Greetings from Uganda!!!

So we’ve finally arrived in our new home. For me (Benj), this has been a desire for the majority of my life. Then, after we got married, this was a thing that Christina and I would dream about together as we looked at our future and what we imagined it to be. We have worked toward it in fits and spurts for about the last 7 or 8 years and it became a reality in earnest about a year and a half ago. Since then we have been diligently working to reach where we are at this moment while I sit and write this. To think about this now it is overwhelming. Looking back over all these years, we can see all the experiences, relationships, trials and effort have lead to this, which is always how life works, but it is glaringly obvious sometimes more then others. And now from here we go forward, always forward, onto…

Before we go there though, here’s what the last 48 hours or so have taken us through…  

Wednesday, 9:05am EST: We receive an email informing us that our flight out of Chicago has been delayed due to “operational constraints”. This leaves us just less then one hour for our connection in Amsterdam. Stress level: 6 minutes to midnight

Wednesday, 10:10am EST: Grandma and Grandpa, Grammy, Benj and Christina and the kids load the church van and depart Grand Rapids en route for Chicago. Stress level remains consistent

Wednesday, 12:14pm CST: Stop at Chic-fil-a, good lunch enjoyed by all. Stress level: 10 minutes to midnight

Wednesday, 1:37pm CST: Arrive at the airport, unload luggage and pay approx. $150.00 for carts to get it inside (what’s the deal with that?) Stress level: 7 minutes to midnight.

Wednesday, 1:48pm CST: Check in for flight. No one in line.  Luggage is weighed and tagged. A few are slightly over but grace is given and relief is felt. Stress level: 20 minutes to midnight.

Wednesday, 2:03pm CST: Luggage must now be taken to security check-in and scanned.  During check-in a couple of straps on the totes break, one tote is opened and searched and a brief interrogation ensues. Stress level: 3 minutes to midnight.

Wednesday, 2:28pm CST: Luggage is cleared and taken back. Again, relief abounds. Stress level: 30 minutes to midnight

Wednesday, 3:06pm CST: Time arrives to say good-bye. Hugs are shared, tears are shed and we head through security. Again, very short lines and quick progress through and the sudden realization that we now have almost 3 hours to wait.

Wednesday, 5:3?pm CST: After walking the length of the airport a few times, exploring all the shops, and being generally restless, boarding begins. The kids are a bit nervous, and feeling restless already, but we’re excited to be on the move again.

Wednesday, 6ish pm CST: We are settled in our seats, headphones and kindles are out and ready, and take off is imminent. Suddenly sedentary, the reality of what is happening finally begins to sink in, queasiness and heart palpitations begin and will last until… well they haven’t really stopped yet. Stress level: 4 minutes to midnight.  

Wednesday, no… maybe Thursday, 7:55 perhaps, AM I think. Touch down in Amsterdam. Run the 8 miles from gate G3 to gate F9 with 2 kids who hardly slept at all on the flight. Arrive with enough time to use the bathroom and then straight onto the plane, back into the seats, headphones, games, pillows and blankets all back out.

…sometime in February: Land in Uganda, kids finally fell asleep shortly before landing, had to wake them up, didn’t go well, de-plane with twice as many carry-ons (maybe it just seemed like it) and 2 zombies that used to be our children.

… I think… maybe it’s… 2016: Got through the airport with almost no problem.  Collected all of our luggage and got some help moving it all through customs. Loaded it onto Ruddy and Beckie’s van. Headed out on the 20 minute drive to our destination for the night. Stress level: unknown do to exhaustion

…don’t know…time or place… brain won’t function: arrived at our destination, the home of some friends of Ruddy, found a mattress, went to sleep.

Friday, 9:30am UTC+3: everyone slept decently and awoke relatively refreshed, had tea and left for our next temporary home in Jinja. The ride went well, we made a number of quick stops including one for lunch. Hit the road again and everyone is beginning to feel tired again. However, only one fell asleep in the truck.

Friday, 4:00pm UTC+3, Arrived at Beckie & Ruddy’s place, where we’ll be staying for a while, unpacked and began to settle in. We’re all relieved to be done traveling for a little while. We’re also all ready to sleep again. Stress level: back to manageable levels for the time being!