Our son lives in DC and has an interesting and awesome job working for a congressman as his Political Director. He lives right by the Capitol and we thought it might be fun to spend the 250th celebration weekend with him in the city. We had a few things planned.

I've got a fan who has followed me since he was a kid who is now married and works at the White House as the Deputy Director for the President's Gifts. He reached out to me and arranged for a night of bowling in the basement at the White House, followed by a private tour of the West Wing. We also fit in a brief visit to his personal office where he showed us all the gifts recently sent to the President . . . from Kings, Queens, Prime Ministers, and even grandmothers from small towns. My friend inventories everything, has the gift appraised, photographs it, and he and his boss decide where it will go (with approval of course from President Trump). There was a huge gold vase that had just arrived from China's President XI. There were several portrait paintings of the President, all from different artists, some very good, and some that would probably go to the vault (we all laughed about that). There were gifts of jewelry, textiles, books, and a pile of letters stacked from the floor up to the desktop, all that would be read, addressed and filed. What an interesting job! He also arranged for us to have lunch at the Capitol Hill Club with Lee Greenwood and a small crowd.

And then there was dinner one night at Joe's, my favorite supper club in DC, and church on Sunday morning at National Community Church, always a MUST. The message was so hopeful and we skipped down the street to brunch with our son and his girlfriend.

After church we visited the Mall where the 50 States were represented and popped into many of the States where I perform in the Midwest. We also visited Nevada and I quietly hummed the state song  "Home Means Nevada" when we walked in. The greeter heard me and we exchanged names. She went to school with my sister.

We attended a Nationals baseball game (with our son in an air conditioned suite . . . ahhhh, that's the way to go!). It was a packed weekend and believe it or not, we didn't get to do everything we wanted as the weather was unbearable. And . . . we stood in lines a lot. But all in all, it was a really fun time.

The morning we left for DC from Minneapolis, we had a very early flight. It was stressful, especially with all the road construction in Minneapolis . . . and Tim and I somehow never do well getting to the airport on time. We didn't miss the flight, but we missed getting our bag checked in time, which means . . .  well, we missed the flight. They booked us on the next plane to DC. At least we'd get there, just two hours later than planned.

Everyone who has this kind of experience and is married knows what is to come . . . I looked at Tim, he looked at me. Whose fault was it? HA! Right?!! Well, we were pretty good about it, and decided to make the most of the morning, so at the airport we had a nice breakfast and got coffee. We actually had wanted to take the later flight we were now on, so I guess it worked out. And at least there were two seats together, so we'd sit next to each other.

Maybe it was meant to be.

Before we knew it, it was time to board. Here we go, down the isle to around row 20, and Tim crawls into the window seat, and I take the middle . . . and sit down next to an old man on the aisle wearing a Korean veterans hat. Tim greets him and says, "thanks for serving!" We settle in and notice his wife is across the aisle in the middle seat, so he is pretty much alone. Food comes, and we notice his is a special order. The flight attendant gives me different choices. And I take the cookies. 

About half way into the flight, the food is cleared from the attendant and I still have my cookies (I don't really know why I took them, I never do). I offer them to my new old friend. He reminds me of my dad, and starts right up with his cute sense of humor, saying he should have taken them when they were first offered. We laugh, he takes the package from me and we begin to engage in a once-in-a-lifetime memorable conversation about his time as a Korean soldier. 

He is on this flight because he has been called by President Trump to be a part of the 250th celebration. The President wanted him to be on stage with all of the veterans the evening of July 4th. My new friend first declined and told the President he was too old, and that his feet didn't work so well because they were frozen in 40 below zero weather during his time in Korea. But President Trump called him back again, insisting and insuring everything would be taken care of (I thought about his special meal), and that he would be in an air conditioned room until they came out, and it would be just fine to have his daughter and her husband escort him with his wife.

It was fascinating talking to him. He told me how 15,000 soldiers defeated over 100,000 North Korean troops in Busan, South Korea. (I had just been to Busan on my Japan trip so everything became extremely real to me.) South Korea had been invaded by the communist North (aided by China), and our American troops helped to support the democratic South after World War II. Here was my friend defending democracy on June 25, 1950, in a place as he called "Frozen Hell" and here we are today . . . current events . . . fighting communism in our own backyard. We couldn't believe it. **

As the plane landed, I wanted to remember his name so I could watch for him on the stage. He said "my name is Pat Finn." And then he said with great curiosity "what is your name?" I told him "Lorie Line." He threw his hands up and said, "I knew it!!! I've been to your concerts. I went two years ago and loved it." 

Nice to meet you.

Instant friends. Pat Finn and Lorie Line. 

The evening of the 4th we watched in great anticipation as the veterans were wheeled out to the stage. You can only guess who the first veteran was to come out to the thousands of cheering people on that memorable stormy night.

Pat Finn.

Of all the fun we had over the weekend, my favorite memory will always be the plane flight, sitting next to a guy who loved our country and freedom so much that he was willing to lay down his life for people he didn't even know . . . for someone like me, whom he never met.

World-record fireworks, beautiful food, a great sermon, a lovely hotel . . . all the gold in China . . . nothing compared to the emotion I had meeting this man on the aisle, proudly wearing his Korean veterans hat.

Seems I have a knack for meeting beautiful people on the aisle on an airplane.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I'm so glad we missed our flight. 

It was meant to be.

** Pat Finn has a YouTube special called Frozen Hell. Of course! Click here to watch his documentary. 

PICTURED BELOW

Lorie and Tim at The Willard Hotel. The Truman Bowling Alley at the White House. Lorie with Pat Finn on the plane on the early morning flight. Tim and Lorie with Janelle and Blake Paulsen (Deputy Director of Gifts and our personal tour guides who also helped to create memories of a lifetime).

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