Yesterday in our morning service, I got a wonderful surprise. A few people in the church got together and decided that I needed to be at Noah’s first birthday party this weekend and so they bought me a plane ticket to Florida!
I get to go see this fella!
Can you believe he’s changed so much this year? That first year is beyond amazing.
I’ll leave the house early Thursday morning and return Monday evening. On the flight home I have a plane change in Chicago of all places! Yep. Orlando to Chicago to Norfolk. Makes perfect sense to me!
Fortunately, I don’t mind out-of-the-way plane changes; I love traveling and I love different airports and I love people watching. I especially love the simple adventure of being somewhere other than my regular, assigned spot for a few days.
It was really cool how the surprise was presented:
When everyone got into the sanctuary yesterday, they saw this large box on the platform.
When I first saw it, I figured it must be something that Steve was planning to use for an illustrated sermon. However, midway though the service, Steve invited Delia (Sarah’s boss) to come forward. Delia started telling the congregation about talking to Sarah at work and telling her that she wanted to send something with us when we went to Florida for Noah’s first birthday party. When Sarah told her we weren’t going to be able to make the trip, Delia hatched a secret plot, enlisting the help of Steve and Sarah to bring it to fruition.
She started gradually referring to this plot as she was talking and I just sat there in my little ol’ pew, completely clueless as to where she was headed. I certainly had no foggy idea what was in that mystery box that they were making such a big fuss over.
However. When they called me forward and Steve lifted the box . . . well, it all became clear. The box was covering a picture of ME and taped to the back was a plane itinerary. Turns out that Delia had enlisted the help of some folks in the church to help pay for a ticket so that at least Grandma Smith (that would be me!) could be at the Big Event. I was so surprised and of course, very happy!
Here’s a 30-second video of the merriment.
It’s funny because Steve and Sarah had known about the whole plot for a month. They said they kept wanting to blurt out things like, “So, when you go to Florida. . . ” but would stop themselves just in time. They’re both very relieved to be able to finally talk about it freely!
So that is the happy news for the day!
Last Thursday, my brother, Mark, went to check on his 31-year old son Josh, after not hearing from him for a couple of days. He found that Josh had passed away in his apartment. Josh had struggled for many years with health issues relating to diabetes and it was diabetes that finally took him.
Here is a photo of Josh (in the middle) as a pall bearer at my dad’s funeral five years ago. (That’s his dad, on the other side of the coffin.)
Josh will have a special place next to his grandpa at this lovely, peaceful cemetery in rural Wisconsin.
Too soon taken.
I am sorry that Mark was the one to find Josh… what a shock even if he did have an inkling…. and definitely a sad time for Josh’s family and friends.
Happy that you will be able to help Noah celebrate his b-day. wish you were stopping in St. Louis instead of Chicago. that would have been fun if your St. L. fans could have connected up with you.
Mrs. Pam,
Thanks for your sweet words about Mark; yes, that was a very traumatic thing to happen to him. I can’t even imagine.
Would love to swing through ol’ St. Louie some day. Steve and I were there many years ago and I will never forget the Union Train Station where we ate a meal. Absolutely stunning!
What a happy and heartbreaking post. It’s so exciting that you get to celebrate Noah’s first birthday with him, but so heartbreaking to have to also celebrate a life gone way too soon. Praying for your nephew’s family and hoping you have a wonderful trip!
Gayle,
Happy and heartbreaking sums the week up very, very well. Thanks so much for your sweet words.
I am so sorry to hear about Josh, all of his family are in my prayers. I am certain that Josh was welcomed home by a certain beloved Grandfather.
I am so excited you will be spending time with Noah on his first birthday, doesn’t seem possible an entire year has flown by. I hope he can stay still of some special Grandma time! Of all my trips back and forth to NC the most unusual was flying to NY and then back to CA. I also enjoy time spent in an airport checking out exhibits and people watching. Have a wonderful, well deserved time!
Cindy
Cindy,
Yeah, I’d have to agree that flying to NY on the way to CA is a bit of a strange route. Good thing we both enjoy people watching, right? 🙂
What a fun surprise ~ I’m so happy for you to get to attend Noah’s first birthday celebration!!!
I am also so very sorry to hear about your nephew, Josh. Sending hugs and prayers to you, your brother, and all of Josh’s friends and family…
Sue Ellen,
A fun surprise, indeed. I sure wasn’t expecting it! I will also be in FL at the same time as Meagan’s sister’s wedding shower so that will be even more good times!
Thanks for the hugs and prayers concerning Josh; I appreciate it so much.
Sorry to hear about Josh. Praying for the entire family. So excited about your trip to FL for Noah’s first birthday. Will be looking forward to lots of pictures. Enjoy the FL weather (hope it is warm and beautiful for you). Safe travels.
Ann,
Thank you for the prayers for our family. And yes, I’m very excited to be making this trip and spending time with the other part of the Smith family. Pictures will definitely be forthcoming!
I am so sorry to hear about your nephew. That must be so difficult for the whole family. I will be praying for you.
And wow- what a blessing that plane ticket is 🙂
Jessica,
A blessing, for sure! I had been so wanting to be at Noah’s birthday but just didn’t find it to be financially feasible. I’m doubly happy to get to be there.
You have such special people in your church. How special for them to think of you in that way. So sorry to hear about your nephew, but so glad he is with the Lord.
Sharyn,
We truly do have special people in our church; they have big, big hearts.
I’m so sorry to hear of Josh’s passing. May Josh rest in peace. I’m so excited for you to travel to Florida for Noah’s first birthday! I hope you have a fabulous time 🙂
Michele,
Thank you for thoughts for Josh and for being excited right along with me that I get to go see Noah on his birthday. Can’t wait!
I am sad to hear about your nephew, having just lost my grandma a few weeks ago… I did not even realize how much I could miss a person! Even though you did not get to see Josh as much as I saw my grandma, I know you will feel the same way! The only good thing in it is, I know my grandma is in heaven waiting for me and my family, and looking out for us, just as I am sure that Josh is doing for your family!
Now, on to the good news… that is so exciting to be heading to Florida for Noah’s birthday!! I remember reading of his birth while we were in Disney last year at this time! He is adorable, and I know you will enjoy every minute of your time there with him (and his parents, of course) I hope you have a great,fantastic, wonderful, superfragilisticexpealidocious kind of time!!! Can’t wait to see pictures!!!!
Tiffany,
Losing a grandparent is such a sobering experience; you don’t just miss that person but you miss all the things that they represented to the family as a whole. An entire generation goes with them–so sad. But it sounds like your grandma left many good memories behind her and there is so much comfort in good memories.
Thanks for being happy right along with me concerning my Noah Trip. 🙂 Trust me–there WILL be pictures!
So thrilled that you will be with Noah on his birthday ~ what a blessing. So sad for your brother and family for the passing of Josh – they are in my prayers
Becky,
Thank you so much for your prayers for our family–greatly appreciated by all of us! And yes, spending a birthday that sweet boy will be a huge blessing! 🙂
First..I’m SO sorry to hear about your nephew. I’ll be praying for your family.
Second…WOO…HOO!!! I’m so thrilled for you! I was thinking about you this past week as I was helping with prep work for our precious Aviyah’s 1st birthday party (early…since her Florida grandparents are here) and how sad it would be for you to miss sweet Noah’s 1st BIRTHDAY PARTY!
So thrilled….and I cannot wait to see pictures.
Safe travels my dear.
Kim~
Kim,
We two grandmas are blessed indeed to see our grandchildren’s first birthday celebrations! So glad Aviyah’s Florida grandparents got to be with you for the celebration, too; I know that made the celebration all the merrier.
I can’t wait to take some pictures to share!
What a wonderful surprise! Can’t wait for the pictures. And so sad for your nephew. Diabetes can be so relentless….
Lesley,
Relentless is the perfect word for that disease; it just never gives up.
Thanks for being excited right along with me concerning the trip. Lots of pictures to come!
Becky, I am happy you are going to be in Florida for that sweet little boy’s birthday but I am so sorry about your nephew……that is just heartbreaking.
Dale,
Yes, it is definitely a week where joy and sorrow will be mingled. Thank you for your sweet words.
What a wonderful surprise gift. You must be so excited! I hope you have a great trip.
I am, however, so incredibly sorry for the loss of your nephew. How very sad. I will pray for his parents, facing such an unimaginable heartbreak.
Jenna,
There are few heartbreaks as unimaginable as losing a child. Having come very close to that experience, I can only imagine. Thank you for the prayers for Josh’s parents and siblings.
Thanks too for the good wishes for a good trip. I’m so very, very thankful to be able to go.
what a fun surprise to get to go to the birthday party.
I am so sorry to hear about Josh. It is so sad to loose a child of any age, and I don’t even want to think how terrible it was for his Daddy to find him. Prayers for the whole family.. I know you all wish you could be there too. I too lost a son to the ravages of diabetes.
Sharon,
I know you can understand the family’s situation better than most, having also lost a son to diabetes. Thank you for your compassion and prayers. Even though I didn’t know him, I am thinking of your son along with you today.
Oh, my. What a mixture of emotions in this post. I was so happy and doing a happy dance in my head for you to be able to attend Noah’s first birthday (which I can’t believe is happening ALREADY) and then to read of the passing way too soon of Josh, another beloved member of your family. There will be joy next weekend for Noah’s birthday party and there is joy in Heaven for Josh and the end of his struggles. I bet if you look closely at Noah this weekend, you will see the twinkling of Josh’s Heavenly happpiness and healthfulness in Noah’s eyes and smile. Prayers for peace and very safe travels for Grandma.
Mary,
You always have such a wonderful way of expressing things–thank you for sweet, encouraging, comforting words.