Waffle House, Gulf of Mexico, Gulfport and a train

Today was our day off, which meant sleeping in, church and exploring a little bit more of the Gulf Coast. We joined the congregation at Lutheran of the Pines Church or something like that. It was a good start to our day.

Here's some observations about the Gulf Coast...

There are Waffle Houses everywhere. Sammy counted at least 6, with two of those being within a mile of each other.

The I-90 bridge between Bay St. Louis and Pass Christian is open again, one lane in each direction. There were people working on the bridge all day long, which is a positive sign. Made for a slow journey across the bridge though.

The water in the Gulf of Mexico is refreshingly warm. We were able to wade out on a sand bar and enjoy the water a little. Douglas was very careful to make sure he was covered from head to toe, with sunscreen, clothes, towel and hat. His sunburn is peeling very nicely. Debbie was taking this picture, so she wasn't in it. Bill had a good time herding fish.

Lunch was in Gulfport at Applebee's. As we drove through it was very interesting to see that the Casino's are all rebuilt, big and beautiful while the homes and businesses around them are still in pieces or completely missing. Shows you what money can do.

All in all it was a good day. We go back to work tomorrow. Painting, sheetrock, tiling, door hanging and baseboard are on our lists. Please continue to pray for the safety and health of the team. Our day off was really good for our exhaustion level. Other requests are for patience (though Kanda and Yo Momma request that you don't pray for their patience level, thank you very much)and for willingness to do what we are being asked to do, by the home owners, team, and God.

Additionally, while we've been here a friend of several of the youth was in a vehicle accident. He's in critical, but not super serious, condition with a broken leg and collapsed lung. We'd appreciate your prayers for him, his family and for his friends at home and here.

This last picture is for our littlest blog reader. We just happened to be in the right place at the right time and the train came rolling across the bay. Train Guy, this one's for you!