This morning at 6am we heard voices from the room across the hall. Troy went to check it out. Noah was sitting cross-legged on the top bunk across from Isaac. He saw Troy and said, "Goodmorning Daddy, I yove you. Me and I-saac are just having a chat." By 7am they were outside mixing it up with the chickens. Crash and burn time ought to arrive by 11:30am for the littler one. That should work well for me too.
I had crash and burn time yesterday. Noah and I slept for two hours. You may see me on A & E's "Intervention" before long. I've always wanted to meet Jeff VanVonderen anyway - I see my chance coming. One iron pill just isn't enough anymore. I'll need to find my dealer for more before the weekend is over. (All joking aside - a good book, by VanVonderen and David Johnson -worth reading - The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse.)
The point is, I am forced to whine ... just for one or two sentences. I hate being tired - wah wah wah - poor me. I want energy. (Throws self on floor.)
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We have friends offering to take us on a short trip late this fall. The offer is lovely; we're touched by the generosity. The telling part of all of it has been the questions they've asked. They want to know where we want to stay; making sure the location has all the best choices of food and entertainment. They want to know what sort of car to rent, making sure it is something we approve of for four days of transportation. They gave us about 77 choices in four categories. We gave them the deer in headlights response.
After lots of back and forth Troy finally said, "A Wal-mart or a large grocery store offers too many choices." We cannot handle all the pressure of these decisions. It's time to re-learn how to make choices. The toughest choices we make here are: Watch 24 on DVD or watch CSI? - Buy the package of 4 red apples or the package of 4 yellow apples at the store? - Stay home or stay home? - Alaska or Carnation Powdered milk? (Which both taste gross, leaving you not to care about what you buy.) Drive the truck that runs or drive the truck that might run? Troy especially, is in for major sensory overload after so many months away from the land of choice. He might weep when he pulls into a gas station to get fuel and finds they not only have it, they have three choices of fuel grades.
Things are starting to feel weird, emotional, up and down. Now that it's August (we've gone over that, I know) it seems very real to us that our days here are numbered. With the team arriving tomorrow we know we'll be busy and the next 8 days will fly. After that there are so many things we want to wrap up, things will speed by. The girls and Peanut leave in just three weeks to spend a few days with Baywatch and family in Florida. I fly in on Spirit with Hope, Ike, and Jack to meet up with them about 48hours later. (Troy and Phoebe stay here in relative calm & tranquility.)
You've now had sufficient time to say to yourself, "they are bringing the dog?!?!?!!?" Yeah. We know. Seems like a bit much doesn't it? . Britt lobbied hard for the dog to come along. She said, "Someone might poison her, someone could hurt her, these are my last months before college and I need my dog." We saw how the dog reacted to our 7 day departure in March. We don't think she'll make it through 3 months without us
Once we figured out that the dog could fly on Agape (the missionary mail service airplane) and therefore would not have to be in some hot cargo hold for hours and hours; we decided to bring her along. For this family, even loving (and keeping) a dog long-term is quite an accomplishment. To be taking one across an ocean and on a 1800 mile car ride ... now that is just nuts. I don't really know how you sneak an animal of her size into the Super 8 in mid-America Tennessee --- but we're going to find out.
Watching the plan come together, Troy and Phoebe are feeling pretty good about missing-out on being a part of the traveling circus for this cross-country trip.
Isaac may not breathe fire, Paige does not juggle, and we may not have a bearded woman; (although who knows - maybe by then??) but there will still be plenty to see when this dog and pony show hits the roadways.
