Friday, December 07, 2012

It's Go Time

The two words we've been waiting for now for four months...medical clearance!  Hudson has been released from physical therapy, and the ophthalmologist doesn't see any problem with us continuing Sami's eye patching treatment overseas with occasional visits to Beijing.  So a few more waves of the bureaucratic wand and on our way we shall be!  We're looking at a flight that leaves Christmas day and will arrive in China on December 27th.  I know it might seem kind of heartless to travel on Christmas, but we figure the airports will be pretty vacant and ticket prices a bit lower then.  But more importantly, we'll still be able to be a part of Kevin's family Christmas the weekend before and to share some Christmas fun with my parents as well.

This news, of course, comes with lots of mixed emotions.  Excitement over finally going home.  Home to our work, home to our community & friends, home to our apartment, home to the roots we've been working to plant for the past three years.  Then there's the sadness over leaving this home.  Away from family, away from friends, away from a life here that's become our new norm.  I suppose it's just a part of the emotional dichotomy that embodies our life.

This news also brings a wave of busyness.  Packing, shopping, unpacking, packing again to make it all fit, organizing, weighing, spreadsheet-ing...the joy of making the next three years of life fit in a small number of suitcases!  

The hustle also creates a new sort of...um...let's call it "freedom" for the boys.  For example, I left Sam in the kitchen for only 5 minutes while I was about 10 feet away going through some things. I came back to find him with the cabinet under the sink wide open, an open bottle of floor cleaner in his hands, and him muttering the word "Yummy!"  Fear not, the kid is still alive.  At another point during the day, I went to change what I thought was a dirty diaper.  In reality, Son #1 had just deposited his chili lunch in Son #2's pants.  Let's just pray that all of my children stay alive through this ordeal!  And while you're at it, pray the same thing for me!

8 comments:

Rachel said...

Beck, we are so excited for you all! This is wonderful news and I know brings such a lot of emotion along with it--and hard work, too, as you do all the organizing, sorting, and packing. We will be praying for you! Love you friend!

Meg said...

yay!!! I saw this and literally like exclaimed joy FOR y'all.
For sure praying for y'all..sounds pretty intense for sure-in a pretty grand way :)

Angela said...

YIPPEEE!!!!! You just let me know what this means for us... Even if it just a fly by lunch, we would take it:)
So very excited that there is clarity for what the coming weeks will look like for y'all!!!!!!
Praying for your mommy brain and heart in the coming days. LOVE YOU!

Carrie said...

WAHOO! So glad you guys are headed back. Praying for sanity you can find in the whirlwind you now find yourselves spinning in.

rachelc said...

I might have said "yay" or "yahoo" but other commenters beat me to it! =) hahaha! anyway, glad you're headed back to this side! It will be great having you just a phone call away again. Did you know that we made the Christmas Day trek one time; we actually really liked it (not sure if our families shared that opinion or not, though!)

Love the chili getting put in the pants of the brother. Crack me up! Hang in there, friend! We'll be praying for you - I seem to be doing lots of that these days since I'm just about on the verge of losing my mind too. =)

Susan/mama/G said...

Moving really is dangerous for kids. When we were moving and Mark was 2, he found some boric acid roach killer. Scared me to death. Thank goodness he hadn't swallowed any. I'm excited for you and will miss you more than I can say.

Courtney said...

congrats! by the way, I met Karissa Kassing (her parents go to our church here in GA). Small world!! happy you are headed back "home" :)

MichelleWebb said...

PTL! So happy for y'all! Zhongguo hen xiang nimen!