Maine Vacation 2011, Part III

We headed to the other end of Boothbay Harbor for the rest of the afternoon. It was a much busier area than the beautiful spot in the previous post. But it was fun in a different way. We got in line at a very popular ice cream shop - I had THE best sugar free cone ever. I drool when I think of it.

We were walking across the boardwalk by the water and saw chalkboard signs for whale watching cruises. It was too late for those, and too expensive. But as we walked further, we saw a sign for a shorter, 1 1/2 hour cruise around the harbor. The price was reasonable, so we signed up.

We boarded the very full boat and headed off for a delightful adventure.

We learned that Boothbay was established in 1816 and was a prominent ship building town. They still build high end custom yachts today.

The musical movie "Carousel" was filmed there in 1956.

It is also a very busy lobster trapping harbor. We learned that the buoys are color coded for the trap owners. We were given a demonstration of the lobster harvesting process.

It was just a demonstration, so they put them trap back in the water.







The harbor seals come out in the late afternoon, just as we were getting to the rocks where they surface, fishing for their dinner.





We saw such beautiful sailboats and other vessels.










This is Tumbler Island, with one house hidden in the trees.



This is a very bad picture of a gigantic house, now called Minister's Retreat. I don't know many ministers who could afford the $28,000 per week price tag - even though it includes 8 bedrooms, a maid a butler, a boat to ferry you back and forth, all your meals provided and served.




I love lighthouses and would have loved to visit and explore these a bit. This first one is the Ram Island Lighthouse, built in 1868. We had heard a foghorn in the morning on the other end of the harbor, and it was quite annoying. Turns out it is very sensitive to humidity and goes off all the time. The residents are so used to it that they don't even notice.




This on is the Burnt Island lighthouse, built in 1821, and the last one to be automated. Sadly, there's nobody manning them any more.




We thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful air, the hum of the motor, the lovely scenery - and each other.




And, like in the morning, there's always someone willing to take a picture for us.




We spent Sunday visiting Kevin and Angie's little church, with a good meal fixed by her, and a peaceful afternoon. The next morning we went Old Orchard Beach for a bit of sun and surf. It was very crowded on the beach. We didn't stay long, but just got a taste.










Tuesday morning Angie had to go back to work, and Kev had a doctor's appointment. But before the appointment, we had an appointment of our own - we met Groovy and her husband and girlies at Panera for a bit of breakfast, and good conversation and laughter. What a blessing.

We had another early morning departure - we tried to get a last minute room in Boston so we didn't have to leave in the middle of the night to return the rental car and get to the airport for our 8:00 flight. But there wasn't anything affordable, so we got up at 2:30 and had a peaceful drive into Boston.

I realized that when I'm flying is the only time I've really wished I had a Kindle - I was afraid my suitcase was going to go over the 50 pound limit with all the books I took along. I read two books flying there and in the evenings while the others watched a movie, but the third one was just not working for me. So I bought one at the airport - something I try hard not to have to do. But I am so glad I found this book - Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. Oh, my goodness, what a heart-rending book. I had not heard of it before, nor did I know it was a movie. But I highly recommend the book. You know how I feel about books based on movies.

Come back again for The Swanson Family Reunion!

The Pursuit of Transcripts All Over the World

For 15 years I worked at Colorado State University as the Admission Coordinator for the Master of Social Work applicants. That was only part of my position, but the admission process took up the majority of my time from January through April. A huge part of that process was the calculation of grade point averages for each applicant. Some folks apply for graduate school having gone to only one school for their undergrad degree. Most have 2-3 schools along the way, at least for a class here and there. Some have had as many as 10 schools they have attended in pursuit of their bachelor's degree. Some were so old that the grades were handwritten. Some were typewritten. Computers made things much easier, but there are literally hundreds of different formats.

Figuring grade point averages is a tedious task. I figured out a rough estimate of how many of those documents I worked with in those 15 years, and came up with approximately 5600. I often lamented that I wished there was some consistency - that every college or university had the same format. That everyone had the semester system and nobody had the trimester system. That everyone had 4 points for an A and 0 points for an F. That nobody used + or - with their grades.

So why, you might ask, am I harping about this old news? It has to do with Kevin trying to get back into school to finish those last few credits for his degree. I offered/agreed to help him by ordering the transcripts from everywhere he went to school. He has limited time, ability, and resources to get this done. This is when I really wished that every college or university had the same rules and regulations for ordering transcripts.

Did you know that no matter how long you've been out of high school, and no matter how many previous colleges you've gone to, you still have to dredge up that old transcript and send it to the university where you're applying?

Kev attended the local community college for a welding course, and maybe another 2 or 3 credits. They would not let me order it. He couldn't call it in. He could do it on line - but it didn't work for him. He had to fill out a paper copy of the transcript request, sign it, and turn it in - and since he's far far away, it could be faxed.

Colorado State University has several possible methods, too, but fortunately he was here in town, getting Angie moved, so he was able to walk into the office and have it in his hand in a few minutes.

Biola University was easy to work with - they let me order it by phone, no problem at all.

The biggest challenge of all, as you can probably imagine, was his Africa Nazarene University transcript. He only attended there one semester (long enough to meet Angie, fall in love, and change the entire course of his life, and ours), and only had 12 credits there. I wish we'd ordered several copies before he left there, or the last time he applied for college.

I wrote to my missionary friend at Africa Nazarene University and asked her the name and e-address of the person I needed to contact in Records. I wrote that person - keep in mind that there is a 10-hour time difference between here and Nairobi. Therefore, whatever I send there is seen the next day, and whatever she answers is not seen until the next day, so it's a three day process just to get a message back and forth. She couldn't find him, because they had him listed as Carlson Kevin, not Carlson, Kevin. It took several more days to get that resolved, and I ended up calling her to resolve things. It took another couple of days to figure out how to pay for the three copies we decided we should get, just in case.

Wow, was that ever an ordeal! They charge a ridiculous amount of money to run off a transcript - about 3 times what anybody else charges. Then there's the part about transferring $32.00 from my bank to a bank in Nairobi, which was then put into an account for ANU. The total was $98.00 for 3 transcripts.

So, I thought it was all taken care of. Several days later an envelope arrived from Africa. I opened it to be sure they had sent everything I had paid for. Big mistake. I send the envelope on to Kev, and he sent one copy to the University of Maine, and was informed a few days later that they could not accept the transcript because it wasn't in a sealed envelope. I understand that, I really do. But Kevin tried to convince them that they should consider the fact that the transcripts were from a third world country, but they wouldn't budge.

So - I wrote my friend again and asked her to intervene for us with the Records office - to tell them I wanted them to replace one of the transcripts free of charge, this time sent in a sealed envelope, with a signature across the seal on the back. My missionary friend wrote me back to tell me they would re-do the order, but not free of charge. But they were going to pay out of their pockets. I assumed I would repay them, but so far I haven't heard from them about the amount.

The coolest thing about this latest situation - there was a group from America there working on the campus, returning to the US yesterday. They were to bring the transcript back and send it overnight as soon as they get back here. It really pays to have good friends in far away places.

Well, this has probably bored you all stiff, but I just had to put it all down to believe it! I'm just trusting that U Maine doesn't come up with any more problems with this crazy, convoluted process - a process much ore difficult than any I've ever seen, in my years of working with transcripts.

We're off to Maine to visit Kev and Angie on Thursday - there's much to do in the next two days. Then we'll be home a day and will head to the mountains for time with my extended family. Only about 28 of the 55 will be there, but we'll have a great time. Among other things, we'll be celebrating my folks' 65th anniversary.

Stay cool!

The Week in Review

Well, actually, it's a review of the last couple of weeks -- we've had one really hot day, two or three perfect days, and several wet and cool days. Never a dull moment around here. The Big Thompson River is running really high and fast, but so far no flooding down here.



I've actually been up to Estes Park twice this week - really quite hard to believe. The first time was with my two dear friends from high school in Nebraska. These two are like extra sisters to me, and we've seen each other through a lot in the last 25 years since we've connected here in Colorado. One is back in Nebraska, but has a cabin out here in the mountains. The other one lives about 20 miles from me. We get together as often as we can.



Monday we spent about 6 hours catching up, and had a lovely dinner at one of our favorite places above Estes Park called The Bald Pate Inn. It has a fun history, so check it out if you're interested. They have the most delicious soups, salad, muffins, breads, and pies.



The inn is old and rustic, made of logs, and has sloping wooden floors which add to its charm. They employ several college students every summer from all over the country, in fact the world, who are majoring in Restaurant and Resort Management. It's always fun to visit with these young people who are enjoying their stay in the mountains for the summer. I just learned that the book and Broadway play on which the name of the inn is based is inspiration for an outdoor drama they do each summer in their amphitheater. I'd love to go back up there and see it, but it doesn't look like it will happen this year.

A couple of days later, DC and I headed back up there with his sister who lives here and his brother and SIL who were visiting from Georgia. It was one of those cold, wet, gray days down here. But as we headed up, we broke through the clouds and in fact could see them below us as we climbed. The elk were out in great numbers on this day - we even saw one at the top of the mountain, which is highly unusual this early in the season - he was eating brown grass when the ones down below were dining on succulent greens.


You can see brown trees in this picture - they are victim to the pine bark beetle, which is destroying so many of our forests. It is very sad. They haven't figured out a way to stop it yet.

As we got higher, we found our picnic spot and enjoyed a bit of sun and warmth (if you sat right in the sun). This was in the Lawn Lake area, where a devastating flood roared through in 1980, due to the failure of a dam. It did great damage to Estes Park, just 4 years after the Big Thompson flood, which started below Estes, but caused tourists not to be able to get there for a couple of years. So they suffered about 6 years or more to their tourist economy. Here you can see reminders still evident.



But the area was beautiful and we enjoyed ourselves, along with many others who were out with the same idea. Many of them were spotting big horn sheep up on the rocks in the trees, but I never was able to locate them.






We proceeded to the top of the world via Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous highway in the US. There was so much snow up there this past winter that the opening, which is usually around Memorial Day, was the latest in 20 years. Driving between the plowed banks felt as if you were going through a tunnel.

I took this one outside my window. I love the puffy cloud and deep blue sky above the snowbank.

The road had only been opened for 5 days, the first several were so the workers could get up to the gift shop at the top and get it ready for the onslaught of tourists. When we got there, the shop was doing a booming business in souvenirs and lunch. It was SO cold, though sunny, up there. The wall of snow that had been scooped off the parking lot was amazing.



I stayed in the car and "let" DC take all of the rest of the cold pictures - I seriously thought the wind was going to whip him off the edge of the world at one point. I just love the shadows of the clouds floating above the snowy peaks.







Two weeks ago, we went into the mountains at the southern part of the state, up to our church camp. The occasion was especially poignant for our church, for it was the groundbreaking for a new chapel which will be named after the young man, Dan Walker, who died three summers ago while he was working there for the summer. The chapel will be so beautiful and in a setting unparalleled in its beauty, facing Pikes Peak.

Dan was a wonderful young man with a huge future. Though he is gone from us, the ripples of the impact of this chapel will be even more huge.

Dan's family turned the first shovels - mom, dad, and 3 brothers.

Kevin and Angie had quite an adventure getting to Maine. Thirteen states, 2500 miles, 45 hours in total - all driven by Kevin. Just a few miles down the road, their brand new wheel alignment proved to be inadequate - they turned back around to Cheyenne and found that the company in Fort Collins had done absolutely nothing - $168 worth of nothing. Amazing. The same company in Cheyenne did the right thing and fixed it for them, and were very kind in the process. They hit lots of construction, causing big delays. Trying to make up for lost time, Kev got a speeding ticket in Lincoln, Nebraska. They finally made it to their destination where I'd made them a reservation (they had no phone bars throughout the day) until 1:00 a.m. The second night they made it as far as Cleveland and stayed with the parents of one of the TC students. It was such a blessing to spend time with these neat people, and very refreshing to them - all of them. When the phone worked again, Angie found out she had 3 calls from the jobs she had applied for - all asking her for interviews. A fourth one came later, so she had 4 interviews coming up on that Monday. I loved the way they took it all in stride and just enjoyed being together.

On Thursday they made it to Utica, New York and had a good night's rest. The next day they got to see Niagara Falls on the Buffalo side - such a treat. They enjoyed the beauty of that part of the country and felt like tourists rather than weary travelers. The friend with the truck had gone ahead, because he had to be back at work.

They finally arrived at TC in Winthrop, Maine Friday afternoon and spent the week-end with the pastor in whose home they are staying until they can get into a place of their own. This is wonderful except for two things - ticks and black flies - oh, and no bars on her phone. But it's all sorting itself out. She had 4 interviews on Monday and one more on Thursday. Three of the 4 on Monday offered her positions - I don't know if she's heard from the 5th one, but she accepted the one on the Ob/Gyn clinic in Lewiston, Maine. It was a tough decision for her - several of them were very inviting. Talk about feeling desired! We are so proud of both of them. Keep them in your prayers if you think of them, because there's a lot of "settling in" ahead of them.

I know this is way too long, but just a little update on the kiddoes -

Miss Emma is on her second round of pink eye, and miraculously none of the rest of us has caught it. She had it in both eyes and kept saying, "I have a pink eye." Katie would then say, "I don't have a pink eye," in the tone of voice that indicated she couldn't figure out why she didn't, since they always do the same thing together.

I love listening to them when they don't know anyone's listening or watching - they love to sit at the table for a long time after the meal, making games with their toast, their silverware, and anything else they can make into a toy. They also make a huge mess in the process! That hot dog bun ended up into about 100 pieces on the floor. Oh, well, that's what brooms are for.




And just for the pure fun of it ---

New Beginning

Kevin and Angie will celebrate their 10th anniversary on September 1. They have been physically together for about 5 of those 10 anniversaries. It will be a great day. I was reminiscing about their wedding day as I drove down the street one day this past week. It was the culmination of several months of wrestling with the INS to get her fiance visa. When it was finally granted, they had 90 days to get married so that she could legally remain in the US.

Their wedding was special - we tried to do as many things as possible to make it what she wanted it to be. They spoke their vows in Swahili, and even my brother, who performed the ceremony, learned a few words so that he could make the final proclamation in that African language. Since her parents could not be here, we had some special words from her dad read to the audience.

But one of my favorite things was when they turned to the congregation and we all sang "Great Is Thy Faithfulness" together. Little did any of us know how much we would have to depend upon that faithfulness as the years unfolded. And He has never failed to be faithful.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Refrain

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

(Lyrics by Thomas Obediah Chisholm)

Kevin flew home last Wednesday to begin the arduous process of closing down Angie's life here in Colorado and moving her to Maine. A friend is flying in Sunday and they will drive a truck and their car back, beginning next Tuesday, the 31st. What a lot of change has been Angie's to deal with over the 10 years. She has been faithful and true to her vows and commitment she made on that wedding day. It has not been easy. But she has kept things going and will now be starting over again. We are excited for them, at the same time as we will miss having her around here.




Last night we had one more opportunity to hear Kevin speak at our church. It was such a blessing. Once again, a song spoke truth, as we sang together before he spoke.

I don't know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from it's sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

I don't know about tomorrow,
It may bring me poverty;
But the One Who feeds the sparrow,
Is the One Who stands by me.
And the path that be my portion,
May be through the flame or flood,
But His presence goes before me,
And I'm covered with His blood.

Refrain
Many things about tomorrow,
I don't seem to understand;
But I know Who holds tomorrow,
And I know Who holds my hand.

(Words by Ira Stanphill)

If you think of them, please pray - this is a huge step of faith. Angie has had one personal interview and 2 phone interviews. All of them have been very positive, but she needs to be residing in Maine before she can land one of these jobs. Kevin's position with Teen Challenge involves just a small stipend. But they are confident that God will not leave them nor forsake them at this point in their lives.

If you don't know Kevin's story and would like to, please let me know and I'll be glad to send you the document by e-mail attachment. We plan to write the sequel soon.