Getting to Thankful

It was our intention to take Lily to school yesterday to give us more time and focus on packing as we prepared for a quick trip to the States to celebrate Thanksgiving.  But Lily had other plans, though they may not have been intentional.  As we raced to get in the car after lunch packing and letter writing to her classmates, a little writing project developed at her school, she looked green and said she wanted to throw up.  It never happened.  But neither did we take her to school through the heavily trafficked Bridgetown, which meant that packing, expected to be a relatively painless endeavor lasted over 4 hours.  We are only staying for four days.  Four sets of clothes for four people for four days.


Our travel time from Bridgetown to Miami was 4 hours.  Four hours of sitting with the girls and drawing, strategically placing stickers, watching videos on God's gift to parents, the portable DVD player, going to the bathroom, snacking, looking out the window and imagining we could walk on the clouds, diaper changing in the seat, going to the bathroom, standing on our seats (some of us), kicking the seats in front of us (the same some of us), eating and drinking and spilling and fighting and hugging.  But alas, here the law of fours did not apply.  There was only room for three of us in our row, row 25, seats D, E, and F.  So poor Didier was left out of all the fun while he dozed and I believe dreamt peacefully in row 26.  (Of course, he did offer help and step in when I needed to move about on my own, but he missed the constant companionship of les petites filles.  He wasn't really asleep, but I am taking a little license here.)

While still relatively chaotic, Miami International Airport was more organized mayhem than in previous visits.  Maybe it was the addition of Didier helping me to navigate the crowds and carrying bags and leading the charge to pass the slowpokes.  Perhaps my dear Lily is growing up.  Sure, she was pretty restless and Virginie cried her face off and took her shoes off and ran barefoot through the very serious Immigration Department, putting smiles on faces with her way-too-cuteness, but it was all relatively painless, though exhausting. 


Suddenly we were in the Navigator, leaving Miami and heading to my parents' home where family, food, champagne and cocktails were waiting for us. The journey was for this.  As I told Lily, we were going to celebrate Thanksgiving, a time when we give thanks for everyone and everything that makes our lives special.  She asked me if I would tell her when we got to thankful and that innocence, that sweetness, made me smile.  For my family, for all that we have when so many have not, I am thankful.  We have arrived.


For the 4:15 am wake up call, I am not so thankful.  


(c)  Copyright 2010.  City Mom in the Jungle.