What a blessing it was to be able to share so much love in one weekend! We were able to have Ms. Jess (my brother's fiance) join us on a road trip to Annapolis to see Peter for dinner (Pizza Friday! ...PJ at the PJ Palace!) to celebrate his birthday. Lesley, Ty and Alex caravaned with us once we met up with them heading north on 95. We caught Gramma and Grampa who were still visiting Peter before they headed up to Michigan for some skiing. The next morning (okay, I think it was closer to noon!) we were able to see Anthony and meet Ms. Tanya (his girlfriend) who came down from New Jersey.
(They were happy to meet Alex, too!) We all went to Potbelly's for lunch (YUM!) and then went back to the hotel rooms to hang out until nap time for pretty much everybody...excpet Lesley and Ty who took Alex's nap on the road to Ikea for a scouting mission! We all enjoyed a family favorite of Lasagna together that I was able to bring up frozen from home (thanks "Cooking Lady" Liz!!) and then bake in the oven in our room...love Marriott's Residence Inns...before we all settled in for a long winter's nap. We woke up in the morning to a dusting of snow on the ground...sign of things to come over the rest of the day! Sunday (free) breakfast in the lobby all together and then not "Good Byes," but "See you soons..." as we gave lots of big hugs and kisses to last until we see Anthony again after his deployment to Afghanistan.
A note here about this trip...it was definitely an answer to lots of prayers...and not even in the way that we had hoped...Thankfully!!
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ~ Jeremiah 29:11
Over the last nine months or so, Lesley's prayer had been that Alex would come early (at least 5 days) so that Anthony could meet him while he was home from Alaska over Christmas. As she (we all) saw it, this would be the only chance for Anthony to meet his nephew before he was 1 since Anthony was going to be deploying in February to Afghanistan for about a year. Well, Alex didn't get the memo and God didn't answer that prayer...the way that we had hoped...Thankfully!! Alexander Dominic arrived on January 24th, 13 days after Anthony left and 8 days past his due date in a labor that spanned 3 calendar days!
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. ~ Isaiah 55:8-9
At some point in those 13 days, Anthony found out that he was getting picked up for a class that he had been hoping to go to basically since he got up to Alaska about 18 months ago! The same day that his unit was going overseas, Anthony was coming to Washington DC for 5 weeks! Granted, the class was very rigorous (7am-11pm almost every day!) and wasn't going to leave room for a lot of social time, but I was confident that some way in those 5 weeks, we would all be able to see him and he would get a chance to meet his nephew before he started walking! I had the overwhelming feeling that this was an answer to the prayers of many months...in God's timing...in His way. We never thought of praying to change Anthony's schedule...just Alex's...!
"For nothing is impossible with God." ~ Luke 1:37
Well, as you now know...we were all able to see Anthony this past weekend. He has finished 3 of the 5 weeks, and had pulled some 18-20 hour days in order to get the time with us that he did. He'll be headed up to Alaska in another week and a half, and then sometime soon off to Afghanistan to meet up with his unit. Was this all just a coincidence?? I think not...
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
I am given yet again more reasons to "praise the Lord all my life." ~ Psalm 146:2
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