Part One: The Makings of the Seattle Adventure

As I prepare to compile my thoughts regarding my Seattle adventure, I thought I should let you know that I am sipping on a mug of Huckleberry Tea purchased at a super-cute tea/coffee shop located at Pike's Market in the heart of downtown Seattle.  The tea...it is wonderful!  And thankfully decaf.  Yesterday's run-in-with-caffeine late in the day is something that I don't care to repeat until my next visit to the great Northwest.  


Okay.  Where shall I begin?  


Oh, I know.  The beginning.


In November, I believe it was Veteran's Day, we met for coffee at Meg's Daily Grind.  Technically, we also met for oatmeal too.  :)  We shared wonderful, sweet fellowship -- laughing, crying, laughing some more.  Somewhere in the flow of words, Ginger mentioned turning 40 years old and how she figured they would be already in Seattle by her 40th and she wouldn't be able to have her dream 40th birthday party -- a sleepover complete with movies, snacks, nailpolish, etc.  


The following month, we again met for coffee - multiple times, I shall confess.  [Did you know that great things happen over coffee?  The world's problems have been known to be resolved.  People discover true love.  Coffee is magical.]  During one of our coffee-outings in December, she mentioned again about not being able to have a sleepover birthday party.  We both got choked-up because we realized the finality of what the following month would bring.  Goodbyes.  Distance.

Taken in January at E. State Street Starbucks

It was after this December coffee extravaganza that I began praying.  You see, I didn't want to selfishly invite myself out to Seattle.  Ging would be in the middle of home-schooling plus trying to learn a new area.  


At the same time that I was praying fervently (aka:  daily), I began reading through my Bible.  I didn't want to do one of those Read-through-the-Bible-in-a-year checklist.  I've failed at those miserably in the past...so I opened up my Bible to Genesis 1:1 and began in the beginning.  (Get it --> in the beginning as in Genesis 1:1, "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth..."  It was kinda cute, right?)  Anyway...


I believe I was in the midst of the escapades of the children of Israel and realizing some very important lessons about God's faithfulness in MY life when I received an email from Eric (Ginger's husband) asking me if I would like to come out and surprise Ginger for her birthday!  I remember sitting at my desk reading and re-reading his email and thanking the Lord...and then praying for the ability to keep this secret from my best friend.

Too be continued...