Sitting here in the airport in Portland, Maine waiting for our flight. I went back and reread all, almost 100 blog entries that I have written in the last 66 days, and got totally overwhelmed with gratitude to God for this awesome experience He has allowed me to have, and sadness that it is over. I moved off by myself so no one would notice me blubbering. The whole trip seemed so long, but now seems like it was just a few days ago that we started.

The sad thing is that all the memories of accomplishment, pain, beauty, excitement, fatigue will fade and it won’t be long before it will be like it didn’t even happen. But the character that has been shaped in me by the experience I will work hard at not losing. I am going to put the pictures and blogs together and go back and read it periodically to refresh my memory.

That is the way life is, you forget a lot, but keep pushing on to new experiences, growth, and accomplishments. The Apostle Paul said it this way, “forgetting what is past, and pressing on to becoming  more like Jesus”, that is my life purpose.

I wonder if I could build a sailboat from plans, sail it to Hawaii and sell it? Just a thought, don’t get excited :-).

I do think I will keep writing this blog, if you are interested in reading it. I will work at making it entertaining, and meaningful as I write about going to Vietnam in November, going mountain lion hunting in December, getting along with my wife all the time :-), being a grandpa, being a pastor, working on my next BHAG of competing in and finishing an Ironman event. Woops they are calling for us to board.

I love you all very much. Dee