It was time to say goodbye to my family. I had been dreading this moment all year, but now that it is here it seems surreal. I could just be leaving to visit N'djamena or Moundou, surely I am coming back. I hugged all my kids and my dad and mom. They prayed that I would travel safely. I didn't cry. I still haven't.
The plane trip back was long. 35ish hours in airports and airplanes, not counting the 7 hour bus ride I had to take from the capital. But I was pumped. Randomly I would start dancing out of sheer joy. It didn't matter if I was standing in customs lines or waiting to board an airplane. When I reached D.C. I was greeting everyone I met with big smiles and "Good Morning!" I was so happy I was dancing and the security officer told me, "You don't look like you just got off a plane."I wonder that I didn't drive people crazy, I was talking to almost everyone I met. I would ask them questions about where they were going and what they did for a living, then I would almost explode with excitement telling them that I was going home.
After descending through several hundred feet of clouds we finally touched down in Portland. My mind was blown by how green everything was and how wet it looked. When I got to baggage claim I discovered that my luggage had decided to stay in San Francisco. I guess it was hoping to get a glimpse at the Golden Gate Bridge. My Daddy picked me up and we drove to our church's fellowship hall where my mother was helping with a dinner, completely ignorant of my arrival back in the States. I sneaked in the side door behind where she was sitting and stood there waiting for her to notice. She saw me out of the corner of her eye and I don't think I've ever heard her scream that loud before! She leaped out of her chair and grabbed me and squeezed me so tight it made my back hurt. The entire room stopped eating and stared at us like we were crazy, so my mom explained that I had been gone and had come back early to surprise her.
The next few days were a flurry of surprising people. We went up to visit my sisters and along the way we stopped at different relative's houses so I could hug them. I don't think there are many things that are better than showing up, surprising people, and thus making their day happier.
Yes, I enjoyed my time in Tchad. It was awesome and I miss parts of it. (I don't really miss the heat, it's a little chilly here but I'm not sweaty all the time.) But I'm so glad to be home. I get to hug 'my' kids whenever I want. I got to meet Shiloh and play with Hozannah. I'm going to be moving up to my Grandma's house soon and then I'll be able to see my sisters all the time as well. It's good to be home. So very, very good. :)
