Sunday June 14

This started out as a good day, I was still visiting in North Carolina, although we stayed in Virginia. We had found a church within walking distance from the Hotel and my two sisters and I decided we would attend the 10:30 service. I walked into this church like I owned it, friendly smiling, shaking hands, to the point that some of the people thought I was a member- I just was so in the mood to share Gods love and wanted to let others know that..
When the Pastor came out my sisters and I looked at each other and started smirking. You see he didn't look like what we think of as pastors, he had long hair, a gruffy beard and well was quite the character. I was thinking oh goodness if mom was here she would be getting that disgusted look on her face, like what did Jeannette drag me too now?
The sermon was gosh now I don't remember, but what I do remember and think back how odd was one of the ladies of the church got up to read a book to the children during the childrens service. Here is an excert from the book:

"I went to sleep with gum in my mouth and now there's gum in my hair and when I got out of bed this morning I tripped on the skateboard and by mistake I dropped my sweater in the sink while the water was running and I could tell it was going to be a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day." The book was called Alexander and the terrible, horrible day
So begin the trials and tribulations of the irascible Alexander, who has been earning the sympathy of readers since 1972. People of all ages have terrible, horrible days, and Alexander offers us the cranky commiseration we crave as well as a reminder that things may not be all that bad.

After church service we walked past this small hamburger/ice cream place. We decided to call the hotel and let Samantha and my sisters husband that we would be going there for lunch and to come and join us. Lunch was funny as some of the food was not food we had ever seen. including Hush puppies and Hotdogs that were almost a neon pink.
Then we visited my niece and her family as the purpose of this trip was to celebrate my grand nieces hs graduation.

Yet all day, I had this odd sensation, what really was odd and now I look back and know it was a sign, ( I am sure some do not believe of those that have passed sending messages but I do)
My niece that passed in 2006, loved dragon flys, I saw several that day, but the oddest was whenever she wanted to send her mom a I need to talk message she would start the conversation out with "have you spoke to Matilda today?", twice we saw that name written, once on the window at church and then again someplace else.
several times on Sunday I called Eric, but unfortunately my cell was not working in the area we were in. I got texts from Becky, and Scott both asking if I had heard from him. The last I spoke to him was on Saturday, he said he was going to buy dogfood.
Sunday night we retired to our hotel around 8:30 pm, I was very wired and decided to take a Advil PM, we had agreed that we would leave by 7 am so Sam and I was packing our suitcases. At 9 pm the phone rang and I knew. I didn't know what I knew but I knew. Scott was shouting on the phone, now not to get side tracked but someone really needs to teach him how to deliver bad news. He is terrible at it. I couldn't tell what he was saying but it didn't matter. I knew. He told me that Kevin found Eric and his car, I started screaming, there was a scream in me that I never heard, it was like a sucker punch in the heart. I hung up, and then Sam started screaming. I told her to run down to my sisters room and get them. By the time they got back I was answering the phone again, this time I handed it to my BIL, he said they weren't sure if Eric was gone, and I said, he's gone I can feel it.
We decided to leave and drive home, I did not want to wait until morning, besides sleep wouldn't come anyways. My BIL would is disabled and can barely walk or move packed up the rest of my stuff. We (or should I say I) drove home. Yup I had to drive what else could I do. I had to stay focused on something else until I got home. After awhile though I did give up the wheel, we arrived home about 5 am. That will be one ride I will never forget

Thank you, Lord, for being our protector! Thank you for watching out over us. Help us not to run from you, Lord, but to run TO you!

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7