I have been working hard and that is a good thing. God has made me able to earn a living so that my family can enjoy the benefits of our traveling life. I am a thankful man today for the family God has given me. The stay here in MD has been very different. We are set apart it seems from the rest of the world. It is so quiet here. Our neighbors have lived here forever! He is a waterman. He gets up at 3 and goes out and crabs all day. The have a lovely house with a nice pool. "Come over anytime, please! Use the pool whenever you want!" His wife says to us. They are extremely friendly! It really is a small place. The bay is beautiful all around us. It has given us opportunity to reflect on life. What is really important to us as a family? It has brought us closer together. We spend all our time together just about. I truly enjoy my children's company; what a blessing! Usually by the time they reach the teen years, there is conflict all the time! We are not experiencing that. Sure we get angry and frustrated with each other, but the Lord is keeping us together in spirit. I think a big part of that is praying for my children daily as well as having a wife who does the same. We try and read the scriptures together each day too. It has been so exciting to see how far Michael has come in his reading. It brings my heart joy to hear him read the word of God out loud to all of us. Grace and Katie are reading at an alarming rate! They definitely read far more than Catherine and I. I cannot keep up with those two! It is a delight.
We made a decision to not get cable TV while we are here. I think I am struggling the most with that decision! I am a self-admitted TV junkie! So now we just watch a DVD here and there but get no stations on the set. The kids seem fine with this. It is me who misses the dumb programs! I think this will benefit them greatly in the long run. I wonder if we can do it at our next assignment also? They are keeping themselves busy. Michael has met a couple of nice kids in the neighborhood. JT comes to the door earlier everyday and knocks on the door. When you open it, he doesn't say hello, or good morning. He only says one word....Michael. I guess we are supposed to know this means could I please see Michael this morning because I would like to play with him today. So now I make him ask for Michael. The other day he comes and we hear a weird bang on the door this time. We open it and it's JT. He is knocking on the door with his head! "What are you doing??"
"Just knocking for Moy-kll", he says with that strange accent of his. The other boy is named Dylan. He seems like a nice kid too. He's a little bigger but seems kind. They ride their bikes all over the roads where we live. It is a very safe neighborhood for sure. It's kinda nice to have a house. I have noticed some real beautiful scenery around town on my ride back and forth to work. I have an urge to pull over and paint certain scenes I see on my way home. Perhaps I will just take a picture here and there. Well, that's all for now.

I had a patient the other day..........
She was a little bitty thing about 5 feet in all. She was as heavy as she was short! Well she started to tell me all about her son. Apparently he is the illegitimate son of JFK! Now this would not be the first time I heard something crazy from one of my patients. I have to take such statements with a grain of salt. I definitely started doubting her mental capacities as I nodded nicely as she spoke. When I left the room, the secretary proceeded to tell me that her son is JFK's love child! She adopted him from a woman who became pregnant from the former president here in MD. She has legal papers about the whole thing! Now I'm shocked. Then another person tells me they saw her picture and her son's in the national enquirer at the checkout stand the other day! Sure enough, the son comes in about 2 hours later with his sister. He had on a pair of puffy red and purple pants to go with his pointy peter pan shoes; I kid you not! I'm thinkin' is this guy for real!! Apparently so. He also has a cape to go with his ensemble. Hanging over his arm is a purple sequined shirt that he did not wear but was just carrying with him; I guess it was an accessory. As his sister proceeded to inform me of how there is a policeman stalking her around town, he is making inappropriate comments to the wall in hopes that I can hear him but not in a way that says he is actually talking to me! I'm thinkin' what is going on here! I'm screaming on the inside because she is talking at such a rapid pace that I am unable to get a word in edgewise. I am unable to leave the room because her stalking story is continuing on ad-infinitum. I am stepping closer and closer to the door, trying to give a hint that I may have some work to do, or hoping the secretary calls my name to save me from this sideshow! Finally....she takes a breath. "I gotta go do some work", I say and dart towards the door. There I got out I'm saying to myself. The secretary looks at me and laughs because she knows I was just caught in the room with no way out; she knows what I just went through because it probably happened to her before. This sweet little lady did the right thing years ago to take in this baby and give him a life, but it is clear to me why it is not public knowledge that he is a Kennedy descendant. I hope he is receiving some type of psychiatric treatment because he is clearly in his own world. He thinks people are out to kill him. As they left I felt badly that I wanted to avoid them. I guess that's a human reaction. Anyways, just wanted to type up this story before I forgot about it because it was extremely weird. It was like I entered the twilight zone. For all we know, he could be the only sane Kennedy left!

I called Chip this morning.
I offered my services if needed at his house today after the funeral and all. He said there were plenty of people going to be around but He has my number and will call if he finds he needs some help. I feel I did what I was supposed to do. I called him. I am thankful that I didn't just think about calling him. It occurred to me on the walk this morning with the dog over in the park, that the fact that we are here and are now able to pray for Chip and his family, is something that would not be happening if we were not in MD. What does that mean? Well, I don't feel that MY prayers are anything special, but I do believe that my God is the only one true God out there who loves his children with an everlasting love. We are all created in HIS image and He loves each of us as His own. Therefore, one of the reasons for us being in MD is to pray for Chip and his family that they could rely on our Creator for strength during this difficult time in their lives. It's not the strength of MY prayers that will help him, it's the ONE I am praying to that will carry him through.

Life is a fragile thing..........
I enjoy being a nurse. I am blessed to be doing something that I love for a vocation. I love developing relationships with my patients, as limited as that relationship may be. I met a man last week that was one of those people that I like. He was a 52 year old man. He had a heart attack and came to our floor so that we could monitor the activity of his heart. He had many visitors during the day. I ended up working ALL day from 7am till midnight! We had quite a few discussions. He was a farmer his whole life and enjoyed being one. It is harvest time right now and I told him that I had no clue what it was like to be farmer. Well, he explained to me what it was like when he was young and how it has changed over the years. He offered for me to bring my children by to the farm and have his son Chip, (whom I had met earlier that day), take us out in the truck they use to harvest. He explained the elaborate computers used in farming these days with alacrity. Well, I was outside his room charting, when I heard him talk to Chip on the phone and telling him how I would be calling him tomorrow to go witness and take part in the harvest. When I talked with my wife on the phone shortly after that, she was equally excited to take part in this wonderful educational event. The next morning, I gave chip a call shortly after 11 as the sun was shining bright, which means they could do some harvesting. "Hey Chip. This is Dan from the hospital? How you doing."
"Well, not too good Dan."
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I'm at the funeral home......Dad passed away this morning."
"Oh my goodness no!"
"Yeah. So we got a lot of stuff to do now, but I want you to call me in a few weeks okay? Cause dad told me you'd be callin and I'd like to take you guys out 'cause it was somethin dad wanted me to do."
"Okay Chip. I'm so sorry. I will pray for you and your family for strength to get through this."
"Thanks. I appreciate that. Don't forget to call me now."
"Alright Chip. Take care".
I hung the phone up and was in a sort of shock. I didn't know what to say! I told Catherine. We sat there in shock. As I write this, I still have a hard time grasping that this man's life is over! Today is Father's day. My heart goes out to Chip and his family on this first fathers day without his dad. I feel a sense of duty now to make sure I call Chip in a few weeks. Lord help me to follow through. I felt a sense from our Creator that this may be part of the reason we are here in MD. That we could in some way be, "God with skin on", for Chip and his family. I asked Catherine if she would be willing to see if there is some way we could be of service to them and she agreed. Perhaps we can help after the funeral? I don't know. Lord use me the way you want in their lives. I am shook up in the bones by this event! Life is so fragile. Help me Lord to live life to the fullest. To remember how fleeting it all is. What I do is left to be seen. I have lots of good intentions, but they mean nothing if not put into action. Lord help me to continue to be open and honest with my children that they can see me for who I truly am.
I saw the obituary on Friday morning. One of the things it said was,"He liked to be with people. If those around him were happy, then he was happy". As someone who met him only for a very long day at work, I would have to agree.

Isn't it a good thing??......peace and quiet?
I enjoy peace and quiet most of the time. It's good for my soul to rest. That is something I need to learn how to do more of.....rest. The Lord calls us to rest in Him. He says to "Take my yoke upon you and you will find rest for your soul." Ah...to rest in Him. I have never had a bad experience trusting in our Lord. He has always come through for me. Being on this journey with my family, I have been able to pray for each of my family members ion the way in to work. It takes a solid half hour to get here and usually flies by as I pray individually for each family member starting with my wife. I have much to be in prayer about not the least of which is spiritual warfare. I claim their protection each day in the name of Jesus. Why?? Because He says you have not, because ye do not ask; so I ask for their protection. WE are at war. It just doesn't seem like it most of the time. I have been able to see the warfare lately. Satan wants to destroy my family. I must surrender to the ONE who will make us a victorious family for the Lord. I have such individual concerns for each of my family members. Each child is so different. It struck me the other day how they each believe that I am always watching out for them and their best interest. The just know this to be true!! This caught me off guard a little as I remember thinking the same thing about my parents towards me. The reality is that we do our best to be there for our children but we are only human and have faults. Only the Lord can be continuously watching over our children. I do my best, but I do it knowing full well that without the Lord, my children would be in big trouble. I can see how He has protected me and my family through the years and that He is continuing to do this for us now. I hope and pray He will guide us towards glory with the loving merciful hand we have come to rely on in my home. We are living a radical lifestyle. It is different and as such, there are fewer people to relate to about it. This is why we need each other even more now. It seems, almost everynight, one of the kids wants to sleep in the same room as one of the other kids. Personally I think this is a wonderful thing. I want to encourage it within reason. They will only be young for a short time and then they will be on their own. Our sphere of influence over them is so limited. Lord give us wisdom as we direct these children/young adults to maturity. I feel more than ever that Catherine and I are in this together and the Lord is in charge. WE do our best to listen to Him and He has been faithful. Lord help us to remain faithful to coming into your presence each day so that You can guide us. I must mention that the one thing that has been constantly on my prayers for each of my children as well as myself has been wisdom. I don't know about anyone else. I only know that I feel so in the dark most of the time. But the Lord has been guiding us anyway. Lord, please continue to make each of us wise so that we can follow your paths of righteousness. Wide is the road that leads to destruction and many go there. Narrow is the road to life and there are few who find it. Someone once said that the joy is in the journey. I believe this to be true, and we are on a wonderful journey together. Thank you Lord that we are living life on the edge.

So........How do you like it here?
This is the question I get asked a lot wherever I go. I have found it refreshing to be honest with my answers to people. I was asked, how did you do when they floated you over to the other hospital? My answer was, " Well, I got off to a rough start. I kinda felt like they were very unhelpful and I was starting to take everything they did personal. I was feeling like I was being dissed by everyone there!" At this point people look at me kinda funny. Then I go on to explain the truth. "But when I enter a new situation, I frequently feel a little nervous so I have realized that I get very sensitive and frequently think people are against me when I am unfamiliar with things. It's like I project my feelings of fear and instead think they are not very nice. Once I realized this, I said some prayers of, OH God help me to mind my business and do my job as I know how to do it. Help me to not listen to my head!" People usually laugh at this honest assessment of things. They probably can identify. I guess I've learned over time that God has made me a good nurse who is completely imperfect and still has a lot to learn. I think one of my biggest strengths is that I know how limited my knowledge of things really is. This might not sound like an asset but I think it is. I would not dream of attempting to do something to one of my patients that I was not sure what I was doing. This is wise; humbling at times but wise. Well, this was just a short little quip of what it's like to be a traveler; to be myself in this world. Blessed beyond human reason, and glad for it. I am a grateful man.

I would be remiss to not mention something that happened here in Maryland shortly after our arrival. My wife and children took a road trip to Massachusetts for a week a few days after getting settled. I was left to myself for my hospital orientation. I had too much free time on my hands. I get very lonely without my family and wish to spend most of my time with them as they are truly Gods greatest gift to me that constantly displays His love for me in a concrete way. One day I decided to go golfing. I love to golf but going alone is usually kind of strange as there is no one to share the game with. I just know that IF I ever get a hole in one, I'll probably be alone!! No one will believe me!! Anyways, I joined up with another single golfer on the second hole of play. It was nice to meet up with someone else who also was looking for company as he also was away from his wife and trying to get a game of golf in before meeting up with some friends further away that night. As happens often in golf, we engaged in some pleasant conversation. It turns out he is a retired military man of good stature. WE chatted quite a bit about current events and seemed to both be coming from the same point of view. He thought it a wonderful thing to be home-educating our children and actively training them to be productive members of society. Around the 15th hole it was evident to me that he knew my savior Jesus on a first name basis. This brought great pleasure to me as I felt a real connection to a brother in the Lord. I needed that because of my family being away. After the round we had a soda together and shared a fantastic conversation that was basically focused on how good our God is! He had nothing but positive things to say about how the Lord had turned his life around. To make this all sound biblical, I would say we mutually edified each other. I expressed to him how wonderful it was of our Creator to put 2 of his children together on the course so they could boast of is greatness in each of their lives; what a blessing! Isn't that just like God? Only he could have done such a thing. Mere coincidence?? I think not; just God remaining anonymous once again. We can't actually prove it was HIM who brought us together, but there's nobody out there who can prove to me otherwise. Thank you Lord for sending me a cool glass of water during a dry spell away from my family...

Why Maryland???................................. This I do not know.
I will say that it seems to be not so much for my own well being but for my wife. I am kind of lost out here in the middle of nowhere, and perhaps that will benefit me in the long run. I could use some peace and quiet. There is plenty of that to go around, but I have found that I am also very good at creating my own noise to drown out the silence. It makes me uncomfortable at times to be quiet. I need the Lords help with enjoying the peace in my life. Catherine seems to be getting some real peace in her heart from being here even though it's only been a couple of weeks. The first day here she was walking around the neighborhood and called me on the phone in awe of the beauty of the area and its scenery. It does my heart good to hear such praise coming from my woman's mouth. It truly is a blessing to me when she is filled with the spirit. I am a grateful man when my wife is at peace. That is all for now......

Now that I am in Maryland, I look back on Florida fondly. It was a wonderful way to spend a winter. WE met some nice people there and I have a general sense that God used us there in the lives of others as well as using others in our lives as well for mutual friendships. I thank God for the time we had there and look forward to going there again.
WE are staying at a house now in tilghman Maryland. We are literally walking distance on both sides of our house to the Chesapeake bay! It is so different being here! There are not many people around. I feel the need to get connected somehow and feel that AA will be that connection for us while we are here as opposed to some type of church gathering. The people in AA are people just like us in many ways. They understand how Catherine and I tick. We have a nice place to live, but I am still unsure how I feel about it. It is so quiet! In some ways I want a quiet lifestyle, but in another way, I don't know what to do with myself! The Lord will direct our steps. I just need to trust Him. I seem to be saying that more and more lately.....just trust Him. Think he may be trying to tell me something? I am currently at my work at 5am in the morning! I think I will be ok doing some nights and some days. AS long as I stay disciplined with my time.