Day 1: First leg from Raleigh to DC

(Patrick)

Up at 3:00 AM!!! Jim and Ann Dotson came to pick me up while shuttling their sweet daughter Hillary to RDU. So at 3:45 I kissed my lovely wife (who I am already missing) and said “goodbye” to Charlie, my yellow Lab who just can’t seem to understand why I was not feeding him breakfast at this early hour. Met the rest of the team at RDU at 4:10. They were amazingly chipper. 

Our first flight was on a Q400 Turbo PROP plane. The largest propeller plane I have ever seen! And yep...it flys! (Though I think “400” stands for how many feet it flys above the ground.) In flight, Sam, Eric, Lou and Taylor all conked out. Hillary and Sarah (who says she’s ‘not a morning person’) gabbed the whole way to Washington DC, Dulles. Poor Courtney Williams was the only team member to get a lone seat...next to a balding businessman. Guess that’s what happens when your group has an odd number and your last name starts with a “W”.

The bumpy turbo prop flight, in tropical storm induced rains made me reflect on the goodness of God’s promises as I read Psalm 33:18

“The Eyes of the LORD are on those who fear Him, on those whose hope is in His unfailing love.” Hopeful for spotting His good blessings on this trip.

s

Sarah and Hillary, gab-meisters!