I worked on, and thought alot, about our itinerary yesterday and finally printed out what I had down so that I could show hubby and discuss with him. You know I have to have his 'buy-in' or ... well, let's leave it there. I handed him a copy and emphasized that it was for his review and comments. Nothing was set in stone.
I had opted out of getting a rental car because for most of the time I will be with my little sister and she will be transporting me around to our older sister and my younger brother visits. Hubby would be with his brother for those times (except for dinner one night with my younger brother). While I'm with my sister, hubby will be with his brother and can be transported anywhere. Besides, hubby doesn't need to be driving. AND a rental for the 13 days we will be away is nearly $1K. Yes, you heard that right. Even at the special rate of $56/day that I can get, it is still too much and for the majority of that time, it isn't needed. I finally decided that perhaps a rental from Thursday to Monday, when we leave, would be ok although one day it would probably sit in a driveway. We will have traveling from the center of the city to the south side from one relative to another, and I really don't like putting that responsibility on anyone. But hubby decided to veto that idea. I figure we can wait until we are there and make that decision then. I know my brother will let me have the Scion - "my car" convertible for as long as I want to use it - but I don't plan to see him until the 2nd weekend. AND I would be the only one allowed to drive it. Sounds like a perfect plan for me, but I know hubby will not like it at all. He didn't the last time we were given the car to use.
Hubby was also concerned about the 4-5 days I had him at his brother's without me. I think that is more his concern - I wouldn't be with him. But I reminded him that I have another sister I need to visit (that he has no desire to see) and another brother and a step brother I'd like to also connect with, even for a short visit. He can join us for dinner with the brother. He asked if I had checked with the sister-in-law about him staying there and I told him yes - he was sitting right next to me when I called and we talked about the schedule and that I wanted the two brothers to spend as much time together as possible. We have no idea when we will be going back again for a visit... hubby is 84 and the brother in law is 74. He didn't like it that I wouldn't be there, but finally said ok. I'll be joining him on that Thursday evening of the week. I know my sister is ok with whatever I come up with, but I do need to check with the older brother yet about staying a couple nights with him. I'm pretty confident he will say yes as he and I have talked frequently about it. I could have chatted with him about it last night because we did text back and forth, but hubby had one of his 'discussions' with me at the dinner table and I just didn't want to talk to anyone. I will send my brother an email this morning with my request so that he can discuss with his wife. I think hubby finally agreed with the scheduling. We wouldn't be staying that long normally (13 days!) but I want to spend a weekend with this brother as he and I are so close. I love each of my family, but some I have a special bond with, moreso than the others.
And if need be, and the family can't handle us that long, there are always hotels - which is a consideration for a couple nights as well so that we can have our space without being dependent upon anyone. I'm sure a lot of things will change before we actually leave town in September.
My son washing his car the other day has definitely done the trick to get us rain. It has been thundering all night - I don't know if we actually got rain here, but saw on the news last night of other areas nearby that were getting hit. Sheeba doesn't like the thunder.... she hid in my shower again for awhile last night. The thunder is going pretty good this morning so I'm sure she isn't happy in her crate either.
My ant bites look horrible. I googled what I could do to stop the itching and it said to use hydrocortisone cream - which we had. It did help with the itching and I was able to sleep most of the night. (That and I had asked God to stop the itching so that I could sleep - He answered.) I was awake from about 1AM on because hubby kept tossing and turning with his sore arthritic shoulder and it keeps me awake. (I neglected to ask God to keep hubby still) This is a nightly thing but he refuses to let me sleep in the other room so that I can get rest. The itching has already started this morning and I will be putting cream on the spots pretty quick now. They are dime size with a hard dot in the middle. Google said don't pop the blister, but I did on a couple because they itched so bad I scratched them open. My ankle seems to itch the most and appears swollen. It's really odd - I have one bite on my right foot, and the remaining 9 or so bites are all on my left leg from the knee down. I'm still 'assuming' these are all ant bites since that is what I was covered with. The HOA is to come out and spray that area soon - hubby sent them a 'note'.
I started the book of Luke in my Bible this morning. I've been reading a few chapters each morning, recently started back with the book of Matthew again and am now starting Luke, and making sure I also read the notes at the bottom. Sometimes it really clarifies what is being said in the scriptures. In Chapter 1 alone it clarifies how Zacharias questioned Gabriel when he was given his message (and he became mute until John was born!) and how Mary humbly accepted what Gabriel was telling her.
If you had an angel appear to you and tell you he was from God, and he had a message for you - how would you react? I honestly don't know for myself. I hope that I would be so confident in my God that I would not even question the message, but just believe. And I think I would be. But I don't know. I know that God has spoken to me at different times, and I know it was Him, but if an angel appeared, I don't know! Would I be like Zacharias and question - or like Mary and humbly accept what is told? What would you do? Would you believe?
No one is too far gone from the grace of God. Not me, not you. All we have to do is believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that He died and rose again on the third day. That He took all our sins and they were nailed to the cross with His body. He gave life up, bearing all our guilt and shame, so that we will have a chance to live. I choose to believe. Do you?
Have a great Friday!
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