Waiting in the Wings

What does that even mean anyway? Wings of a plane don't make sense. Is that a back stage term that I just don't get? Whatever.

As I sit and wait for our son to come out of surgery, I can't help but be a little nervous. And maybe a little bored. So, instead of reading a good book, I'm going to inflict you with my writing. :)

For those of you who don't follow our every move (**gasp!!**): Our son, Quinn, is having his cleft palate repaired today in Springfield, MA. Phil and Nadia are still at home on the equator, and the baby and I are doing well. He went into surgery this morning at 8am, and is still there. So, that s what's new.
 Hopefully in a bit I'll be able to post again. And maybe later I'll also figure out how to get photos up from my iPad to the web....no promises there.

Took Our Dive

And now we're here. "Here" is Springfield, MA, my hometown. Our trip was so very long, and we are still reeling, but I think we are on the upward swing of recovery. It's difficult to express how weird and nice but weird it is to be "home" without the two other people in our lives that truly make any place Home. I left our camera back on the equator, so I'm sorry to report that I don't have any photos to share at this time. Just a few little thoughts I had as we made our two-day journey to the other side of the planet.

During our 15 hour wait for our international flight out of our capital city, we got the chance to stay in a lovely, air conditioned, CLEAN, and moderately fancy hotel. After going for a swim and even ordering room service, it was time to check out and catch our shuttle back to the crazy airport. As I cuddled my busy 1 year old son on our cushy seat in the air conditioned bus, I looked out the window and tried to wrap my head around the combination of people I have become over the past few years. I was comfortable and happy to be sitting in a big, clean bus, after a big, clean day, but was also completely understanding and relating to the scenes we were passing: an entire family on a motor bike, their groceries attached - a dad, in his underwear, pumping water from a well, accompanied by his 3 little children and a herd of goats - a pair of old ladies, fresh and clean from their afternoon baths, gabbing about the so-and-so's and the nonsense of whatever - a new mom standing with her newborn in a sling, bouncing and swinging and singing to stop the crying - an old man on a bicycle, with an old refrigerator strapped on the back. You know, the usual.

I thought to myself as we bumped along, I either belong nowhere, or little bits of me belong everywhere I go. It's a confusing way to be. But a gloriously un-boring way to live.

on the ledge

Well, tomorrow morning, bright and early begins our great journey. Quinn and i plan to be traveling for all day Sunday and all day Monday, gaining a day and living through Monday twice. :)

Boy, i'll miss my 1st baby. My Nadia and her daddy are preparing to return to our jungle home to carry on life in there as the 2nd baby and i head out into the wild blue yonder for over a month.

I forgot our camera cord in our last crazy trip out of the jungle (as many of you already know, our wonderful plane was under repair this last time we had to come out - and we had to all ride out on the motorcycle. I've been silent on that whole trip for a reason... :).

Here are a few photos from the week before we left our home.

Nadia walked around "cuddling" this beetle for a full morning before i realized that it was actually quite dead. She was pretty convinced that it was the same exact rhino beetle as last time, Frank. It was not, i assure you. Just as there are many fish in the sea, there are many beetles in the jungle. :) She's not buying that just yet, and was pretty insistent that Frank had come back to her.

My lovey little guy is growing like mad. He's also learning the art of throwing temper tantrums. We are in for a long, LONG few days he and i...

And just a pretty shot of Nadia and her puppy, Zippy. She misses her little dog already, and is looking forward to seeing her again in a few days. I'm happy she's got Zippy to look forward to interior.

If you're praying for us, thank you. And here are a few specifics for you:

That Phil and Nadia will be able to get settled into a good routine and have the chance to be productive while Quinn and I are away - and they'd be safe in our little jungle village.

That Quinn's health would be strong during this time before - and after his surgery.

That our many travels would be safe and organized.

And that our hearts would be comforted during this time of separation...