New Baby and Big Trucks

I've been keeping track lately of the "firsts" that I've experienced while here in Seattle.

1. It's our first "full time" Interim Pastoral assignment. And it's been an awesome experience. The District Superintendent is scheduled to meet with the Church Board this week to begin the process of calling their next Pastor. It looks like we'll be here at least through May. The people have been over the top in regards to the way they've treated Jane and me. What a wonderful church. Some fortunate person is going to find a terrific place to serve here in Shoreline, Washington.

With Josh and Staci as we dedicated youngest grandson John at the Aurora Church.

2. I experienced my first "ride" in the C-17 simulator. I wrote about that in an earlier blog.

No, that's not me. They wouldn't let me take a camera in.

3. I attended my first Seattle Seahawks game. Tickets were provided by team member Earl Thomas and fellow pastor Steve Vaughn from Topeka, Kansas. It was a great game and the Seahawks won. No doubt because of my presence in the stands.

4. I drove the Escalade on to a ferry and rode across to Whidbey Island. A great trip with two young grandsons in tow. First ferry boat ride.

5. I became a grandfather to a lovely little girl on January 3rd. First granddaughter. And (naturally) she's beautiful and extremely bright. She was born in the late afternoon on the Lewis-McCord base in the Seattle area. Staci almost waited too long to get to the hospital. When she did arrive, they asked her, "Why did you wait so long?" It was the result of her experience at Travis Air Force base hospital when the two boys were born. They had told her not to even call until the contractions were so bad that she couldn't speak.

After she and Josh were situated at the hospital and the epidural had been administered, they called us and we took the boys to the hospital. Only problem? The hospital is on a military base and there is no admission to the base without a pass. Guess what. I got on without a pass. It's the skill of a highly trained pastor. I talked my way on to a military base. Scary, I know. But it was a treat to be there with the two big brothers when they got to see their new little sister for the first time. She's so precious and grandpa loves to hold her. Her name is Marian Jane Zaker

                                                                 
6. I attended my first Monster Truck Jam this past Saturday. That was an experience. I call it the automotive industries answer to professional wrestling. I'm not saying that the races were staged but the freestyle sure seemed to be. One exception was the Grave Digger truck. That thing was almost totally on it's side when the driver hit the gas and spun the tires and it popped right back up on all fours.

Perhaps the highlight was the Megasauras. It's somewhat of a Rube Goldberg machine. It lumbers out under it's own power, breathing fire and being encouraged in it's journey by appropriately menacing music. When it reached the appointed spot with only the spot light shining on it he proceeded to rip a small car apart with his bare claws and teeth. Two young grandsons sat with eyes as big as half dollars as they watched the spectacle. Hoses and wires hung from the car like blood veins and arteries. Fluid spilled from the radiator and glass shattered. I don't know about my grandsons, but I was afraid that I'D be having nightmares.

All in all, our trip to the Great Pacific Northwest has been a delightful adventure. When you add in our trip to the Ballard Locks and the Fish Ladder, the great restaurants that we've enjoyed, the outstanding people that we've met who will be lifelong friends, it's been quite a year.  During our time here, Derrell Schreiner has been busy working on our cabin and creating a beautiful Master Suite so that Jane will no longer have to climb stairs.  Oh yes, one more 'first" for us. We've been audited in 2010. Lord, I'll take a colonoscopy any day over an IRS audit.