As I type this it's a little past midnight on Monday, June 23 morning. - As a side note, today would have been Maura deSouza's 28th birthday... here's to Maura, celebrating in Heaven angel-style with Jesus. - This is also significant because in two weeks from right now, Savannah, Dynamo and I will be at the Chennai International Airport waiting on our flight to Frankfurt, Germany and then onwards to Houston. I know I said it last time, but there are an enormous variance of emotions running through us... I spent yesterday sorting my bedroom into piles - donate or share locally, pack in container for ocean transit, pack in suitcase for short term living. Our apartment will be packed up and we will move to a hotel next Monday or Tuesday. I will spend a few hours each day this week doing the same with the rest of our stuff, leaving Savannah to make decisions about her clothes. Next weekend will be it - finality with decisions for ocean or air and saying goodbye to our little place in Padur. As I was sorting yesterday I could not help but think back to my moving-Nazi, AKA BFF, Danielle (whose birthday is still today in the USA, by the way - June 22 - Happy Birthday, BFF!) and how she made me do this same type of exercise just a little over 2 years ago as we prepared for the move FROM Texas. And it just seems like yesterday... Yet, here we are, 24 months later, and preparing for the move TO Texas. It just feels like the blink of an eye. It is exciting to be heading back to our friends we left behind and the family, not to mention the fiancee. But we have made some amazing friends here, too, which we will now leave behind. And our church family. And while I am thrilled to begin my new role in Houston with Safmarine, I am leaving my Maersk team over here, which is tough... Quite the roller coaster of emotions. As I sorted through my things I took some time to look through a book my team in Houston gave me before I left. It was filled with laughs and smiles and great memories of recent years in and out of the Maersk office. Not surprisingly, I cried a little bit as I thought of the great memories, laughs and smiles I'll be leaving behind from this Maersk office. And then I told myself that was enough and time to get back to business. Then a little while later I came across our entry ticket stubs for the Taj Mahal and sat down to reminisce about that trip that Savannah and I took. What an experience of a lifetime and how vivid are the awesome memories we made - so fortunate and blessed to have been able to see such a beautiful wonder of the world and visit India outside Chennai! Lots of smiles and maybe a few tears as I thought of the changes we have in front of us. I am not scared of the change, and looking forward to starting our new life with Michael and his daughter, Haley, but a little sad to leave behind our Mommy/daughter time we became accustomed to over here. I also spent some time thinking about the great friends we have made and know from all over the world, from our gulf coast in the US all across our great nation to the new friends we have in Canada, the UK, Turkey, Nepal, and of course India. I am sure there are more places, but that's a good start. We could not have survived this great adventure without the love and support from a wonderful group of friends, near and far. We are blessed beyond measure and, not surprisingly, I was moved to tears thinking of all the wonderful people in our lives. Lots to think about...
Other than preparations to depart, I have been recovering pretty well. Fortunately no more pain and only low energy. Hoping that gets back to normal pretty quick - lots to do and not a lot of time to get it all done! Savannah did complete her graduation, YAY, and has spent her time after school as an intern at a friend of a friend's new daycare/activity center she opened up in the city. She has loved her first experience in the work force, although an unpaid gig, and she is learning a lot about what it takes to survive. She comes home tired and complains that work is tough. Duh. haha When we get back to Texas there is lots to do for her - enroll in community college, learn how to drive, help with my nieces a day or two a week, and job hunt. She wants to save money so she can travel next year while taking online classes in the spring, since she will be on my mom's retirement flight benefits and have the luxury of no/low cost travel.
We have more visitors in from the US for the Safmarine migration at work last week and this week, which is always nice. They get to meet the team and impart some great knowledge with some "front office" style that will surely help make our team here stronger. We joined them for a fancy brunch today, along with the Toms and Cherie (whose birthday was yesterday!), at the Leela Palace hotel. Then we did a little shopping and they joined us at church. After a little while at one of the nearby beaches and a lot of walking, we were pretty worn out and returned for a nice Indian dinner and called it a night. Savannah is already sleeping (it's hard being a working girl - just ask her!) and I am winding down, myself.
Many thoughts and plans are running like a ticker tape in my brain which makes it hard to sleep lately. I make a lot of notes on my phone and send emails to myself to remember to do this, check that, call here, pack this, remember that. We are trying to fit an awful lot of social time with our Chennai friends into the calendar before we leave... there just don't seem to be enough meals or days to get it all in. On that note, I just thought of a few things I need to jot down so I'll wrap this post up. I'll ask for your prayers for us as we prepare for the journey home... peace, energy, emotional balance, as a start. Throw in anything else you can think of; we'll sure take it :) Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, as always! We love you!
Other than preparations to depart, I have been recovering pretty well. Fortunately no more pain and only low energy. Hoping that gets back to normal pretty quick - lots to do and not a lot of time to get it all done! Savannah did complete her graduation, YAY, and has spent her time after school as an intern at a friend of a friend's new daycare/activity center she opened up in the city. She has loved her first experience in the work force, although an unpaid gig, and she is learning a lot about what it takes to survive. She comes home tired and complains that work is tough. Duh. haha When we get back to Texas there is lots to do for her - enroll in community college, learn how to drive, help with my nieces a day or two a week, and job hunt. She wants to save money so she can travel next year while taking online classes in the spring, since she will be on my mom's retirement flight benefits and have the luxury of no/low cost travel.
We have more visitors in from the US for the Safmarine migration at work last week and this week, which is always nice. They get to meet the team and impart some great knowledge with some "front office" style that will surely help make our team here stronger. We joined them for a fancy brunch today, along with the Toms and Cherie (whose birthday was yesterday!), at the Leela Palace hotel. Then we did a little shopping and they joined us at church. After a little while at one of the nearby beaches and a lot of walking, we were pretty worn out and returned for a nice Indian dinner and called it a night. Savannah is already sleeping (it's hard being a working girl - just ask her!) and I am winding down, myself.
Many thoughts and plans are running like a ticker tape in my brain which makes it hard to sleep lately. I make a lot of notes on my phone and send emails to myself to remember to do this, check that, call here, pack this, remember that. We are trying to fit an awful lot of social time with our Chennai friends into the calendar before we leave... there just don't seem to be enough meals or days to get it all in. On that note, I just thought of a few things I need to jot down so I'll wrap this post up. I'll ask for your prayers for us as we prepare for the journey home... peace, energy, emotional balance, as a start. Throw in anything else you can think of; we'll sure take it :) Thank you for your thoughts and prayers, as always! We love you!
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