Monday June 7, 2010

Our last day in Vancouver began at 8 AM with our usual breakfast and lunch making, our devotional at 9 AM, and followed by lots and lots of packing. Jeanne arrived around 10:30 AM bringing a bathroom scale to weigh our luggage (which had to be under 50 lbs) and her camera to take one last group photo. After the taking of the picture, I went back to packing, ate my lunch, more packing, and then a bit of cleaning.
At 4 PM our group, except for Elyse who was staying a week longer because she came a week later than the rest of us, headed toward the main gate of PLBC with all our luggage. The bus arrived around 4:14 and after checking our passports with the driver, we headed toward the United States border.
We were soon through the border and began our trip to Seattle/Tacoma International Airport and arrived around 9 PM. Our flight wasn’t scheduled to leave until 11:55 PM and it was a good thing because it took forever to check in due to scores of military men and women checking in to the same airline.
After checking in, receiving tickets both to Chicago and St. Louis, and going through security, we set our carry-ons at Gate 9 and began to look for something to eat. Brett, Laura, Christina, Marisol, and I spent our last few hours eating with Liesl before she boarded a different flight headed for Kansas, her home state.
We headed back to our gate and waited to board at around 11:25 PM. However, we didn’t actually begin boarding until 11:55 PM when our flight was scheduled to leave. They allowed the military personnel to board first and as they did, we all began clapping. A sense of pride for our country welled up inside me as we showed them the respect they deserve for all they have done.
Callie and I managed to orchestrate us sitting by each other on the flight home. As I sat next to her on the plane, we both had awful feelings arise in our stomachs. I have flown several times and never have I ever felt as I did at that time. Extremely nervous and ready to rush off the plane. Callie and I began praying and continued to do so as we finally took off at 12:20 AM and continued to do so for a while into the flight until finally we both fell asleep.
I later found out that Kyle, who was sitting several rows ahead of us, had felt the same way. He sent a text to his mom telling her to pray for our flight. She awoke to his text (at 2 AM Central Standard Time) and began praying. It was crazy and definitely in God’s hands.