It is 9pm. Kids are asleep. We are about to wake them up--but they know this. Then we off t0...the car, the plane [to Costa Rica], 5 hour layover in San Jose, another plane [to Managua, Nicaragua], then catch a van heading to San Juan del Sur all the while scooping up our friends Karin, Nick, Caleb & Livia who are right now hanging out in Masaya, Nicaragua. Kids are anxious--trying to remember that we are heading to Central America and not South America as both of them have proudly proclaimed to their teachers and friends. It's the life! I'm psyched! None of us really care where we are going...just that we are off.
Today it hit me after I dropped off Kai and Skyler at Grandma's with their respective rodents to settle in, that I was going through the process of disengaging. It felt great. I need this! Devon was driving. I did not have much more to do. We don't actually leave until 12:10am--who books this type of flight you may ask?--well, those who are cheap enough to fly on whatever frequent flier miles will give you about a month out--so the whole day just fit together as we worked out way out of one life and into another. I knew it was the first step when I left the iPhone & purse at home. I don't really care who calls or what emails I get, I can check those when I get home or whenever. I could feel that anticipation knowing that I was heading to Floyd's Barbershop to get a haircut. Do I really cut it off or just get a trim? In my heart I knew it was time to get it cut off--and I did. I felt lighter when I left with my short hair. The haircut felt symbolic. A gesture of a new adventure.
After years of being unable to break the 13 bag barrier we are taking one large bag, one really small roll on backpack, and three personal backpacks. Today we have 5 bags. It helps that we are leaving the booster seats home. Yikes, this is a first for that one. Now that these guys are 7 & 9 we are going to put our energy into just finding transportation with a seat belt--and I know that won't always be possible. We have to accept these risks. It is our one wild and precious life after all...and we are off to live it...
