The India Trip--Home Perspective

It was May 2022 after hearing a team share about their mission trip to India that Aliza determined that she would be going to India on the next trip. Being that mom I told her that she would be going only if her Dad and I were also going. Aliza and I went around on that for some months. My gut feeling didn't change. For quite a while it looked like I would be the one going, but ultimately, it was clear that Jeremy needed to be the one to go to India. 2 Dads, 2 oldest daughters, both girls seniors in high school. It turned out to be the most memorable senior trip with their Dads. 

The Moms drove them to Dulles airport and said goodbye at the curb. I didn't cry. I was excited for the adventure that awaited them. 

 

My mom graciously spent the day with Josiah, Anna and Isaiah. It had already been a busy weekend with the Heslop family at our house so the kids were ready for a day to be in their spaces. Isaiah was feeling great. Mom took Anna to dance and I got home just in time to pick her up. 

As I was walking out the door my uncle asked me if I was tracking the flight. I wanted to be tracking the flight, but I hadn't taken the time to find an app to do that. My cousin and her husband were flying the same airline, through the same layover airport, on the same day, to a different Asian destination so he was already tracking her flight. 

Turns out I think tracking flights is a pretty great thing! lol. When I woke up during the night I could just check that little plane icon that was then over Egypt and roll over and go back to sleep. I was particularly excited watching the landings and take offs. My children thought I was ridiculous. 

Jeremy and Aliza arrived safely. Their hosts made sure they adjusted to the time change as quickly as possible by keeping them awake that first day. After that they settled in to a schedule of church trainings during the day and cultural experiences in the evening.

They spent most of their time in Kolkata which allowed for daily contact with them. They could also send lots of pictures. There were so many feelings seeing pictures of both Jeremy and Aliza thriving and serving the Lord.

Meanwhile, Isaiah started feeling better and then Josiah got sick.

I did some scrapbooking and found this card. It seemed so fitting for Aliza and Alena and what they were doing.

At the halfway point, Janell had invited the kids and I to spend a night with her at the resort she was at for a work conference. The kids and I were really looking forward to a change in scenery and a day to relax. It didn't quite end up that way. Josiah had a long coughing spell during the night and Anna woke up sick. Isaiah had fun! He and I spent an hour in the pool. Instead of spending the day, we headed home at lunch time to be sick in our own space.

I was bummed. I had some ideas for things that three kids and I could do. Instead someone was sick the whole 12 days.

From India, the pictures kept flooding in. The disparities in the pictures stood out to me--extreme wealth beside poverty.

I decided that putting out a puzzle might be a fun diversion. We've acquired a few over the years--and if I have them, they may as well be used! This one had so papers with it or writing on the box. The pieces were in a sealed bag and when I dumped it out, I realized it was a 1000 piece puzzle. Not exactly the challenge I had in mind! But Anna was into it and she put the edge together and stayed up late working on it. (We are making slow progress on it.)

By the end of the week, everyone was feeling better and I had stayed healthy. Thank God!

All of us went to the airport to pick up Jeremy and Aliza. In retrospect that was probably a little crazy, but everyone survived. We left early and spent a chilly hour at Great Falls which is just 30 minutes from the airport.

We arrived at the airport as their plane landed, which was also a little crazy. I knew in my head that I should have planned to arrive an hour after their plane landed, but my heart couldn't help being there when I knew they were on the ground. And so we waited while they deboarded, rode the shuttle to the terminal, waited in the long customs line and got their luggage. Two hours later, they finally walked through the doors. 

Obviously we had to have supper at Chick Fil A complete with Peppermint milkshakes. Together.

It was such a long drive home. Aliza fell asleep. Jeremy would talk to me for a few minutes and then I'd look over and his head would be completely hanging down and he was snoring. 20 hours in the air will do that. It was what I expected and I didn't mind at all. 

The side effect of jet lag that has made me giggle is that the two people in our house that are the most unlikely to wake up early and fall asleep early---are waking up early and going to bed early.