Travel

There's no easy way to say how bad 2020 was for the travel industry. Colossally bad only hits the tip of the iceberg.  But there were some good spots to come out this pandemic, both personally and professionally.   This post will focus on the professional.  For the personal, let's get vaccinated and have coffee together sometime.

The break of travel in 2020 allowed me to stop and pick apart how my company operates.  Pre-pandemic business was good. I was always working and loved it. But with the break, it was a time to see what I could do to elevate the client experience. How can I make travel better for my clients?

Enter in the Itinerary Management Service emails.  

I want my clients to know all the things they need to know so that when they travel, they're informed, prepared, and well positioned for a great travel experience.  But like all baby thoughts, this one needed time to grow.

I started off using a text editor to create some basic templates. For some I added in pictures.

But for others, it was just text.

The information was good, but the presentation was lacking.

I like using Gmail for these emails because I can pre-schedule the sending. This allows me to set up all the informational emails at the time a client makes a reservation and not have to worry if I'm sick, swamped with schedule changes, or off traveling myself. The client will still get the email.

But Gmail presented a problem of its own. From my MacMail, the pictures would go through fine, but from Gmail, the pictures didn't always arrive as intended.  

The idea was good, but the follow through was unpredictable.

Then I found CloudHQ, a handy add on to Chrome that allows access to MailChimp, and MailChimp gives access to better emails!   Now the baby's starting to crawl!

With MailChimp I can create well laid out, lovely to present emails that will not only deliver information to my clients but look professional and carry my company image.  And with CloudHQ, I can link to MailChimp and use Gmail's schedule send option.

It's such a win-win. I get beautiful information emails AND I get to schedule them through Gmail.  This baby's running now!

Here's how it works.

Once CloudHQ is added to Gmail and MailChimp is linked to CloudHQ, compose a new email. Next to the "Send" button is an icon of a blue page. Click it.

When the CloudHQ screen opens, select the MailChimp tab and find the template you'd like. You can search by folder, scroll down, or search by keywords within the template.

When you find the template you'd like to use click on the icon with the arrow pointing into the box.

A new window will open and you're able to modify the template anyway you need to.

This handy tool took my emails from this:

To this:

And that's something to be thankful for.

 

Grace on Marginless Mornings

I was not looking forward to this morning. Too much packed in. Too much to do that I had not intended on needing to do all at one time but that somehow piled itself up on me anyway. Sneak attack. Then I woke late. Sleepless babies make marginless days even harder. And then I left late. Fitting one more thing in, more peak at a hairstyle gone wrong. One more email sent. One more diaper to change. One-more-things make marginless days even harder still. 10 minutes late and knowing it- praying for grace in the time crunch I created. And it was given. A front row parking spot to make getting two babies and bags and a stroller in to the doctor as on-time as possible. Grace on a marginless morning.

3 Gifts Miraculous

Miraculous seems like such a heavy word.  But if I take it down to the "every day" miraculous of life the beginnings of the list would be:

1- Marriage.  I don't know that I'm one who's really "built" for marriage and one who didn't really think marriage would be something I'd do.  But my marriage to LK is, while I'd don't believe in "the one," a miracle from God that I am very much thankful for.

2- Motherhood.  Like marriage I don't see myself as a Susie-homemaker and so motherhood is something that doesn't come naturally to me.  But the miracle of it is how much I enjoy it.  It's a miracle, the whole birthing process and giving life, but more than that it's a miracle to watch the boys as they grow and learn and discover and know that I'm playing a role in their lives.

3- My career.  My job, how I'm able to do it from home, how it's successful, and how much I love it are all wrapped up in the miracle of a job that I found because I was stuck in a horrible job whose only benefit was free breakfast and a free paper (with the want ads included).

Trying to Do Better

While it seems the majority of everyone else I know cataloged 30 ways they're thankful in November, I've been silent here since late October.  But here's to trying to do better.  And one way I'm going to try and make that happen is to follow the Joy Dare. So here you go.  December 15.

Gold-
I'm going to take liberty and go with golden.  Silence, which is golden.  The boys ran errands with LK today and I had time to myself.  Time to finish up a few things in silence.  I love my busy house, but every once in a while, moments of silence are truly golden.

Scented
I'm not someone who likes overly scented things so this is hard.  Hmm.. I suppose I'm thankful that when I went into Lowes today they were unscented and didn't have all the pine scented Christmas decorations right at the door.  This meant I didn't have to shop with a headache.  

Bent Low
My pride.  My haven't spoken to my uphill neighbors since late April when we had the falling out about them drilling a huge hole through our retaining wall to drain their rain water into our yard (yes, I'm still working to get over it).  But I promised ISH, who asked why we were upset with each other, that if given the chance I would bend my pride low and treat her with kindness.  We haven't seen each other really or been in a situation where I could follow through with that until this morning.  She was out speaking with another neighbor who in turn started talking to me, which put uphill neighbor and myself in conversation with one another.  We spoke, kindly and politely, and I didn't even mention the retaining wall. 

A request for a kiss

I had lunch with Geo yesterday. I'm thankful for a job and a stage in life where I can go and eat with each boy once a month. However I'm also thankful that, while he now calls us Mom and Dad (so grown up), as he was heading back to class and was about to leave without even a high five- he can back and not only gave me a hug but requested "Kiss?"  And then he offered up his sweet, still boyish cheek right there in front of everyone. I thankful that, at least for now, he's not too big for that.

Being able to help take care of Dad

Thankfully Dad's rotater cuff surgery went well and thankfully he continues to heal well.

And today I'm thankful that I'm able to come and spend the day with him helping do the little things he can't do on his own right now (like put on his shoes). It's been a blessing to be able to help out and a blessing to spend the day together just the two of us.

Coffee with Mandy

We aren't able to get together as much as we did a few years back- additional kids, jobs demands, life, etc. But today we scheduled it- coffee time. She enlightened me on all the new there is for babies (since it seems I had my last baby during the dark ages), and we laughed, and talked, and enjoyed each other's company.

It's a blessing to have friends like her.

The man whistling at the gas station

I don't really enjoy filling up the tank but today was a special treat as I was entertained by the man at pump 2's lovely whistling. 

Dad's Surgery, Recovery, My In Laws

I'm thankful my dad's surgery went well on Wednesday and that he's at home recovering.

I'm thankful that, while sitting at home not even lifting a laundry basket or anything else has been incredibly dull, I have been able to do so and that all things with me and the baby continue to go well.  I'm hoping that by being an uber good girl this week, I'll get off light duty next week and into more of a medium duty.  But even if I don't, I'm thankful that I have job and a family that allows for light duty living.

Which brings me to my in laws.  I could have done light duty without their help this week, but it wouldn't have been nearly as easy as it was.  I'm thankful that they were able to take the boys and give them a fun fall break while I was at home resting.

God's care

I had a bit of scare with my pregnancy my last 48 hours in Brazil.  But I am thankful beyond words for my teammates who pulled together and prayed for me while I was off experiencing the joys of a small town Brazilian "hospital."  I'm also thankful for the wonderful hotel staff at the Beach Hotel Cambury who cared for all of us as we were concerned about what this scare meant. I'm thankful that Lisa was on the team- an RN and midwife- who was able to help us have a better handle on what was going on and knew what to do.  And I'm thankful for Becky and Rachel, fellow teammates and Portuguese speakers, who came with us to the hospital so we could communicate.  Thankful too that rules were broken and Lisa and Becky were able to come back with me so I was not alone while at the hospital.

Now being back, having gone to my doctor, having been monitored and release with a "you both look good, just take it easy,"  I'm thankful for God's care through this scare and thankful that both myself and baby are doing well.

Babi

Today as I was walking around the hotel Babi, one of the Brazilian women, caught me.  She put her hands on my belly and began to rub the baby (a very Brazilian thing to do) and said there is a song she loves to sing to the babies in the womb.  And then she began and blessed me and my unborn child with the most beautiful lullaby-

 

She sang to me, in Portuguese, the words of Psalms 139:

For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
    your works are wonderful,
    I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you
    when I was made in the secret place,
    when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body;
    all the days ordained for me were written in your book
    before one of them came to be.

 In Brazil they call giving birth, para dar a luz (to give light).  What a beautiful thought.

 

My Time In Brazil

By this time tomorrow our time with the women here at CCC 12 will be half over.  I'm so blessed to be here with them, to learn more about their lives on the mission field, to share my heart with them as well. 

I'm also greatly blessed by the wonderful cards and encouragement my Prayer Warriors have sent to me while I'm here.  You have no idea how wonderful your words are- true gifts of the spirit to my soul.

Safe Travels and Small Ankles

I'll admit, the last few weeks have not only seemed like race to the finish with trying to get ready to come to Brazil for the Great Cities Missions Continent Care Connection but it's also been a week of emotional ups and downs as I've questioned if coming on this long flight, this far along in my pregnancy is a good idea.

I'm thankful that over these two weeks LK has been supportive, and loving, and encouraging.  He never once made me feel like I had to go, but he always helped me feel like this is something I can do if I want to.  I'm thankful for such a wonderful partner on this road of life.

I'm also thankful I came.  It's just the team here right now, in a lovely hotel near Sao Sebastian Brazil in the state of Sao Paulo, and already I can see great ways God is blessing us.  I cannot wait to see the missionary women when they come on Monday.  I've come to bless them and offer them renewal but I know I will not be leaving without being filled by God's Spirit shared with me through these women.

So we have arrived safely at the hotel and not once on the flight did my feet swell (a big deal when you're almost 7 months pregnant) and not once did I feel uncomfortable or worried that something might be wrong with me.  The baby kept on moving and I even got some sleep! 

I'm thankful for my time here, and looking forward to getting to work!!!

Sleep

I'm about to head to bed when I've realized it's been two weeks of silence on my end.  So tonight I'll break that and say sleep.  I'm thankful for sleep.  As my belly gets bigger and sleep comes in more of three hours spurts (I call it pre-season training before the baby arrives) I know how blessed good deep sleep really is.

I'm also thankful that as I'm typing this the little guy is getting his soccer kicks on inside my belly.  It really is an amazing thing to watch and realize that, before we know it, we'll be meeting this little man, this new HartMan, face to face soon.

LK and His Support of All My Little Projects

It's a good man who allows his wife to be who she is and LK does that so well with me. He gets me (and gets that he simultaneously never will even "begin to believe he knows me") and that's something I can say for very few people. And I love him for that and am thankful for him because of that.

As I've posted before, I'm also thankful that when I look at him with that wild look in my eyes that says "let's re-arrange the whole house" he doesn't complain as I have him disassembling and hauling beds and more from one side of the house to the other.

But today I'm thankful for the man who stayed up well past 1AM to help me reconcile PTO shirt orders.  Who turned page after page of forms trying to get it all to line up.  Who when it wasn't reconciling looked at me and said "I'll start the kettle.  You get the forms."  Who did it all even though he was the one who still had to go to work this morning while the boys and I had a day off.

It reminded me of the time in the summer of 2000 when I had summer school finals to cram for and he drove 2 hours in the middle of the night to help me stay awake and study.  And that was back in the day when what we have now wasn't even something I thought I could do.

I am extremely blessed to have him.

AT&T's Personal Hotspot

Today's the last day our neighborhood pool is open. Many days of summer are spent with me juggling the kids wanting to be out and about and me knowing I have work to do. School year days are easier as I have time to work but holidays, as today is, is a mix of wanting to take the kids where they want to be and knowing that tonight would be a mess with work to catch up on. Enter AT&T Personal Hotspot stage right. Today I get to spend time with the boys at the pool, knowing I can be connected as needed. And that is by far a blessing.

Monarch butterflies and stinky boys

I saw my second monarch fluttering past today. That means September and cooler weather is around the corner.

I'm also thankful for the stinky boys clothes I put in the washer today (and thankful for the washer). I'm thankful because the clothes are stinky as a result of running and playing and being healthy boys. As two people I know have young children starting chemo this week, the fact that mine are currently healthy and able to run and stink and be boys is very much present in my mind.

The Completion of Eye Therapy

Today ISH was cleared from eye therapy.  February 26, 2010 began this journey of admitting that something wasn't right with his eyes which lead to September 2011 and the start of full-on 1 hour and 20 minutes at home eye exercises 4-5 days a week with 1-2 days in office therapy with Dr. Damon White. 

There are times none of us wanted to be doing this and times when it seemed like it was never going to end, but today ISH was cleared from therapy.  He has depth perception and his eyes can focus together.  One eye is no longer working while the other rests- they are working together now!

You should have seem the happy dance ISH did when he heard the news (and yes, there were happy dances from mom and dad too). 

As I commented back in April, I'm thankful that while the time and money haven't been fun to spend this way, it hasn't been a burden.  I'm thankful that my mom and MIL kept the therapy going this summer when they had the boys even though summer would have been way more fun without trying to fit the exercises in.  Not to mention the trips down the turnpike this summer just so mom could bring ISH back for his appointments (what a trooper!) And I'm thankful for an understanding little boy who could see the big picture in this- who was willing to do the work and understood that this, while not fun, had life long value.  May he continue to see the value in hard work that is not immediately rewarded.

And I am thankful that, barring changes to his vision that none of us can predict or yet anticipate, he is done!!!!

The Prospect of Rain

And not just because we could really use some down here but because the forecast of rain has lead to a cancelled cub scout camp out.  And while this little prego mama was more than willing to sleep in a tent to have shared experiences with her boys, I've got to admit I'm thankful that tonight will involve me and my Tempurpedic.

Isa

She walked in this morning and did her little back-scratch spasm on the floor and then sat up and watched me get ready and I thought- I'm thankful to have her.