ER with me and Mom.  Tman and Bill and Jill left soon after Dad arrived, then Dad went home when he learned I was planning to stay the night there - not sure if planning is even the right word - it was just never a question in my mind.  They gave Mom a blood transfusion before heading back for surgery because her BP had dropped to 76/47 - she immediately looked and felt so much better with that.  It was definitely a memorable ER experience.  They were very focused on the massive cut on her leg, but there was also an unbandaged cut on her hand that was actively bleeding.  Between holding her bleeding hand and helping move blankets around for her (the leg was bleeding through everything just then) - I had to wash blood off my hands at least 8x.  A kind nurse walked us back to the holding area, then we FaceTimed Rach and J&K for a bit just before Mom went back for the debridement surgery!

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They took my phone number down and showed me to the waiting room.  It had been a chaotic night, and it didn't occur to me to ask (or to them to mention) how long the surgery would take.  I assumed 30-45 minutes and that I'd see her within the next couple hours.

Wrong.

I was in the eerily empty waiting room by myself from 10:30-1:05am.  I called their front desk twice because no one had even given me an update and I had no way to reach anyone.  Of course, all they could tell me was she was "in the OR."  On my way back from the bathroom, I saw the Consultation Room off to the side where they take families receiving catastrophic news, and my mind was definitely playing out some worst-case scenarios.  I called Rach because I knew they were still up, and we kept each other company for a bit.  Finally, someone called to tell me Mom was in ICU recovery and would be on her way to a regular room soon - thank God!  It took a while because her cut was bigger and had more dead skin to remove than they'd expected, and her doctor had ordered an ortho consult to check for any major knee injuries (very thankful to hear that was clear).

Very thankful for God's protection here and the airbags that saved Mom's life!!  Having said that, Mom has thin skin and the airbags come out hard - it's not a great combo!  The wounds on her arm and leg and the cut on her hand are all airbag injuries... kinda crazy!

She's at OU Medical Center this time.  I'm running on low sleep after three overnight hospital stays, and I'm grateful for a short court morning where I had a chance to blog before our afternoon hearing (then I'll be headed back to Mom's room).  I saw an actual live red roach in the hospital's Sooner Cafe downstairs last night, and I believe my dramatic reaction was warranted!  (Not okay at a hospital, ever.)  Mom is in the smallest hospital room we've ever stayed in, but we're making it work.  In spite of those minor drawbacks and a couple of minor issues, I've been VERY grateful for God's timing and that I'm here and able to be with her a lot, and Mom has been in exceptionally good spirits, in spite of low-key hating the neck collar. lol  (**They said if she wears that C-collar for 4-6 weeks, the C7 fracture should heal on its own and not require surgery, which was really  fantastic news).  The OU Health Center Nursing staff has been phenomenal - truly remarkable and fantastic!  We had the same night-shift nurse 3 nights in a row, Onyi - top notch - we're very thankful for her above-and-beyond patient-centered care!!  Pic = Onyi and Jason (her day shift nurse who was also great and fun!)

I won't post the graphic photos of the initial cut here - you can tell by the bottom of this one that the knee injury is LARGE - currently covered and draining with an attached wound-vac.

Bill and Jill and Triston all came again on Saturday, along with JoBug.  We had a surprise visit from the Wallace fam yesterday morning - (Mom and I have loved the no-bake cookies from Debbie)!

Me grabbing a hallway pic with Dad and the Parrishes before they left yesterday afternoon!

This out of nowhere moment was comic relief:

The fam all going back and forth rehashing the details of Mom's car wreck...

Kyndal Faith (sitting in the corner by the mirror):  "Bro, I low-key just noticed how long my hair has gotten!!" lolol  I adore her.

Me gallivanting through the hospital during a long-awaited FaceTime call to catch up with Chet and Sarah last night!  Miss Paige Evelyn was also there! lol

And here's Mom last night using Kyndal Faith's electric blanket to stay warm -- the redhead temperature sensitivity thing is *real!* 

We had a couple fun long FaceTime calls with the Miss K, who is very concerned for Mamaw!  

All things considered, Mom is doing as well as could possibly be expected, and they're saying she may get to go home tomorrow (prayers appreciated for a smooth transition and continued recovery - it'll be a long road ahead, but the at-home setup would obviously be highly preferable!

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Thankful Thursday #240

"LORD, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future... I have set the LORD continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my spirit rejoices; my body also rests securely."
~Psalm 16:5-9

Today, I am thanking God for...

1. Dad's life and kindness and generosity, and getting to celebrate his 73rd birthday with all the fam and Bill & Jill on Monday!!  ❤

2.  Bday cake - yellow cake with chocolate icing is a very solid combo! =)

3. Megan, whose study of Psalm 16 inspired me to focus on that chapter - comforting and encouraging!

4. This sweet moment watching a Dad and his sons skip rocks on the water (the playful joy in hanging out with their dad and finding the perfect rocks to throw caught my attention, even as we were next to a powerful waterfall, the Mendenhall Glacier, and the Coast Mountains - the little things in life can be just as beautiful). ❤ 

5. Judge Brockman, and my time working with him in Cleveland County - at the end of July, he stepped down as Special Judge to work as an attorney, and they are celebrating him here!!  (Pictured Judges = Ortega, McGuire, Conyers, Stanley, Childers, Brockman, Puckett, Hales, Virgin, and Tupper -- thankful for my time getting to know and work with all of them in Cleveland County!)

6.  Beth Moore's inspiring life and heart for Jesus, and God opening the doors for me to join her in Alaska on Living Proof's farewell cruise - a gift where God showed up from start to finish!!

7.  Annie F. releasing a new book soon - (the last book she will write as a single woman in her early 40s) - excited with and for her, and excited to read this one!!

I had a wonderful late lunch at Panera catching up with Natalie today - grateful to see how God is working in her life and strengthening her confidence!  I went for my second "threshold test" run tonight (going as hard as possible for 25-30 minutes in this crazy summer heat) - rough times, but I'm grateful my speed is improving! =)  Also VERY thankful that God scheduled "desk week" to ease my return and readjustment to work.  I'm staying pretty busy with transcripts lately, but the ability to sleep in and work from home is a major perk, for which I am grateful!  

Hope you're having a delightful week, and hope this inspires you to consider your own list of at least 7 things you're thanking God for today!!

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"The LORD remembered her..."

Please enjoy this slideshow with a few of my videos from the incredible whale watch excursion at Icy Strait Point!

Yes, I used MJ's song from Free Willy... and yes, I played that (along with several other songs) during the actual experience. lol  Love it!!

We were parked out there for over an hour, and they put a hydrophone into the water to amplify the whale sounds - it really was a rare, awe-inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime kind of experience all around for most everyone on board to see and hear these massive, powerful whales so close to us in the immense wild ocean - some of them swimming up a little too close for comfort. lol

It was the most sacred part of a God-centered week for me - an answer to prayer and an undeniably holy and meaningful moment with God that I want to be careful to honor as time moves forward.  I am grateful that there is "fullness of joy in His presence," that He sees my heart and cares enough to "make known to me the path of life."  (-Psalm 16)  The race marked out for me feels a bit daunting, but I also feel renewed faith and hope, and I am choosing to trust Him deeply as I take the next steps forward in becoming Dr. Lindsey Muecke.

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...After seeing the orcas, I thought quietly to myself "the only thing that might've made that better is if there were seven of them."  (I was incredibly grateful and reeling with the meaning of it all, but I'm a numbers girl, and that fleeting thought crossed my mind after we saw five of them.)  While resting in my room two days later, lazily looking out the balcony window, I unmistakably saw two orcas jumping in the distant north Pacific Ocean!  It was awesome, and once again, it felt personal - like divinely-ordained timing.  *Again, not about the whales themselves, but about God knowing my heart and caring enough to come through in big and small ways -- He is kind and playful, and He is powerful and personally invested, and I needed those reminders on this trip!  (I'm writing about this because I cannot verbalize it well yet, and most people aren't interested in this level of detail anyway.)

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John Eldredge writes about how God shows up through creation in ways that are both epic and intimate.  I felt both of those on this trip.  The ocean views were vast and powerful, a bit overwhelming, but calming and centering at the same time.  I thought several times about the disciples saying, "Even the winds and waves obey Him."  The mountains and glaciers were breathtaking, and waterfalls are among my favorite things in all of God's creation.  Seeing the otters, sea lions, eagles, orcas, and humpback whales in their natural environments was amazing.  Then there was the intimacy in the colorful detail and stunning variety of the gardens on my first and last shore excursion - I adore yellow roses, and this is one of my favorite pictures (taken after nightfall in Butchart Gardens) - the level of precision and layered detail in a single flower speaks something very comforting to me about God's heart and how He values small things and makes them uniquely beautiful. ❤

A verse that rings true and feels extra-significant to me right now:

In spite of the lovely photos, my first two days on the ship were a bit rough and lonely - day two was a full day "at sea" with no planned excursions... I knew no one but Sarah, and I didn't have her number yet - I didn't understand where to go for dinner, so I was on my own for every meal...  no social media apps and no reception to make phone calls mid-ocean... I felt tired and more isolated than I had expected... and I was a bit disappointed to learn that Beth was teaching on Leviticus (historically one of my least favorite books - but obviously, God led her there for good reason).  I reluctantly forced myself to turn off the movie and tune into Scripture - I grabbed my blanket and sat on my balcony and journaled and prayed - praying with some level of desperation through the discouragement for real connection with God and with others on the ship, for clarity about what is next for me, that my week on the ship would not be wasted time, far more importantly - that my life on earth would not be wasted, for a fruitful life and a story with greater Kingdom impact.  ...And God heard me and took notice.

Looking back tonight, it feels really encouraging to see the first thing I wrote down from our first session on 7-25-26.  Ironically, I had forgotten about this...

My paraphrase from Beth's first teaching on Leviticus:  

When Scripture says "the LORD remembered" someone, it may be a distressing thought to us that He would ever have forgotten them in the first place... but that's not what it means in the Hebrew context.  When we see "the LORD remembered," it means the LORD responded or acted on their behalf.  God always hears us, so this is not God recalling someone He forgot or lost sight of; this is Him being moved to respond with "decisive, compassionate action" to fulfill His promises.

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*I'm aware that it often meant physical pregnancy when God "remembered" women in the Bible (Hannah, Sarah, etc.).  At the heart level, it was God opening doors and answering their prayers for a fruitful life, bringing more hope for their future, new life, and a renewed sense of connected purpose and legacy for these women He loved.  God is strengthening my faith to see what that pattern might look like in the context of my own story and personal walk with Him.  

"...Anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists, and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him."  ~Hebrews 11:6

I believe it!

316-7-828

The details are clear in my heart,
and I believe with humility, gratitude, and confident faith

that God "remembered me" this week.

❤

It was a quiet and compelling start to a long story with a profound and multifaceted ending - and God is always faithful to complete what He begins.  Right now, I feel gratitude and responsibility here - that I cannot waste the profound grace of God or let it be in vain (1 Cor. 15:10).  I believe His promise that we will find Him when we seek Him wholeheartedly, and I am determined to press into that more deeply from this day forward.  That means repeatedly choosing courage over comfort, trusting God enough to allow Him to cut away any entangling sins, harmful soul ties, and/or worldly comforts that would hold me back.  1000 times easier for any of us to say than to live out.  I do not want to get complacent and settle in the metaphorical wilderness; I want to push through the fierce opposition and take possession of God's promised reward for those who earnestly seek Him.  Even with increasing clarity, the journey of spiritual formation and the work of stepping into Christian leadership feels daunting.  It's as if I have a compass rather than a clear map of everything that lies ahead, so union with Jesus is and will remain vital!  I'm reminding myself that I am not in this alone, and God will guide and strengthen me as I continue to seek Him and abide in Christ.

*I didn't know this until yesterday, but this week is "desk week" at the OCC - one of three weeks each year that is set aside with no court hearings so that we can catch up on transcripts (and sleep). ;-)  Another well-timed gift, seriously!

On that note,  I took this screenshot as I absorbed this song on our way back from the whale watch excursion:
"You are the light and rest for my soul.
You're God, and I will be still and know."

Song of the Week = Be Still and Know by CeCe Winans

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Seattle Grace

And now, blog post #5 recapping my 7-day Alaska cruise, although the following pictures are all after leaving the ship! =)

We returned from our Canada shore excursion at 11:30 Friday and were expected to have our luggage tagged and in the hallway by midnight - yikes.  That night was an absurd comedy of errors.  After locking myself out of my stateroom for the first time all week (giving my neighbors their luggage tags which were mis-delivered to me) then traipsing down to Guest Services for a new room key in my pajamas (past the chaotic frenzy of the crew rapidly transporting everyone's luggage from all the hallways to the various elevators)..... then picking up one of my two key cards to go out in the hall and weigh my suitcase, quickly realizing they'd already removed the luggage scales, then finding out the hard way they'd turned off my old key card when they created the new one - UGH, what a treat - (I repeated the same PJ-clad journey across the ship to Guest Services on Deck 1)... after all that, I got my suitcase out there around 12:15 - they were kind enough to still take it.  I had to throw away my flip flops the next morning because my purse and backpack were crazy full and my carryon and suitcase were gone - whatever, those shoes had a good, long life. lol  In the end, the luggage thing was fairly pointless, as I picked it up right after getting off the boat the next morning, but whatever - you live, you learn!  I was relieved it was under the 50-lb weight limit when I got to the airport the next day (48.5 - yessss)!

Mmkay, so after that ridiculousness, I finished my movie to calm down, then got a tiny bit of sleep, put on a bit of makeup after realizing I'd packed most of it in my carry-on that was carted away after midnight, grabbed a final free breakfast on Deck 9, then got off the boat around 7:30 AM.  My real final "shore excursion" was a "Best of Seattle Highlights with Airport Transfer" - Mom and I were both very pleased when I learned about that offer mid-cruise!  (My original plan was dropping off my luggage at the hotel then taking multiple Ubers to see the Space Needle and Pike Place Market with the first Starbucks - literally the two places this tour was going, and being with a group from the cruise that carted me and my luggage to the airport afterward felt much safer.)

Our first stop was the Space Needle - I'm a big fan of Frasier, which features the Seattle skyline silhouette in its logo, so I felt nostalgic finally seeing this iconic gem!  We took the elevator to the very top floor where you can step outside and get a great view of the city...

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It was chilly outside, so after a quick trip around, I came back in and grabbed a fried apple pie - fun!

There was a child having an intense meltdown with parents trying-and-failing to calm his newfound fear of heights, so I promptly went down one level to enjoy my pie whilst also loving the revolving glass floor experience - so cool!  The number of people shying away from stepping onto that glass was entertaining to me.  There are plenty of things I won't try, but heights are really not a fear of mine - (the revolving motion would be far more likely to make me sick or be problematic, but between the scopolamine-patch and the bonine pills, I was pretty numb to that).

Speaking of Seattle shows, thanks to our driver for pointing out that this is the helipad used in Grey's Anatomy for the Seattle Grace/Mercy West/Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital. =)

There was a Chihuly glass exhibit next door (love his work!), but I couldn't risk being late for the bus, so I had to settle for these colorful glass vases in the gift shop!

I also grabbed this fantastic dusty pink hat and an expensive commemorative water bottle (the only water they were selling).

I don't believe I mentioned it here yet, but the first night of the cruise, I ordered the bottled water package - six 1-liter glass bottles that were stupidly hard to open, but I'm thankful I had them!  Not a drop of it was wasted!

View from below before stepping back on the tour bus!

Out of place in this post (although it does go nicely with my Grey's-inspired "Seattle Grace" title), but this = one of the verses Beth taught on that I included on her card.  It was one of my favorite verses in 2007/2008, and I still love it - I love most of Paul's letters!

Mmkay, back to Seattle.  Our next and final stop was Pike Place Market.  The driver gave us an hour and a half to explore and grab lunch, and that was perfection!  I got a couple pics of the original Starbucks - (crazy long line, so I didn't bother getting a drink there).

This delightful stand didn't have a line, so I very much enjoyed my grilled cheese lunch! lol

Followed by a delicious free sample of strawberry apple cider - this stand was kinda like H-Tea-O with various flavors of apple cider (Peach, Strawberry, Blueberry, etc.)  I love the red gingham - so cheery!

The lovely flower market - so delightful!!  This whole pedestrian market area was very cool and fun!

This made me think of Chettles in NYC, circa Christmas 2010!

I made a quick stop in "The Purple Store" - they only sell purple items, and it's both fascinating and a little bizarre. lol

Yay, Pike Place Market Center and Farmer's Market!

Loved the ocean view background here!  The major hills on these streets reminded me a bit of San Francisco - still very thankful I backed out of that marathon - yikes!

I grabbed a brownie at Three Girls Bakery (our tour guide recommended it, and it did not disappoint).  Took this pic from the bus thinking of Tulsa! =)

We also saw Lumen Field and T-Mobile Park, along with the original Amazon headquarters - all things I would've been oblivious to had I been with an Uber driver rather than a guided tour!

Side note:  I just learned today that Donald Miller and fam were also exploring Seattle on Saturday - I would've adored seeing them, but it's fun just to know we were at the Space Needle on the same day! ❤

After all of that, they dropped us off at the Seattle-Tacoma Airport around 1:30, then I made the short skybridge walk to my hotel across the street.  I was very pleased that they allowed me to check in early, and it was a fun God nod to get Room #828.  ("All things work together for good to those who love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.") =)

While checking in, I saw a DoorDash delivery drop-off... it had never occurred to me that they could deliver to hotels, but what a delightful thing to learn! lol  I showered, put on PJs, and spent the rest of the day in my cozy hotel room blogging + making a slideshow of my whale watch excursion + enjoying my Shake Shake dinner... yus, please!!!

A delightfully peaceful end to a unique and amazing trip!!

Asleep around 10:30, caught the 5:30AM shuttle to the airport, checked my luggage, then boarded my Alaska Airlines nonstop flight to OKC...

Mom picked me up and I was home by 3:30 (1:30 Seattle time - you lose two hours coming back).  She helped me unpack and get some laundry started, then I screen-mirrored my photos to the TV and gave her the detailed play-by-play trip recap (which I've now given most of here). lol

That's all for this ultra-detailed post.  Whale watch slideshow next!

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