GOOD MORNING MONTEREY!!
Wow, it’s cold! We ate our complimentary breakfast in peace knowing that we did not have to spend the day in the van driving. Mark quietly reminded me that we can’t get into the apt until tomorrow after 9:15 a.m. so now what? I was all of a sudden feeling the let down set in. I’d worked so hard to get us here now that we’ve done that where to next?
We decided to drive to the apt so we could stoke out the area…it started really very nice only about 1 mile from the hotel…then we started seeing trailer park (don’t judge me for judging!! You all would be doing the same) my thought was; back home trailer parks mean a not so great area - sometimes (but this is not true everywhere) anyway, I started to doubt…and pulling into the apt complex made it worst.
It looked decent, but I didn’t know what to compare it to…so I compared it to Indy…and it wasn’t looking so hot! We did find an awesome park – the community center…so we stopped to play. No one was there. I sat down on the bench trying not to cry and I just prayed, God I’m here…this is it…I’m feeling very uneasy about this. Please send me someone to help me.
Not 2 minutes after getting up do we see a van pull into the lot and a mom with a little boy jump out to play. She was super friendly, Dawn, and her son Bryce, we talked for a good hour. She told me they don’t come to that park often but today they needed something to do for about an hour cause they were headed to a yoga class! She gave me the low-down on everything. She told me that Seaside (the place we are at) was a great place to be. She said that it’s safe and so fun. She even gave us a list of things to do and places to go! I now have her number and we are going to get together with our families for a cook-out! Yeah!! Thank you Jesus.
I still felt like a stranger but a little more at ease because of meeting her! My First Friend!! I kind of feel like a 1st grader…I might make a list!
So we headed towards the ocean now, trying to check out this park she said was too die for; Denis the Minis Park…and HOLY COW! We walk up to an old train engine and the kids went crazy crawling all over it! Aiden was first on our thoughts – he’s going to LOVE this when he comes out here! Then we turned the corner to see a kid’s size rock wall…thing…you could climb to your hearts contend…Dana you should see my babies climb!! I even tried (NOT so cute!). They had everything here…and I mean everything…a wired rope bridge and 2-3 different play sets…we stayed here until lunch time!
With the time change the days seems super long…my neighbors would be SO proud to know that I’ve been up before 7 am! We ate lunch at Carl’s Jr (like Hardees) and I’m still feeling overwhelmed. I was working real hard not to pick up my cell and call home; I just knew that would cause me to crumble. Don’t get me wrong, I’m fine…but super tired and super out of place…totally out of my comfort zone. I’d find myself looking around for mom to see where we were going next…but she wasn’t there…cause NOW I’m the mom…I think Mark felt the same way he just didn’t show it. Mom did call right about then…but I think I kept it together pretty well – after all people were watching! Ha!!
We ended our afternoon at the beach…NOW I know I can live here – how beautiful!! We walked along the shore line watching the mad ragging ocean slam against every rock in its way, quietly at times and yet violently at others, but still beautiful all the while. We spotted a beach area and some “surfer dudes” that Keeg HAD to go see! So we went…I told Mark we needed to be smart with getting wet (roll up the pants, shoes off, etc.) Cause these were our only clothes left and we still had to get to the apt in them. He agreed so we started down to this beach with caution on the brain. As we approached we noticed a gathering of people with a tent. The banner read, ‘Shoreline Community Church’ this just so happened to be 1 of 2 of the churches I’d found on-line and wanted to check out! What were they doing here? How cool and how God orchestrated! We’d walked up just in time to see about 50-60 people get baptized in this beautiful ocean! We talked with a lady and she invited us to the church, gave us some info, and her number to call if we needed help! I stood amazed at the sight, tears in my eyes cause this was Sunday, the Lords day, and we had no place to worship Him today…yet He totally provide and brought the place to us…we sang with them and they sang songs we know and loved!
It wasn’t until the baptisms were over that reality hit and I saw MY children…ALL DRENCHED from the ocean! It was no use…but they were having a ball so we stayed and had a great time! Bed time is coming early tonight! And we did our best to lay out the clothes so we could wear them 1 more day!
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