GIFT & SURPRISES Part II

The wonderful gift from our #1 son, David, was First Class American Airlines Tickets first to Phoenix on September 29th, and covered in the preceding post about my surprising a blog/fb friend, then from Phoenix to San Francisco on October 1st to visit our son.

Early morning (4:30 am) September 29th as our wonderful son, Marc, takes us to the airport.

We arrive right on time in San Fran and David picks us up at the airport.    David & Karin have a wonderful Shish-q-bob dinner catered in for us this first night.

They have a beautiful condo with a fantastic view!!  I took this shot early Tuesday morning, while everyone else was still sleeping.  My little camera really didn't catch the beautiful off their deck.  It was very clear and the moon was a beautiful golden color.

A day time, clear shot, view from the same deck.

Karin & Mickey pointing up to their upstairs condo.  The apartments are upstairs and the garages are below. 

On Tuesday Karin went to work and David, Mickey & I just hung around the condo and enjoyed each other and visiting.  David, who travels all over the U.S. with his job, scheduled vacation time so he could be with us during these 5 days of our visit in San Francisco.  That evening they have Indian food catered in.  Different to our tastes but yummy.  The four of us watched a Leo Gigglio tape How Great is Our God which we had brought with us.

Wednesday Karin took off at 2.  David picked her up and we went sight seeing.  Karin did all the driving in her Volkswagen, stick shift with power pack.  She was an amazing driver, going up and down the packed, steep streets of traffic.  She drove us down Lombard street, the famous crooked street, but I failed to get a picture. 

The Coit Tower on Telegraph Hill.  Mickey & I had been here on our RV travel trips.

Father, Son & Mom 

Karin & David 

David had researched things for us to see and do and one of them we decided on was visiting The Parrots of Telegraph Hill.  From the above picture we are preparing to walk down a series of 289 steps and then back up to Coit Tower.

A view of the skyline, on this overcast Wednesday, just before we began our decent. 

Lovely, very expensive and lovely apartments & condo's all along the way down.  

The beautiful gardens as we are making our way along the 289 steps.

Another view as we are making our decent.  The corker of this excursion was we saw not ONE, nadda, Parrot but it was a fun climb.  There would be 10 or 12 steps and then a landing and it would turn a degree, and then another group of steps, etc.  Coming back up we had to keep stopping and catching our breath but we made it!!!  

Hurried back to their condo and ordered Pizza and watch the 1st Presidential debate together.  Fun!!!  And no arguments :o)

Thursday David took Karin to work and then the 3 of us went out for another day of sightseeing.

First was the beautiful Palace of Fine Arts - This was October 4th which was our 54th Anniversary.  What a beautiful way to spend it, in this beautiful city with our son.  We are so grateful for the wonderful marriage God has enabled us to build, even through some difficult times along the way.  

Next to Pier 45 

David & Mickey enjoyed touring this submarine.  I sat on a park bench and waited for them and visited with a young couple from Bonn, Germany. 

We drove up and down many street to find this Mel's Drive-in.  Made famous from the firm American Graffiti.

Wonderful diner meals, we all choose something different and with my meetload dinner I had a yogart malt.  A first for me, and it was very good. 

Autographed items and pictures on the walls from the movie.

One of the places David for sure wanted us to see was this beautiful Grace Chapel.

Built 163 years ago.  I tried to take pictures of the beautiful inside stained glass windows but my little camera didn't get good shots.

Son & Mom climbing 40 steps up to the chapel (after our 289 yesterday this was nothing!!)

Added unexpected treats of the day was they were setting up for The Americus Race and The Blue Angels were flying over us!!! 

Then it was home where we enjoyed a shrimp platter, cheese & crackers & left over pizza.  We watch a Bill Cloud dvd we had brought with us.  Early to bed as we had to be at the airport early for our flight home.

There is MORE to this story, but since this post is so long I'm going to make a Part III of this wonderful gift, trip & adventure.

Thank you David for making our 54th a really special treat with this wonderful trip and visit. 

GIFT'S & SURPRISES

Where does one begin on a Saga (Any long story of heroic deeds)  like this one?  At the beginning!!

This one began with our oldest son's gift of a 1st Class flight on American Airlines to visit him (David) and Karin in their lovely San Francisco condo.

David first invited us to come in early spring, but with my just beginning a new Small Group Class, for the first time, at our church we did not feel we could leave at that time.  Over the summer we kept trying to find a time to go and as Mickey & my 54th (yes 54th!!) anniversary was approaching on October 4th we decided that would be a perfect time for this trip and special celebration.

I have had in my heart to somehow, sometime, someway, make a trip to visit our wonderful blog friends, Danny & Kathy Wright who live in Phoenix, who spent a few days with us over July 4th, 2011.

SO - I called David and told him I had a request.  Since he was flying us to California, would it be possible for him to first fly us into Phoenix for 2 days and then into San Francisco.  His response, "Sure Mom!!  But why do you want to go to Phoenix?"  I explained and the wheels were set in motion.

Step #2 - I privately e-mailed Danny and told him I wanted to pay a surprise visit to Kathy and to show up at their worship service on Sunday morning.  He answered me back and was excited about the event and asked him if he could share it with Mary Lee Glassman, their very close friend who is like family.  I did not know Mary Lee well, but did know her a little bit from fb and that was totally agreeable with me,  So Mary Lee and I were in contact, by e-mail,  as all the details were put together.  It could not have been done as smoothly as it was had it not been done with Mary Lee's help.  The added benefit, Mary Lee is now a good friend!!

The three culprits, in our see no evil (Susan) , hear no evil (Danny), speak no evil (Mary Lee) pose.

 Susan & Mickey as we are leaving our son's (Marc) home in Owasso early morning, September 29th, for our 6 a.m. flight.  We drove to Marc's home in Owasso to leave Mickey's new/old pick-up and for him to take us to the airport.  Praise God for a son who will arise at 4 a.m. on a Saturday morning to help and accommadate his parents.  Side note - We are blessed with the best kids!!

We arrived in Phoenix at 9:10 a.m. and since we decided we didn't want to spend the day at a motel or movie, etc., waiting for Sunday church, when we could be spending it with these dear precious friends and their 2 children Danny came up with the idea of our showing up at their house for coffee.  He additionally got Kathy out of the house for a short time under the pretense of visiting some garage sales.

Mary Lee picked us up at the airport - (she had generously offered, in the very beginning, to be our "wheels" and that we didn't have to rent a car) .  She has a key to their home to let us all in. Bethany & Daniel were home and Danny had told them just before they left what was going on.  

So Mickey & I are quietly, and nicely sitting on a love seat in the living room with Mary Lee beside the love seat.  Danny & Kathy come in through the garage door and Kathy proceeds into the kitchen and is doing things.  

 After a few minutes she starts for this living room.  Here is Kathy in total shock!!!

 Danny, Mickey & Kathy having a good chuckle that we had pulled off such a great surprise. Here is Kathy's fb post from this wonderful morning: It takes a lot to pull a surprise off on ole' Kathy, but these 3, Mary Lee Glassburn, Danny Wright, and Susan Errett Joyce have done just that. Susan and her beloved Mickey are our dear friends from Coweta, Oklahoma whom we came to know thr

ough Danny's and Susan's early blogging adventures. Our connection in Christ drew us into a very easy and deep friendship, and finally last year (summer to be exact) Danny and I and the children had the blessed opportunity to spend a few days as Mickey and Susan's guests in their home in Coweta. It was like a reunion even though it was our first face to face meeting. Lo and behold, Susan (the most adventurous one out of all of us) got an idea to come and see US, and here they are! I had NO IDEA they were coming, and I cannot even begin to explain my delight and joy. We are looking forward to the next two days with our dear friends. Folks, we're talking WEEKS of a really well kept secret. I am loving this!

 
  

 Susan, Mickey, Mary Lee, Daniel, Bethany, Danny & Kathy at Meme's Cafe Saturday evening.  All who know me know how I love & treasure, "Breaking bread together" with dear Christian friends.  We were all 7 blessed to do so 3 times during this brief visit:  Here at Meme's on Saturday evening, Kathy serving us a wonderful meal on Sunday after church at their home, and on Monday morning at Denny's for brunch before catching our 2:30 plane on to San Francisco. 

 Sunday morning Mary Lee, along with Brethany & Danial, picked us up and took us to Covenant of Grace Christian Fellowship where they all worship and serve our Lord.

 Kathy leading worship, at the keyboard, Danny to the left (didn't get him in the picture due to the lighting) on the drums.  Kathy did say she was glad we surprised her at her home on Saturday and not in Church, during worship, on Sunday.  She felt she might have "lost it" had that occurred.  God always works out the "details" best!

 The three bloggers, fb'ers, Danny, Susan & Kathy in front of the additional building at their Phoenix home on Sunday afternoon. 

Monday morning Mary Lee picked us up at our motel and the 5 of us got to spend more delightful time with each other at Danny & Kathy's lovey home (pictured below). 

Bags packed and on the curb and final picture of Mickey & Mary Lee as she prepares to drive us to brunch and then the airport.  Mary Lee even took a days vacation on Monday to do this!!  What a new, dear, precious friend you are Mary Lee.  Thank you again!

The next post will continue this wonderful trip with our time in San Francisco with our #1 son David who made it ALL possible.

Thank you David and thank you Lord Jesus for giving me yet another "desire of my heart!".