WOW, How neat is this?

And then AMAZING things happened and my spirits were lifted even higher (if that's possible).

Coupla days ago I was manning the Ranger desk in the visitor center with the 2 Eastern National (Concessionaire) ladies, Martha and Ann (very nice).  It had been waxing and waning all day but at that moment the joint was empty.

Then the doors opened and the flood came pouring in, maybe 40 people, mostly children.  From the t-shirts it was apparent this was a "Christian" group, and we had an instant connection.

I stood and observed the shopping and discussions over our display cases.  When I overheard a Mom with 3 little girls discussing the contents of the glass case, I drifted over to see if I could add anything to their day.

I ended up talking for 10  minutes about Skates and shells, telling them where to look to find the best shells, and HOW to find the best shells.  They were on their way, and I didn't give it a 2nd thought.

Fast forward 3 hours.  I'm at the Ranger desk, talking to a woman, when a little face, wearing spectacles, bounces up next to her and stands there fairly glowing and about to bust out of her skin.  I acknowledged her and continued my conversation with the lady, while trying to wind it down.  Little Bit is patiently waiting, while glancing from me to the lady, me to the lady and bouncing up and down on her toes.  The lady finally bids me adieux and I attend to short stuff.  "Hi, how you doing"?  Her hand, previously held tightly at her side, flies up like it's been released by a spring and her little enclosed fist releases its treasures to the counter top, while she stands there BEAMING at me.  

Her Mom and sister approach and say "she couldn't wait to show you these"...."we finished shelling, and she said,  'Mom I have to go back and show these to the Ranger'......she insisted we stop".

I look down at 2 perfect "Scotch Bonnet" shells, pick them up and admire them.  Mom continues on telling me about the "Lettered Olive, Sand Dollar, Whelk's etc" they found.  Mom said Little Bit was jabbering the entire trip along the beach, explaining each find, naming them etc.  When Mom said "how do you know all this stuff?...I don't even know this stuff"  Little Bit said, "Mom, the Ranger just told us all about it, didn't you hear her?" And THAT'S what it's all about!

Or is THIS what it's all about:  So is THIS how God works?  This time I was in the museum taking a phone call at 4:30, we close at five. Guy on the phone wants to know about getting a beach fire permit. He can get one, but it has to be picked up before 5 o'clock.  This man advised me that he was  still two hours away. So, I offered to bring a beach fire

permit home with us, telling him he can could come by and pick it up ay our place.  I then provided him with my cell phone number.  Sometimes you just have to trust people. I realize this was way above and beyond the call of duty, but he had touched something in me and I just wanted to be a part of helping him give his son a good time. As Bill and I sat by our own campfire at 7 o'clock in the evening, my cell was finally ringing.  Moments later I was guiding this total stranger into our driveway. It didn't take long for the connection to be made.  Wayne turned out to be a police sergeant from Newport News Virginia. Small world, so happy I could help out a brother in blue. See you again Wayne:-)

Could the world get any smaller?  YEPPER!  

I return us to the Visitor Center on the day after connecting with Wayne.  I was again meeting and greeting and connecting with a young woman, who's parents were making a purchase.  She happened to mention that her parents were visiting from Wisconsin, just as they approached us.  I then steered my attention to Dad and said "Oh, where in Wisconsin?"  Dad says, with doubt in his voice that I would have any clue, "Door County".  Recognition shines in my face when I say "where in Door?"  Now it's his turn to look surprised as he says "Sturgeon Bay".  I'll spare you the rest, but suffice it to say, David and his wife attend the same church (Bethel Baptist-http://www.bethelellisonbay.org/#/welcome) Bill and I do when we are in Door, we have several mutual friends, AND he is connected to a coalition which is supported by some of our Door County buddies.  
We will follow up on his invitation to help them out next summer when we are volunteering at Camp Zion in Ellison Bay.

Now comes the biggest challenge of being a FULLTIMER and traveling constantly....medical care.

We have been very fortunate to find good doctors whilst on the road.  In almost 3 years now we have had the occasion to have 4 surgeries between the two of us.  It has worked out every time and we thank the Lord for provision of good docs and supportive friends.

( I shall preface this next paragraph by saying the insurance company has changed their mind about this treatment, so Bill may be going home much earlier)

Bill and I are currently apart (kinda) while he has a skin graft surgery and 40 days of Hyperbaric treatments in Chesapeake, VA.  He is staying with friends in Yorktown, VA for the time being, and I am traveling back and forth from Buxton, NC on my days off.  This will take us right up to the week we head back to Illinois for Christmas (and store the RV somewhere down south in preparation for the start of our next assignment at Waccamaw NationalWildlife Refuge-http://www.fws.gov/waccamaw/).


We will start winding down further very soon.  We leave Cape Hatteras on Dec. 14th and take the home down to S.C.  Leaving it there we will head home for Christmas, staying at Tami & Brett's for a week.

I leave you with a little fun we had at the North Carolina Aquarium, where we saw 2 Sea Turtles being rescued.