There are 4 very large, probably not weight compliant suitcases sitting by our front door. Alarms are set for the ungodly hour of 3AM. Flight leaves at 6. By Sunday morning, we will be landing in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia!
It's been 4 years since we last visited our children's homeland. 4 years ago seems like a different world. Lily had just turned 4. (And I mean just. We basically blew out the candles on her cake, then headed to the airport.) Daniel was about 1/2 the (enormous!) size he is now. Many things have happened in our family and in the world in those years. It seems like past time that we went back home.
The weeks leading up to tonight have been anxious ones. We are watching and waiting to see how the latest political upheaval in Ethiopia's government will be resolved. So far, a restive peace seems to be holding steady.
When I was in my 20's, it seemed to be that I was always throwing a bunch of stuff in a suitcase and jetting off. Maybe I'm mis-remembering, but it seems that now that I'm in my 40's travel preparations cause me much more anxiety than in my care free (and kid free) days. I make lists weeks (months!) in advance, and over prepare and triple check and wake up worrying. This morning I drove frantically to our medical office to get a travel booster shot, the whole while thinking 'What am I DOING? I never used to worry about shots and getting sick while traveling and now I'm practically bringing an entire medicine cabinet in my suitcase!'
Sigh. Worrying, always useless and never easy to stop doing.
However, now the bags are packed and (miraculously) zipped up and the kids are sleeping or pretending to sleep and the fridge is empty, the plants watered, the coffee pot and toaster unplugged and there is simply nothing else to do on my to do list.
So here are my hopes- whispered aloud through the dark to the universe.
Let there be peace in our country as well as the one we travel to.
Let we all be healthy
Let this trip help us re-connect to each other and to our far away African family.
Let there be a moment of laughter that surprises all of us, together.
Let no one get sick from eating or drinking anything.
Let all the flights leave and arrive on time.
Let us get delightfully lost and discover some beautiful place together.
Wishing all of you safe travels, wherever you may be going tomorrow.
 |
| flying, 4 years ago. |
It's been 4 years since we last visited our children's homeland. 4 years ago seems like a different world. Lily had just turned 4. (And I mean just. We basically blew out the candles on her cake, then headed to the airport.) Daniel was about 1/2 the (enormous!) size he is now. Many things have happened in our family and in the world in those years. It seems like past time that we went back home.
The weeks leading up to tonight have been anxious ones. We are watching and waiting to see how the latest political upheaval in Ethiopia's government will be resolved. So far, a restive peace seems to be holding steady.
When I was in my 20's, it seemed to be that I was always throwing a bunch of stuff in a suitcase and jetting off. Maybe I'm mis-remembering, but it seems that now that I'm in my 40's travel preparations cause me much more anxiety than in my care free (and kid free) days. I make lists weeks (months!) in advance, and over prepare and triple check and wake up worrying. This morning I drove frantically to our medical office to get a travel booster shot, the whole while thinking 'What am I DOING? I never used to worry about shots and getting sick while traveling and now I'm practically bringing an entire medicine cabinet in my suitcase!'
Sigh. Worrying, always useless and never easy to stop doing.
However, now the bags are packed and (miraculously) zipped up and the kids are sleeping or pretending to sleep and the fridge is empty, the plants watered, the coffee pot and toaster unplugged and there is simply nothing else to do on my to do list.
So here are my hopes- whispered aloud through the dark to the universe.
Let there be peace in our country as well as the one we travel to.
Let we all be healthy
Let this trip help us re-connect to each other and to our far away African family.
Let there be a moment of laughter that surprises all of us, together.
Let no one get sick from eating or drinking anything.
Let all the flights leave and arrive on time.
Let us get delightfully lost and discover some beautiful place together.
Wishing all of you safe travels, wherever you may be going tomorrow.
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