Another amazing answer to prayer....

We've had a family vacation scheduled for several months now, obviously contingent on my health and the ability to travel. Plus we all realize this vacation will be the last hooray, the last family vacation as a complete family. So we started lining everything up - 7 nights on the Club Level at the Hard Rock Hotel Orlando, our favorite summer destination for many years now. Some people ask us why we keep going back to the same place over and over, why not try something different? The only quick way to answer that is when you are a repeat customer at a place like the Hard Rock, there are LOT'S of perks that go along with the stay. We definitely get the rock star treatment. Next we lined up the airline tickets, rental car, etc. So about a month ago we had everything in place. However, there was a lingering concern in my mind that I didn't dare share with anyone. The kids and Kimberly are SO excited about going, and I had it in my mind that I was flying down there come heck or high water. But the concern stuck in my mind - we are flying commercial with layovers in Charlotte. The plane ride doesn't bother me, but the thought of getting stuck for hours in an airport due to something like a weather delay really bothered me. Remember I am wheelchair bound and even sitting up in a wheelchair for an extended period of time is difficult. Thoughts of me being wheeled into an ambulance due to exhaustion (or whatever) kept popping up in my brain.

So what does a guy do? I want this vacation for my family but I also don't want to create some type of travel nightmare that would ruin the vacation. I did the only thing I could think of and that was pray. I prayed to God to let me know if I should just cancel the vacation and stay home, or, God give me some kind of sign that I can and should make this trip. I prayed for weeks with no real answer either way.

As a part of our pre-vacation planning, I made a visit to my oncologist last Friday to make sure he thought I was okay to travel. Everything checked out well, and then he asked a question. "Are you flying commercial" Yes I answered, with layovers in Charlotte both ways. "That's no good. Why not fly on a private jet?" Well DUH, yes I would love to but I cannot afford that. "Let me check my resources and get back to you". At this point I had no idea what he was up to.

Well, long story short, within the next 4 hours we were scheduled to fly on a private jet from Greensboro to Orlando! Evidently my oncologist has a friend whose company has their own jet and they donated it for us to fly to and from Orlando. Is that amazing or what?!?! It never ceases to amaze me or surprise me when I submit to God, ask for his help, and wait. I'm so glad I quit fighting him years ago and gave it all to him. Amen.

So this kind of changed things a little. A rental car, fuel, and parking for the rental car would cost about the same as having a stretch limo take us to and from the airport to the hotel. So....cancel the rental car and let's go limo! We are going to have dinner at one of Emeril's restaurants at Universal on Fathers Day, we'll catch the Blue Man Group one night, cabana rentals by the pool. I can't wait! I literally have had nothing to really look forward to for months now, so I am really pumped up about this trip. We will post pictures while on vacation so stay tuned.

Okay, enough for now. Godspeed to you all. Till next time, B.....