Fly Like An Eagle

 

It pays to have a husband with an eagle eye - literally.

Last week, his eagle eye actually spotted a bald eagle. As the song from Fiddler on the Roof goes, Miracle of Miracles, the eagle stayed put long enough for Randy to pick me up and take me to the location for a few photos before the eagle swooped away.

I have horrible eyesight. I've been wearing strong glasses since grade school. For me, glasses are the last thing off and the first thing on every day. Even with properly-prescribed glasses, I squint and struggle with vision.

Randy has never worn glasses. Well ... he sort of wears them for reading -- once he retrieves a pair of his over-the-counter glasses he leaves scattered around the house and in various vehicles.

Randy spotted the bald eagle on yet another trip to Zenith for diesel fuel during wheat planting. The eagle was perched in a dead cottonwood tree along the Zenith Road.

A pair of eagles builds its nest at nearby Quivira National Wildlife Refuge each winter, but it is too far away from a roadway for me to capture a photo. 

 

A year ago in July, an eagle perched on a pasture fence long enough that I was able to snap a few photos (again, thanks to Randy's "eagle" eye.)

July 2020

It's quite a treat to see them up close. Usually, they land way too far away for my little camera to be effective. 

Both Randy and I have kept our eyes to the sky to catch another glimpse of our majestic visitor. But we haven't been lucky enough to see him again. However, I keep thinking about that eagle and all that he sees as he's soaring through the air over our Kansas plains.

 

As is often the case, "flying high" seemed to be a theme with threads running through the whole week.  

An early morning soccer game for Brooke and the Fighting Unicorns provided an added treat when a hot air balloon appeared at a distance, then flew directly over the field. Spectators were watching the balloon as it traveled across the clear blue sky. 

 

 

But I think I captured the time when some of the Fighting Unicorns saw it for the first time.   

 

As a parent or grandparent, it's fun (and sometimes amusing) to watch these initial forays into teamwork and friendship. 

 

Some of my favorite photos of the day were taken off the field. 

... making friends ...

 ... cheering on teammates ...

... their turn to play ...

 

 

 ... and time for hot chocolate!

 

Cheering spectators are important, too!

 

At church, there was another glimpse of working together to "fly high" for a good cause.

The kids sold cookies in a jar for a mission project for the Zoe Empowers organization. Their goal was to raise funds for 10 sets of cooking pots for their sponsored friend group in the African country of Liberia.

Susanna Wesley UMC photo from their Facebook page

They quickly sold out! Grandma and Grandpa did their part.

Then we watched Kinley and her friends play in bell choir.

That is both a visual - and audio - reminder of the importance of working together. 

 I hope the girls and their friends learn how to "fly like an eagle" and SOAR in this life!

It's a lot easier with teamwork ... whether that's a husband who takes the time to come and get you when there's an opportunity for an eagle shot ... or on a sports field ... or in a church mission field.