...as promised.
But first...
...we drove to Sebring this morning where Casey boarded the train to Jacksonville for orientation to a new job tomorrow.
During the three weeks Casey has been here with us on Pollywog Creek, we agonized with him as he faced unemployment, and we rejoiced when gainful employment was offered and especially when he learned that he and Jessi are expecting a baby early next year.
A baby. We're having another baby and we are thrilled. Some of us have a feeling that Jessi is having a girl this time, but we'd be just as delighted with another little boy, of course.
Back to Thursday - it is an understatement to say that it was not what we had been expecting. You would have to know just how much Emily has adored President Bush to understand the depth of her disappointment. Just ask Abi, Anna and Britt, or Dave, Mark, Nathan and Matt. Her friends will testify to Emily's fierce loyalty to President Bush, and her unwillingness to be swayed by peer pressure to speak negatively about him in any way.
Emily first learned about President Bush's trip to Florida and her opportunity to meet him a little more than three weeks ago. Bush's trip was rescheduled once during that time, and Emily battled doubts that meeting him would actually happen. To protect herself from disappointment, she tried not to get too excited.
It helped that we were unusually busy, but after the White House called Wednesday morning to give her last minute instructions, she went to bed that night confident that she was going to meet President Bush the next day.
The news the next morning that Bush had cancelled his trip to Florida was unbelievable. I was stunned and knew that Emily would be devastated. Desperate for wisdom, I emailed my prayer partners, grabbed my camera, and headed out the door for a long walk and talk with God.
That's a good place to stop for now, don't you think? I promise I'll finish the story soon, but for now it's time for a last-day-of-summer walk around Pollywog Creek...
