Phoenix Vacation
Day 5 - March 5, 2017

My day didn't really get started until after noon. Patti and her husband got up early for church this morning, then arrived back home around 1pm. We soon departed to have lunch with Patti's mom Betty, who moved to Phoenix from Houston two years ago. Betty lives in a 60+ retirement neighborhood providing homes for seniors, and they are separated by the amount of care, if any, they may need. Betty is 90 and still going strong, so she is completely independent, still drives, and has a gusto for living that's amazing to witness. She has a beautiful home with all the amenities, 24-hour security, and much more, and she loves it. Well, they have dining rooms for the residents and their invited guests to enjoy, so we went to have lunch! Now, I know what you're thinking....lunch at a senior facility? I'm here to tell you that I was totally blown away by the facility, the food, and the service. We had a full buffet including various salads, fish and chicken entrees and numerous sides, freshly prepared omelets, and plenty of desserts to choose from! It was all delicious, and I was so pleased to see Betty enjoying where she lives, and being happy to be only ten minutes away from her daughter.

After lunch we headed about 30 minutes outside of Phoenix to Sun City, Arizona, and arrived at the American Lutheran Church for the 3:00pm performance of the Concordia College Choir. This amazing choir is based in Moorhead, Minnesota, and tours a particular region of the United States each year. I saw them in Houston five years ago, and now I get to see them again today! Patti was in this choir after high school and graduated in 1983, and if you ever have the opportunity to attend a concert by them, do so. You will be amazed. In fact, I want to alert all my interested friends in Houston that they will be performing there next year, and you are all invited to go with me!

After the performance, we were invited to attend a light dinner in the fellowship hall of the church. It was great fun visiting with the talented young men and women in the choir as we all sat and broke bread together. There were numerous times during the lunch that they would stand and sing for various reasons like thanking the kitchen staff for the lunch, as well as a blessing of the meal before we ate. Here they were all around us, singing in beautiful harmony, and in full voice, and it nearly makes you weep on how beautiful it is. Chills, and nearly tears, from me and others.

As we wrapped up our wonderful experience at the church today, we headed back to Phoenix with a beautiful desert sunset lighting our path. The air had a slight chill, and wisps of clouds blazed in orange and red, constantly changing in intensity as the sun set behind the mountains, and we couldn't keep our eyes off of it. A glorious day of music capped off by a glorious sunset. It doesn't get any better than that.

We got Betty home and said our goodbyes, then we proceeded back to our home for a relaxing evening of reflection on our past few days together, and wishing it wouldn't have to end, but all good things do. I head back to Houston tomorrow to be reunited with my own family and home. I'll be happy to see them all, and as I get back to a normal life, I will continue to miss my friends here in Phoenix because I've already started.

Thank you to everyone for sharing my story as a participant or a reader. Sometimes it's difficult to put into words the everyday extraordinary experiences that fulfill your life, but I've done my best, and I only hope I have convinced you what a luck man I am.