DCLA Day 1 We met at church at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 6. We loaded vehicles, signed necessary forms, talked over a few details, and then attended worship together. At the conclusion of the service, Pastor Hagen led the congregation in a prayer of blessing and sending, and we hit the road. Two of our girls packed enough clothes for a 3 week trip. Two of our girls had suitcases that were overweight by airline standards. (But it was no problem.) We had Sunday dinner at the Food Court at the Minneapolis airport. Then the lessons in patience began - all inspired by weather problems in Chicago. Our trip from Minneapolis to Chicago was delayed, and then at the last minute we had to change flights. The pilot had to take two tries at the landing at O'Hare, but the second one was a success. Then we had to sit in the plane and wait - 10 yards from our gate. With lightning in the area, ground crews weren't allowed to be out. 30 minutes later we got inside. We found the gate for our next flight, with time to spare, and then went looking for something to eat. Several had the Chicago style hot dog. Pastor D and the Olsons had it with everything. Dennis had it with everything plus those little peppers that you didn't put on Pastor Dykstra's. Dennis' lips melted together! Joe and Tyler introduced themselves to another Chicago tradition - "Eli's cheesecake." (There aren't enough o's in "smooooooooooth" to describe Eli's cheesecake!) Then we were all introduced to another Chicago tradition: thunderstorms. The flight was delayed, and then delayed again, and then delayed. We did our best to view it as "a learning experience." We finally got on the plane, and then sat there long enough for Pastor D and Mary Bo and Charlie to do an entire crossword puzzle! And then -.could it be??? -Yes!!! - We took off! About 3 hours late. We got to Sacramento about 10:30 PDT (that's 12:30 a.m. back in Lake Mills!). Bill Georgia's brother Jim, and wife B.J., were waiting at the baggage claim area, with a bus parked just outside. That was sure nice! We got to the Holiday Inn by 11:00. It was actually kind of cool - about 67 degrees. But a number of the kids went swimming anyway. Not Jake. He went out there for a while, then told Pastor D, "I'm an adult. It's cold! I'm going back to the room." He was right, of course. And 20 minutes later the swimmers agreed. Most of us actually went to bed before the curfew hour. We're looking forward to Monday and a trip to Six Flags and Marine World, near San Francisco. Jim and B.J. will go with us as driver and tour guides. You should all be proud of your kids. They had every reason to face Sunday's delays with a negative attitude, and they didn't. That does a lot for group morale! (It also, of course, is a lesson worth remembering for a lifetime: if you can't control it, don't waste time trying, and don't let it control how you choose to respond to it!) Above all, we arrived safely. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers.