Because God loves me, I asked. 

4/18/12

About three years ago I wrote a chapter in my book, Seven Years Between, about the Athenaeum Hotel on Lake Chautauqua, in Western New York. Built in 1881, and enjoyed by families and students of God's word and the arts, it has grown to be a unique place of learning, rejuvenation, and rest. I wrote about it in 2009, not knowing anything about the educational and spiritual side of it at all. I just googled..."lakes near Jamestown New York" because I needed a place for the characters in the book to go on a holiday and I found this beautiful hotel on the lake and went with it.

Early in May I read about a writers' contest that the Chautauqua Institute was having. I looked at their website to see about entering their novel competition. I couldn't submit my work though, because I'm not yet published and that is a requirement for this particular contest. Looking at the web site I saw that they were having a writers' conference /festival.I  desired sooo much to go. That morning, during my morning prayer time, I got on my knees and asked God, like I was asking my dad, if I could go. I would sincerely understand if he said no, but I asked. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4

Money and time off from work (which is also just money) are the roadblocks. Andy and I talk about it. We decide we will both go if the Lord wills, relying on Him to provide.

I had enough, barely, for the plane tickets. Whew.

I call to ask if they will raise our Visa amount, they say no. I'm not even mad.

I need to pay for the conference and lodging. It is 860. I have 869 left on my Visa. PTL.

4/26/12- Andy leaves an envelope with 205.00 in it. Money he's been putting away. He loves me sooo much. I cry when I read the writing on the envelope. He is entirely supportive of this venture.

I get an offer on the priceline site-- while I'm looking for a rental car, to get a new credit card w/ 0% for a year. I apply and am accepted. (I consider it a student loan, as I am not a fan of credit cards.)

6/5/12- Looked up some family graves last night. I hadn't realized that my grandmother, who is the second most pivotal person in my book,  was born on June 12. We arrive in Jamestown June 12 J

6/9/12- Got the NW Natural bill. Some kind of rebate gave us a credit! No gas bill this month!!

So... 6/12/2012- tonight as I write this, I am in Jamestown New York, the hometown of my Grandmother, the birthplace of my mother, me, my sister and the resting place of so many of my relatives.

I worked a full day yesterday and then Andy and I took the red eye to New York. We probably slept a total of 2 hours each, the whole night. We got to Buffalo around 9:30 am, picked up our car and headed down the east side of Lake Erie to Jamestown. Well, we did stop for lunch at McDonald's and I am serious this time...it's not worth it! No matter how fast, how cheap, or how good my memory makes it remember...two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun... it really isn't worth it. It just sits in your gut for the next six hours reminding you that you shouldn't have. Have you ever lost weight from eating McDonald's? It is because it's the next best thing to a laxative. If you eat it on a regular basis it will make you fat-no doubt, but if you eat it three times a year it will put your system in shock and purge it, any way it can. The same digestive system that you bought the expensive vitamins for, the system that you juice organic carrots for, the intestinal system that you trust to keep things moving and absorbing and doing that wonderful thing called peristalsis. Well, don't think it won't get you back, cuz it will. Just DON'T do it. Wow, that was a tangent.
So. We got to our Bed and Breakfast in Jamestown and it is just as awesome as the pictures and the reviews make it out to be...notice the brick street, they're all over Jamestown.

even the bed is comfy...

I tried to take a nap when we first got to our room, but a still small voice kept whispering in my ear "You can sleep when you get home!" So I  left Andy in the cozy bed, got up and went to the WCA Hospital where I was born, my mother was born, my sister was born, and where my mother and her mother both did their nurses trainin. My grandmother was the nurses night supervisor there for many years, 1937-1963, I think.

I  had a miraculous day! I went to the hospital and found two women who were there for an alumni tea. (Thanks once again Lord!) One was the librarian for the hospital and both had my grandmother as a teacher and night supervisor. They showed me yearbooks, told me some fun stories about my grandmother, in a nut shell, she was all business as a nurse,  bossing doctors around and holding the students to a high level. One of the women told me she was scared of one thing, thunder.

Later that afternoon Andy and I went to the Levant Cemetery and did a grave rubbing of my grandmother and of "little Joe Hussey". Little Joe's story is in my book.

Notice that her birthday is the same day we were there :)

I feel so loved, blessed, led. To God be the glory. It seems He's just holding my hand, leading me around to see all this fabulous stuff.

More adventures to come tomorrow...