Another Countdown!

Awhile back, I had a post titled Countdown! and it was about my baby Nick heading off to Washington D.C. with his classmates and a large contingency of parents and teachers.  I realize I didn't post any updates as to his activities back there.  Overall I think they had a great time.  Nick is not one of those kids that talks a lot, too much like us, his parents.  Sometimes I may type a lot, but I don't usually talk a lot and I don't like using phones much at all.  

They had a very full schedule, and the week they were back there was quite warm and according to the weather sites was stormy, but they only got hit a couple of times with rain, and when they traveled to Williamsburg, the hotel's power was out but the restaurant they got 'dressed up' for was fine.  He brought us back a souvenir: a black coffee mug with "NCIS" on it.  I thought that was pretty funny - yeah, we enjoy the NCIS series and re-runs ad nauseum :)  

After the group returned and while we were at the airport still awaiting baggage to fall down onto the carousel, Jay's mom (Nick's friend and his mother were part of the group) told me that part of the group almost didn't make the flight.   I later found out Nick was one of those that almost didn't make it.  For the size of group they had, they had cut really close the timing between their last event and getting back to Dulles for their flight out.  As it was, Nick said he was one of the last to board and that was occurring about five minutes after the scheduled departure time.  AND one person didn't make the flight....the school principal!  Fortunately he was able to get a later flight that at least got him back to this state and then the next morning another flight from that location to the home airport where his wife picked him up.

Now we have a new countdown!  And departure is only a couple of days away.  On Wednesday morning, bright and early, we (Nick & I) will be pulling out of the driveway to head north to the wet land I call my real earthly home - there's a difference between that and my real eternal home :)  Right now though, the wet land is not so wet and is going through a hot spell only about 10 degrees per day lower than our hot spell, and yesterday we had a high of 105.  Today reached 102 before a cloud layer rolled in and let things cool off, and it's presently just a little over 90.  But the trend is for cooling, if even only a little.  In my book, anything over 80 is always too hot no matter where it is.  65 - 75 degrees constant would be ideal for me.  Throw in some occasional rain, some clouds and I'm good to go.

Marty nearly always stays home because 'vacation' is largely just hanging out with family who live there and I've known my entire life and Marty hasn't and he isn't very social and would rather be out hiking or taking landscape photos - he doesn't do people/gatherings well - so when he has come up, it's only been for a couple of days either by plane and return, or on a driving trip with one of his buddies where they camp and photograph their way around the country.  This year, he has no plans other than to work in my quilt room, but I do hope he's able to get away for a weekend at some point.  His outings usually are in the winter when he can go to the mountains and get impressive snow shots.  He misses us when we're gone, and we miss him, but this works for us and has for probably the last 10 years we've been doing it this way.  I think in part, he and I both spent too many years as single adults so doing things independent of each other isn't an issue, mostly, though some times it can be.

Countdown!

It's count down time for Nick!  Tomorrow morning, Marty will take him to the airport where he will meet up with 36 of his classmates and another 27 parents/teachers - I'm glad there's a large adult contingency going!  From the airport to his destination, a non-stop flight is a very long way away.  They're going to Washington D.C.  This is part of their year-end 8th grade activities.  He's very unemotional about the whole thing.  Of course, he's never been a big talker so I wouldn't know if he's excited at all or not.  He is like his dad! and in my book...well, that's frustrating.  I've been fussing and feathering (like most moms) for quite awhile to make sure he has everything he needs to take along according to the supplied list.  After we got home from church this morning, I got out the suitcase, the list and took them to his room and was ready to get him packing...him? meh, not so much!  His comment?  "I'll pack tonight."  :S  OK, then. Well, at least I have all his laundry done, and gathered up his necessaries.  And I guess he'll pack tonight.  Good grief, what's the hurry Mom, right?

As this count down ticks off the minutes, I get more and more anxious, and pray more and more.  My BABY has never been gone from me this long - SIX DAYS!! - nor so far, by surface from our town to D.C. one route is 2667.97 miles ...two thousand six hundred miles... he may as well be going to the moon.  How can he go so far away from his Mama?  I woke up this morning with my stomach in knots.  He's going to be gone without Mom and Dad.  For 6 days.  Far away. 

I've discovered as I get older that I get these little fearful anxiety-producing moments, this is one of them.  I envision all manner of horrible things that could happen and I won't be there to protect him, as if I could at this stage of the game.  But he's my BABY, and I'm his MAMA, and that's how MAMA's feel, isn't it?

Even so, I will trust in the Lord, and not be afraid. I will continue to pray that way until, and after, he returns.