Onward to the New

September 2.

The day after graduation, Fernando, Thomas, and I drove over to Thomas' apartment to finish packing up his stuff, do some last-minute cleaning, and get moving on to Thomas' destination.

After packing most everything, we met up with an old Navy buddy of Fernando's, and went out to eat, us two couples and Thomas.

Then it was back to the apartment, finish up, and take off.

 Goodbye, Orlando!

Typical scene as we drove north then west through the Florida panhandle.

Driving west along the Gulf through Louisiana.

Time to gas up and clean off the bugs.

Up and over the bridge, then more driving along the Gulf...

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey a week earlier, much of the low-lying areas looked like this...

More aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.

Finally, we drove into Texas!

There's a reason the houses down here are built on stilts.

Pumps were pushing out the floodwaters from the oil refineries and other areas.

On and on, and finally into the setting Texas sun, we drove what seemed like forever.  The sunset was beautiful, even through the front windshield of Thomas' car.

Late that night, we reached a new place, a place of beginning for Thomas.  A place of hello and goodbye, a place of promise and hope, and newness.



Back to life,
Christine

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Orlando, Thomas, BMW, and Graduation

August 31.

My turn to fly again, down to sunny, hot Orlando.

It was Thomas' turn to pick me up from the airport, and drive me to my hotel!  I couldn't believe he had been down there for four months, and that graduation was the next day.

After we dumped my suitcase at the hotel, we seriously needed dinner.  Thomas asked me if I'd like Puerto Rican food, because he knew this food truck (one of his instructors is Puerto Rican, and turned on half the class to his native food!).  I said sure, and he said it was a 45-minute drive.  I said, "I don't care; let's go!"

It was amazing, and so much food for the price.  They didn't speak English, but Thomas was a seasoned pro at this food truck so he ordered tripletas for us.  Yum!

Our view from the parking lot where the food truck was located.

Friday, September 1.

Thomas stayed the night in the hotel with me, and then we got ready and headed to UTI Orlando for his graduation ceremony.

Thomas, Eddie, and Juan.

1986 BMW, on display for Class #FL86. 

Thomas and Micah.

 Proud, happy mama!

Micah grabbed several of us, and we headed out for celebration drinks.  No food, since they catered a huge meal for us after the ceremony!

We celebrated a little too much, but we managed to make it back to the hotel.  Both of us took a nap--does three hours qualify as a nap??  I woke up, and realized we needed to head to the airport to pick up Fernando!  Which we did, then spent the evening talking before going to bed and getting ready to help Thomas pack up and move out of his apartment.


Back to life,
Christine

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Waiting, and the Big News

Time to Fly, Part Six -- May 10.

Thomas started his day with orientation, and Fernando and I returned to the beach to wait.  It was a gorgeous day (is there not a gorgeous day at the beach?), and we spent our time alternately swimming or sunning.

I ended up leaving my glasses in the beach bag at one point, and as Fernando and I were out during low tide, pelicans started flying into our area.  More and more, they flew around and over us, floating just feet away!  Some dived down into the water in search of fish, while more and more flew in.  It was amazing!

I took this photo right after we got out of the water:

Then, Thomas called--his orientation was over.  We headed back toward town; Thomas met us at our hotel, and we went out for a celebratory meal.  He wanted a decent photo of himself, and after several attempts, he approved.  I texted it to him, and he posted it on Facebook with his news:

So...........
I have been accepted into the BMW Service Technician Education Program (STEP) in Orlando, Florida. The program is 4 months long and my parents helped me move into my apartment where I'll be staying for the duration of my classes.

So there it was.  It's a pretty big deal--one of only 14 students in their program, paid by BMW, furthering his career in the auto technician field.  I'm still rather in awe of this amazing young man.

After our meal, we drove back to our hotel.  Thomas hung out for a little bit, then got in his car and drove away to his hotel.  That was the hardest goodbye, knowing I probably wouldn't see him until the end of summer, so far away from us.

I took this photo the day before, after we had helped Thomas move in to his apartment.  As we were pulling out of the apartment complex parking lot, I snapped a phone picture of Thomas' building.  When I looked at it I became frustrated that I caught the reflection of my cupped hands in the car window.  After editing it, though, I realized the photo captured something I never intended:  the illusion of my hands holding on to a son who had already flown our nest. 

This photo embodies the knowledge that holding on to our children means trying to grasp the air--they must fly, and we must let them go.

Back to life,
Christine

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An Apartment

Time to Fly, Part Five -- May 9.

The Big Day had come.  Securing housing was the order of the morning, and getting settled in the apartment was the second.  Thomas met his roommate, Eddie, signed paperwork, paid some money, and we helped him move in.

He wasn't too happy about posing for this photo, but he let me kiss him anyway.

Outside the apartment complex, a hibiscus plant was blooming happily in an unseen corner.  It was a beautiful symbol of new life.

The Even Bigger Day awaits us--tomorrow.


Back to life,
Christine

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Hitting the Beach

Time to Fly, Part Four -- May 8.

A super late Sunday night arrival at our hotel resulted in a late morning breakfast in the hotel breakfast lounge.  Fernando wanted to fuel up on coffee for the day, which would consist of mostly relaxing--on the beach!

Less than an hour away, up and over the bridge, and into Cocoa Beach.

We passed the famous Ron Jon Surf Shop, and I snapped a phone pic and sent it to my heart-sister Lori, whose family served as hosts for a week-long trip to this same area a several years back.  Fun memories!!

Since we were still not publishing the fact that Thomas was with us (and was the main "star" of this adventure), I left him out of my photos as you can see below--only two sets of feet.  :)

One glorious day at the beach, and then back to our hotel.  The exciting stuff will start tomorrow...


Back to life,
Christine

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Surf Isn't All That's Up -- Florida Part II

Each day in Florida brought many memories to cherish, and I have loved going back through all my images and thinking back just a few days to the great moments in our vacation.  Today I'd like to share some images, not about surf (which is up!), but about something else which goes up.  ;)

When we heard that the Space Shuttle Endeavor's launch had been pushed back to Monday the 16th, we were thrilled!  And morning was a perfect time for lift-off.  Everyone gathered on the beach to gaze off into the northern distance.  Vero Beach is about an hour's drive from the Kennedy Space Center and Launch Pad B, but we knew we'd be able to see Endeavor as she flew up into space, if the weather cooperated.  And it did.

In just a few minutes, Endeavour passed through the sky, on to outer space.  Just a swirly cloud trail remained.  Several minutes after she disappeared, we heard the low rumble.  Danny, watching from the beach cottage balcony, said that he felt the trembling, too.  It was truly awesome.

What a treat--and a huge blessing--to have the opportunity to visit the Kennedy Space Center a few days later!  We spent the entire day there, inspecting all the exhibits, and going on the bus tour to the observation deck to view Launch Pad B (really cool!), and the Saturn V rocket exhibit center.

The Rocket Garden (never heard of that one before...)

Astronauts must have been a lot smaller back then.  Thomas was the only one who could sit halfway comfortably inside the module below.  :)

 

The Saturn V rocket assembly--impressive

Launch Pad B -- two days after Endeavour

Serious horsepower!

Apollo 13 module -- another amazing story

And here is our gang.  We loved every aspect of the Kennedy Space Center; there was not one thing that stood out significantly.  Every exhibit, every rocket--it was all fascinating.  Thanks, Dad and Mom, for giving us the incredible opportunity of going!

Back to life,
Christine

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